The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-04-25
PROTECTING THE DEPENDENTS

" formation, Division on Woman's Worl
@ comes a statement that must apes
strongly TO the women of the country
Il particularly those who are relatives O
n men serving in the Army and Navy
N The statement sets forth the liberia
s provision made by the government 70
!. soldiers and sailors now with the col
d ors and for wives, children and othe
o dependents. There is striking con
trast between the present system am
: the pensioning arrangements of EARL
, err times. To begin with, half the pa,
{ of every enlisted man, which tern
! applies to those chosen by selectiv'
, draft as well as to those who hav,
; volunteered, is withheld by the gov
ernmen for the benefit of the wives
children and other dependents. Thus
the allowance to soldiers or sailors
dependents at home can never be less
than SIS month. Many enlisted men
fill positions for which they draw
much higher pay than $50 a MONTH
and in such cases the allowance to de-
pendents is increased accordingly
half the sum received monthly goes to
the dependents. There are other all
lowances. A wife is given $25 a
month additional if she has one child,
and $3.50 a month if she has two
children, making the total allowance a
month $4750 where there are two
children. Other provisions look to the
care of various dependents, and the
law permits allowances to the depend
ents Of enlisted men to maximum of
$50 month where the need of such
allowance is demonstrated.
The government goes much farther
When an enlisted man is injured or dis
abled to the extent that he must leave
the service, or when he dies, the allow
ances mentioned cease automatically, |
but there is provision for compensa-
ton, the government paying to the
family sums which range from 500 to
500 month. The. amount varies
with the size of the family. In case
of disability the compensation is paid
to the man; should he die the money
is payable to the widow, children or
parent.
In addition to allowances and com
pensation there is comprehensive
system Of war-rfsk insurance. A sol
der or sailor can take out such insur-
ance in any amount from 81 900 to
$4,000. This insurance is open to
both officers and enlisted men, and the
premium is so light that payment is
not burdensome. The amount of such
insurance now in force totals more
than $13,000,000,000, and the number
Of men insured is believed to be not
far from 100000 The main purpose
Of war-risk insurance is to protect de-
Dendents in case of soldiers or sail
Ors death; but there are other import
ant advantages. In case of total dis
ability there is life insurance for the
man himself, and in the event of his
return home uninjured or slightly in :
iured he may convert his war-risk in .
surance into any one of several forms
IF life insurance, and that without !
physical examination. As the state .
nent expresses it, ain purchasing his
quota of war-risk insurance the fight
ng man on land or sea cannot possibly
ose out"
The men are urged to take out the
maximum of $4,000 insurance, and .
many have done so, as the average in
urance per man now in force is
sos. The premiums are surprising !:
Y low, ranging, for $4,000, from |;
$50 to $500 month, according to !;
he age of the applicant. If disabled /.
0 he cannot work the $4,000 insur- :
nee may come back TO the man in !
lonthly installments of $3.50 during /:
is life. If the insured dies in service I:
he same amount will be paid to his Z
life, children or other benefciaries for 4
xenty years. !.
While the men have responded Z
to the appeal to take our in I
trance, some have been neglectful. /
he statement calls attention to the !
,ct that no other government in any I
,untry in any war has so generously +
soldiers and sailors Z
ives and other dependents, and sug !.
,sts that women do their part by =
,eping the matter before the minds !
their men; TO see that the premiums T.
e paid regularly, so there shall be no I,
Of the insurance, and thus l..
watch after the welfare Of children Z,
For long time there will be con. e
ant additions 10 the number Of men J..
rving their country. All who care (.
they should for dependents will ar Z.
nge to assure comfort for the loved +.
.os. The government has made lib !.
al nroyigiops and no soldier or sailor -