Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-08-17
HOME SERVICE !. !
BUREAU DOES
GREAT WORK
Many Good Examples of the
Work Shown by the
Local Bureau.

OF all the associations that have
been organized since the outbreak Of
the war, the Home Service Bureau
can easily demand its place among
the leading ones, for work rendered
to men and the families Of men In the
service.
The local bureau under the direc-
ton Of j. B. Wineman has taken care
Of seven cases within the last 80 days
for men who are in the service and
many cases for the parents, and fam
lilies of enlisted men. Such cases as
the following may come up to the at
tention of the bureau:
"a soldier or sailor may owe money
On a note. Or he may have bought
or leased land or tools or furniture
on which an installment is yet due.
Or he may have m~ortgaged his home,
and be liable to foreclosure for nom
payment. Or he may have started a
homestead o. mining claim and be
unable to continue the necessary oc-
cupation in the required period of
time. Or he nay have carried life
insurance for several years and now
be unable to keep up the premium
payments. Or he may have a 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 effective
~ while absent"
The Soldiers and Sailors Civil Re-
lief act, recently passed by congress,
aims to protect soldiers and sailors
from undue hardship. due to their
inability to bring or defend lawsuits
and to attend to their business obli-
cations or property rights, during
their absence in military service.
Provisions of Act.
The provisions of the act are too
numerous to set forth accurately
here: the following will point out it's
main principles:
soldier or. sailor, notify the court hat
the party concerned is a 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 further proceedings. or to
give other remedy that a be appro-
pirate. The cou may also appoint
an attorney to represent the soldier
or sailor in the lawsuit.
ca IF a lawsuit has been begun
already in some court against the
soldier or sailor, go to that same
court and give the notice above men
toned. If no lawsuit has yet been
begun, but some landlord or other
person is preparing to sell out or to
take possession of property in which
the soldier Of sailor Is interested, go
to the court in whose jurisdiction the
property is, notify the court as above,
and ask the court to summon the
other party. All such persons are
forbidden by law to take property in
that way without first applying to
court for an order; but some persons
out doing so. in ignorance of the new
CO 1T the soldier, or sailor had
an insurance policy Or a fraternal
benefit membership, before Sept. l,
1917, and fears that he may not be
able to keep up his payments, he
should write to the War Risk Insur-
aEce Bureau at Washington, and ask
them for a form Of application Cor
ask his post adjutant at the camp).
n government, on certain condi-
the premiums. SO that the policy or
membership will not be forfeited dur
ing the soldiers or sailors absence;
ne Will then have a year after his re-
turn IN which to pay up and ave his
policy or membership. This relief
does not apply to all policies or men,
berships, and details can not be given
here; but on filing u the applica-
ton and sending it to the War Risk
Insurance Bureau it will be duly
taken care Of, if it Is the kind of in
act"
Among the cases that came to the
attention Of the local bureau and
which were successfully handled,
We're, n party had a government
homestead contested. another had
iand payments due. while others had
payments due on contracts and notes.
In all cases action was stayed until
the men are out of the service and
are able to look after their own in
forests. in this way saving the prop
erty of the mel which might other
wise have been forfeited.
Another very commendable work
OF this bureau is hat in. which they
work with the Bureau Of Commune
cation of the Red Cross and deal with
cases as. when the boy at the front
gets no mail. they Immediately send
his name, with the necessary army
locations. through the Red Cross in
that vicinity, n he is Immediately