Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-09-05
READY TO ANSWER
WARTIME QUERIES
Information Bureau Established
by Connecticut Defense
Council.
VOLUNTEERS DO GOOD WORK.
Edward Field, Director, Outlines What
10 Being Done-Large Variety of Re-
quests Received Each Day and All
Have Careful Attention.

Families and dependents Of men in
the national service are finding aD eff
f1cient source of help in settling va
riOus problems that arise in cOnnec-
ton with the war through application
to the Soldiers and Sailors Informa-
ton Bureau, established by the Con-
necticut State Council of Defense last
April. In an interview given out re-
Gently, Edward Field, director of the
bureau, outlined the work and gave
specimen requests to illustrate the
scope of activities.
Every local agency of the state cOun-
Gil has for one of it's important func-
lions the work of giving information
to families and dependents of men in
service, but some of the requests are
such that they require solution by Mr..
Field. Besides receiving many of his
communications from war bureaus
and town committees, the state direc-
tor receives a large number addressed
direct to the state council or to him
personally.
Mr.. Field, In defining the work of
the bureau, said: I'm q broad sense
anything that affects the interests of
q soldier or sailor or his family would
be proper to refer to the bureau"
CHANGING over some of his recent
correspondence, the state director pick
ed out few specimen inquiries. Hard
ly a day passes but the mails bring a
new kind of request, showing that the
bureaus work is far from mOnotonous.
A family desire to know the where
abouts of q soldier who neglected to
write home for many months. Anoth-
err family want to know the directions
for sending money and packages to
war prisoners in Germany. One letter
asks for information as to whether a
soldier enlisted in this country for
service in the Polish Army in France
can secure insurance through the
United States Insurance law. A wo-
man wants to know if she can go to
Canada and what restrictions are in
effect. An insurance company inquiries
whether it can pay the proceeds of a
fire insurance policy to an enemy alien.
A widow asks whether she is entitled
to Il pension, her soldier husband hav-
| ing died shortly after service at the
| Mexican border.
The above cases are incidental, most
| Of the appeals for information being
In regard to soldiers and sailors al
| lOwanceS and allOtments. Lately the
| bureau has received numerous inqui-
ries for definition of the work or
| Fight regulations. In all cases the
! bureau endeavOrs to solve each indi-
vidual problem or settle any mlsunder-
standing.
Where 1t is a question of financial
relief it is passed over to the Civilian
Relief Department of the American
Red Cross Society. Mr.. Field is work
ing in complete cooperation with the
Red Cross in all cases.
The bureau is operated at q mini
mum expense, which is limited to post
age and stationery It's business is
| handled In the office of the Public Util-
tiles Commission at the State Capitol.
| Mr.. Field is auditor and statistician Of
| the commission and is serving the bu-
reau in a voluntary capacity. He has
volunteer assistance in the services of
Miss Louis NJ. Potter, assistant ac-
countant and stenographer of the Com
! mission.
Each member Of the Commission
and the secretary, as we'll as the whole
office force, are, in addition to their
regular official duties, giving gener-
ossly of their time to war work while
two members of it's staff are in France,
one major in the Engineer Corps and
the other with the Y. NJ c. A
An official Connecticut casualty list,
being compiled by the Connecticut
State Council of Defense, is ready for
reference at the State Capitol in the
office of the Soldiers and Sailors In
formation Bureau