Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-02-15
army PAY ROLL
IS now NEARLY
A BILLION A Year
Facts and Figures About Sums
Paid Various Grades of Off,
GERS and Enlisted Men.
how and when They GET IT
Wide Expansion Of the Army Makes
Task Of Paying OF Intricate and
Difficuit-ls Quartermaster's
Job-Precautions Taken to
Insure Meeting Pay Roll
Promptly.

| Insure Meeting Pay Roll
Promptly.
Washington.-The actual pay roll of
the fighting forces Of the United States
is now nearly $1O0,OOO,OOO per month.
This sum is disbursed by the pay off,
GERS of the army and navy in the form
of checks or currency or by the treas
ury department in the form Of family
allotments as compensation for serv-
ices rendered according to the scale OF
pay prescribed by law for the uni
formed defenders of the nation.
This figure does not include family
allowances which are paid by the gov
eminent toward the support of the fam
lilies Of enlisted men, under specified
conditions, nor does it consider any Of
the special compensatory features Of
the military and naval insurance act,
under which $176,15OO 600 was appropri-
ated.
For the purpose of informing the
public accurately as to the system of
pay in the army the following author
lied statement has been issued by the
committee on public information:
| Army Pay Nearly Billion a Year.
The total pay of the United States
army for the month of December was
approximately SIS, $50, 800.
| Disbursements on account of the pay
of officers and men of the army are
now at the rate of about $3.50, 100000
per year.
These figures consider solely the pay
disbursed by the quartermaster de-
partment end do not include family
allowances or compensation for DISABLE
ity of soldiers, provided for by the
military and naval insurance act and
paid by the government through the
war risk insurance bureau Of the treas
ury department.
Following is a comprehensive state
ment of the system of pay Of the army
authorized by the quartermaster gen.
eral:
| The Quartermaster general of the
army, under the direction of the secre-
tary of war, is charged with the duty
Of providing for the payment Of the Of
fcers, enlisted men, female nurses, field
clerks, and civilian clerks Of the quar-
termaster corps on duty at places other
than in the Office of the quartermaster
! general. Due to the lack Of Office build
ings necessary to take care of the in
creased number of employees required
to carry on the business of the army Mt
Washington, it has been necessary to
lease many privately owned buildings
for Office purposes. The finance and
accounting division Of the Office of the
quartermaster general is charged with
the details of providing funds, and in
terror administration in connection
with the payment Of the army, and is
now located in large apartment house
at the corner of Fifteenth and NJ
streets NV.
| Intricate and Difficult Task.
The intricate task of paying the Of
ficers and men of the United States
army, made more difficult by the wide
being satisfactorily accomplished. To
prevent failure to meet the monthly
compensation of every man in the serv-
ice, no matter where he may be To-
Gated, liberal sums are furnished the
various disbursing quartermasters in
order promptly to meet the army pay
rolls with their extraordinary demands
for funds.
The officers and enlisted men of the
army are paid ut the end of each
month, or as soon thereafter as pos
sible, by the disbursing officers Of the
quartermaster corps, In cash or by
check, at their stations or in the field.
If on duty in France they are paid in
French currency or by United States
checks, as officers and men may elect.
| Pay Of Enlisted Men.
The pay Of enlisted men depends on
their grades, ratings, and length Of
service. From June 1, 1917, and con-
tinuing during the term of the war the
pay Of enlisted men is as follows:
Men receiving $50: All privates, the
army entering grade.
Men receiving $33: First-class pri-
Yates, men promoted to act in minor
noncommissioned officer capacity.
| Men receiving $36: Corporals, sad
Glers, mechanics, farriers and wagon
| ers, and musicians of the third class.
Men receiving $3S: All sergeant
| grades in the line, which include infan-
try, field, artillery, coast artillery and
| cavalry; cooks, horseshoers, band cor
| porals and musicians of the second
| class.
Men receiving S44: Sergeants of the
various corps of the engineers, ord
nance, signal corps, quartermaster
corps and medical department; band
sergeants and musicians of the first
| class.
Men receiving $4S: Battalion SER
geaut majors, squadron sergeant ma
| iors, sergeant majors (junior grade),
sergeant buglers, master gunners and
assistant band leaders of the lire.
Men receiving sol: Regimental ser.