The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-04-04
SOLDIERS AND SAIL
ORSTO BE PROTECTED

Soldiers. sailors and marines are not
to be hit from behind while they are
fighting their eOuntrv's battles. be-
cause Of inability to give personal at
tentlon TO their business affairs OF
property rights. Uncle Sam will see
To il that their rights are protected.
Congress has recently passed. and
President Wilson has signed, a Sol
diers' and Sailors Relief Act, which
aims TO give men in the service full
legal and financial protection.
The War Department has prepared
brief summary of the provisions of
this act, with the request that 1t be
given wide publicity that men In the
service. their relatives and the public
generally may know what protection
has been granted and how to obtain 1t.
The War Departments official sum
mary is as follows:
"A soldier or sailor may owe money
on note. Or he may have bought or
leased land. tools or furniture on which
an installment is yet due. Or he may
have mortgaged his home, and be iia
ble to foreclosure for non payment. Or
| he may have started homestead or
mining claim and be unable 10 continue
| the necessary occupation in the re-
I qulred period of time. Or be may have
/ carried life insurance for several years
and now be unable to keep up the
| premium payments. Or he may have
money claim against some one and
/ during his absence the lapse of time
may raise a legal bar against suing
( for it when he returns. Or he may be
sued on some claim in his absence and
may be unable to defend the suit etfec-
I lively while absent.
In these and other ways he may
suffer undue hardship. The object of
this Act is to give relief from such
hardship.
The provisions of the Act are too
numerous to set forth accurately here.
| Enough to point out that its main prin-
clple is as follows:
"W Let someone, on behalf of the
soldier or sailor, notify the court that
the party concerned is soldier or
sailor. Then the court will make
prompt inquiries into the merits of the
case; if the case merits it, the court
has power to stay the other party from
I lbl VI W EANC pNiNl
remedy that may be appropriate. The
court may also appoint an attorney to
represent the soldier or sailor in the
lawsuit.
"(2) If lawsuit has been begun
already in some court against the sol
dier or sailor, 90 to that same court
and give the notice above mentioned.
If no lawsit has yet been begun. but
some landlord or other person is pre-
pairing to sell out or to take possession
of property in which the soldier or
sailor is interested. go to the court in
whose jurisdiction the property is, no.
| tify the court as above, and ask the
court to summon the other party. All
such persons are forbidden by law to
take propery in that way without first
applying to the court for an order; but
some persons may attempt to take pos
session without doing so, in ignorance
of the new law.
"(3} If the soldier or sailor had an
insurance policy or fraternal benefit
membership before September /, 1917,
and fears that he may not be able to
keep up his payments, he should write
to the War Risk Insurance Bureau at
Washington and ask for form of APP
piication Tor ask his post adjutant at
the camp. The government, on GER
tain conditions, will guarantee the pay
ment of the premiums, so that the pol
icy or membership will not be forfeited
during the soldier or sailors absence !;
he will then have a year after his re-
turn in which to pay up and save his
policy or membership. This relief does
not apply to all policies or member
ships, and details cannot be gwen here :,
but on filing out the application and
sending ii to the War Risk Insurance
Bureau it will be duly taken care Of,
if it is the kind Of insurance that is
protected by this Act.
90 Copies of this Act are being
sent to about 20, 900 lawyers, to all su-
perior courts. and to all local boards !,
and the boards have been asked to
hand a copy to the nearest magistrate.
Thus the courts ought to be alread,
well informed as to its provisions.