The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-02
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM A TION
Blu RE AU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN. Director,
Washington. D. c.
ABOUT THOSE ALLo1a1ENTs.

Washington, D. c.. Aug. 30.-When
D. soldiers wife does not get an allot- !
ment and allowance check from the
government within two weeks after he
enlists, she usually seizes pen and
dasIles off an excited epistle to the
War Risk Insurance Bureau of the
treasury department, or possibly to
THE Government, Washington. D. c"
She does not stop to consider that her
husband is one soldier out of some
three million, and that allotment
papers for an army cannot be filled
out and approved in a day
Often these letters, which form no
small part of the War Risk Bureaus
daily mail, fail to disclose the facts re-
quired to trace the case. while some
display q calligraphy that defies de-
ciphering, and in still others. the
writers have become so involved in
pages of lengthy explanation that the
purpose of the letter is completely
hidden. Thus real delay follows while
an expert in handwriting or a psy-
biologist wracks his brain to grasp
the hidden meaning.
The following are few samples of
lighter vein of the bureaus cores
pondence, which at the same time
show the indefinite character of many
appeals for help:
I have not received no pay since my
husband has gone from no where.
My Bill has been put in charge of g
SpltIOoH NpldtooH.l Will get ilore
pay?
Please let me know if John Mason
has put in an application for a wife
and child.
You have changed my little boy to
little girl Will it make any diff
ference?
You have taken my man away to
fight and he was the best I ever had.
Now you will have to keep me, or who
is to if you don't?
Many of the foreign correspondents
Go not attempt the struggle of putting
the English language on paper, but
write eloquently in their native
tongue, trusting to Uncle Sans abiI-
lty as a 1inguist. The bulk of foreign
language mail received at the war
risk bureau is so great that a special
division Of translators is employed in
reading and answering these letters.
Such letters necessarily require more
time in the answering and often the
writer grows impatient at the seeming
slowness of the government machin-
cry.
The war risk bureau does not dis
courage the writing of necessary let
tiers, but it wishes the relatives of men
IN service to eliminate letters of thanks
ana letters concerning a man without
mentioning his full name, rank or
ganization, allotment number and
other means of Identification A ia
Vor1te illustration of the bureau is
the uselessness of trying to locate a
John j. OBrien when there are over
hundred men in service of this
name.
To insure the answering of its let
tiers correctly and efficiently the bu-
reau sends some of it's employees to a
school held in the war risk office
building. A graduate of a two weeks
course OF study and lectures relative
to the intricacies of government in
surance and allotments is ready TO
answer practically any question which
correspondents may ask. The con-
Quoting of these courses is for the
government good investment both of
tims ana money, for the eight hun
dred stu~t4lls who have already fin
lsEcd the training are able to enter a
new field of work as experienced
clerks.
Here is an example of the problems
winch confront employees of the bu-
Tau each morning. A soldier, Harry
Brown, in making out papers stating
names of dependents, if any, denies
existence of any dependents Later
the - bureau receives a letter asking
why no allotment has been sent to
harry Browns mother. Extensive
search of files indicates that the Harry
to whom the writer probably refers
neglected to claim a mother and the
matter is finally taken up with him
| thru his commanding officer with the
result that Harry usually volunteers
an allotment if the mothers identity
| and dependence are proved.
Because a wife or mother who fails
| to receive an allotment promptly
| writes letters to the war risk bureau
| her congressman at Washington, and
the local papers, the public considers
| hers a typical case. AS regards the
majority who receive checks regularly
IN reasonable time there is little pub
| Hcity. Nevertheless, about one million
OF checks are sent out each month in
| payment of allotments and allowances.
The work of verifying applications and
| awarding allotments necessarily holds
up first payments, and when this is
| rendered more difficult by the SOL
diers' neglect in giving all facts re-
| quired a considerable delay is in
| evitable.
A few mix-ups have resulted from
| women marrying two or more soldiers
| in order to receive al1otments from
each. It is believed by the war, risk
| bureau that incidents of this characte
| and other plans to defr3ud the gov
| eminent thru the war risk are very
| few. With the secret service and the
! department of justice on the lookout
there is small chance for schemes OF
this sort to succeed.
! Some misunderstanding as to the
| privileges Of dependents is caused
thru confusion of the provisions for
government insurance and govern
ment allotments and allowances.
| There is often difficulty in making
relatives of officers and enlisted men
I understand that the government
makes no allowances toward officers
families and that an enlisted man or
non-commissioned officer is COM
PEELED to contribute only to the sup
port of a wife and child. Allotments
| to other relatives are entirely volun-
tary. It is, therefore, a waste of time
for the sister or father of soldier to
apply to the government for an allot-
ment if the soldier involved has not
requested it. Of course the matter
can be taken up with the soldiers
co. ln1anding officer if the need for his
support is urgent, but in general the
way to secure an allotment is by ap-
plying to the enlisted man himself
An explanation of the processes in
vo1ved in putting thru an allotment