The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-11
Representative Mann Upholds
Criticism of Departments
Delay in Paying Men.
BAKER DEFENDS CASE
Says Men in This Country Get
Regular Pay, But Condi-
tons Overseas Caused
Hang-Up Often.

wasAingtea. Jan. Ie.-Repre-
iican AooR leader. today took issue
with Seefetasy BAKER ~ -
whether Or not The eenKresaisaai
crittetsn 81 the war department
for delay In paying on soldiers
andy forwarding their aIIotments 10
aepenAeat. was warranted. A let-
ter frem the secretary, replying
to statement. made ON the aoor
ut the house and . reply from
Mr.. Mann. were read In the house.
Mr.. Baker said allotmenss ARE be-
ing paid promptly and they are not LII
any way in arrears" The only delays,
he admitted. were In cases where the
department has been unable to locate
AllotteeS. But these arc few in
number" he continued, land even in
these cases II 10 hardly likely that any
hardship has resulted ~ these aliot-
ments are not made for the benefit OF
families."
Soldiers who have remained in the
United States. the secretary declared.
have been paid their monthly pay In
full At an average the nfth day OF the
month" Overseas troops have not
been paid as promptly rs those at
home because OF their conditions of
service rather than any lack of effort
on the part OF the authorities OF the
American expeditionary forces"
That . great many OF the sick and
wounded being returned from Europe
are several months in arrears In their
ray was admitted In explanation Of
this delay. the secretary said:
Aeas AeesrAs Confused.
when these men reached the
United States the department was con-
fronted with the problem Of making
payment TO men who had no records
whatever Of the condition OF any Item
which enters into the computation Of
pay. To meet this the department
made partial payments on arrival At
ports Of dabArkAtion and aiao partial
payments upon arrival 1t hospitals
In cases where records have not ar
rived. the secretary said. payments in
the date to which tho men were last
paid.
my mail il niled with complaints"
replied MIR. Mann. land am infor med
tho same il true OF other members OF
congress-"
unless these letters missta.e the
facts. Mr. Mann said In HIS reply, you
are in error In believing the de.
partment Is promptly paying allot-
ments and none are In arrears.
woasAeA Men Net PasA.
THAT there Is unwarYanted delay in
the payment OF sick and wounded men
coming home 10 beyond question. un-
less the many soldiers who write Ars
all lying about Il. and I do not believe
that" Mr.. Mann wrote.
'"rhe government Ia utterly falling
in It's responsibility to the soldiers
and their departments In regard to pay
and allowances. Excuses. Of course.
win be offered. but what IL needed 10
attention TO the business
Tho department was further critt-
cised for failure to discharge men who
have employment awaiting Them
Another matter to which 7 call your
attention" Mr.. Mann said. as the re-
fusal Of the war department to obtain
information concerning soldiers who
are reported wounded and referring
them to the American Red Cross. Such
action ON the part OF the war depar.-
ment eeems to indicate an absolute in
sensihillty 70 humane Telling"
Referring 70 the war risk iRsur-
Anee bufeAu. Mr.. Mann said.
The inehicsency Of the bureau
vosld p burienaus y Il were not
trAes1y.-