The Press., 1918-09-05
READY TO ANSWER WARTIME QUERIES
Information Bureau Established by Connecticut Defense
 Council.
VOLUNTEERS DO GOOD WORK
Edward Field, Director, Outlines What Is Being pons-Lar0e Variety Of Re- quests Received Each Day and All Nave carSfuI Attention.

Families and dependents of men in the national service are finding an ef- ficient source of help in settling va riOus problems that arise in cOnnec- tiOn with the war through application to the Soldiers and Sailors InfOrma- tiOn Bureau. established by the Con necticut State Council of Defense last April. In an interview given out re- gently, Edward Field, director of the specimen requests to illustrate the scope of activities
 Every local agency of the state cOun- ell has for one of its important func- tiOns 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.
 Mir. Field. in defining the work of the bureau. said: "In & broad sense anything that affects the interests o1 A soldier or sailor or his family would he proper to refer tO the bureau"
 Glancing over some of his recent correspondence. the state director pick ed out few specimen inquiries. Hard ly day passes but the mails bring 8 new kind of request, showing that the bureaus work Is far from mOnOtOn0us.
 A family desire to know the where abOutS of a soldier who neglected to write home for many months AnOth- er family want to know the directions for sending mopey and packages to war prisoners 4h Germany. One letter asks for Information as to whether 6 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 1t can pay the proceeds of B fire insurance policy to an enemy alien. A widow asks whether she Is entitled to a 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
 
 vidual problem or settle any misunder- standing.
 Where 1t Is a question of financial relief 1t Is passed over to the Civilian Relief Department of the American Red Cross Society. MT. Field Is work ing in complete cooperation with the Red Cross in all cases.
 The bureau Is operated at a mini mum expense, which is limited tO post age and stationery. Its business Is handled in the office of the Public Util- tiles Commission at the State Capitol. Mir. Field is auditor and statistician of the commission and Is serving the bu- reau in 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 well as the whole office force. are, in addition to their regular official duties, giving gener- Ously of their time to war work while two members of Its 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. fOrmAti Bureau.