Omaha daily bee., 1919-01-24

Shenandoah, Ia, Jan. 20.-To the
Editor Of The Bee: have been in
terested In articles appearing recent
ly In the World Herald, apologizing
for the service Tor lack of it, in
handling the soldiers and sailors al
lOtments. These articles show the
public Just what I and many others,
as victims found true, that everyone
places the blame on some one else
and one finds it impossible to lay his
finger on the man who acknowledges
responsibility for the inefficiency, so
painfully apparent.
When bad cases were brought to
their attention there was no relief
and Hon. Sen. Hitchcock is too busy
handling corporation matters to
bother with the common gob's
troubles. He has not even replied to
my last letter, written some time ago,
and am dependent on the efforts of
Congressman Dallenger (republican)
of Massachusetts,, who really has
tried to have the matter Strengthened
out.
was IN the service asN sailor
from January 26 to December 6,
1918. At the end Of nine months /
AAGM EEu AAAAQu6A AAAl SAAgA " VI
Representative Dallinger and our
chaplain at Cambridge. took the
matter up three times with ex-Con-
gresham Dan Stephens Of Fremont,
who sent the same kind of letters,
that Senator Hitchcock mailed me-
excuses for delay. They did not make
any attempt to force the matter.
wrote Senator Hitchcock several
times-the last time about December
IL, after my release and he did not
reply to this letter at ALL His other
letters were excuses, never any force
full action, OF course was only a
COB and he was busy with big mat
tiers.
Mine is only an example Of thou
sands of others-not few. If 1t
were not for the Red Cross and other
organizations performing an obliga-
ton that was properly the govern
ment's il they were properly attend
ing to, what would many depend
ents have done? Mine, with
theirs, it seems to me, makes a very
large and important matter which
Senator Hitchcock fails to see. My
former wife has never received q
cent from the government in over a,
year. I asked to have the compul-
sorry allotment cut in. two when
enlisted because I could not afford
$15. The allotment was for my boy
and / felt that $3.50 plus the SIS
government allowance was enough,
for q boy years old. They could
not decide. They were supposed to
have decided September II to cut it
to $40 plus the government allow
ance, according to a letter written\on
that date by Admiral MCGOWAN, pay.
master general of the navy to Sem
ator Dallenger, but nothing was ever
DONE
Can't you stir up republican in
vestigation OF the Bureau of War
Risk Insurance? I mailed them a
moneyorder covering my insurance
for January and February four
weeks ago and have not had an
acknowledgement. Why not put
some one in there who would run
it? Organize it and run 1t. Why not
send a senator next time with some
pep and influence and a desire to
serve those who vote for him?
drew $40 nine months after
was in the service, SIS about weeks
later and 1855 when released. I
drew $50 for my subsistence during
the last 10 days Of my service, but
had to pay $50 for the board and
room that it covered. saving So for
myself. This sS6 is not pay" Ny
pay for the period Of my enlistment
was s51.56 and my former wife has
never received anything.
/ wonder IL Senator Hitchcock's
patriotism would keep him on the
job nine months with no money
coming from anywhere except the
charity Of relatives and friends ?
There were lots Of cases like mine.
The army and navy was not en-
tirely made up Of boys who could
send home to father or mother for
money. Some Of us were grown
men, accustomed to support our
selves and others and wen let such
men as Senator Hitchcock see. at the
next election. that we expected re-
suits from them Il think reasonably
just as they had a right to expect
results of us.
don't care whether the govern
ment ever sends me the money due