The sun., 1919-01-13
SOLDIERS ALLOTMENTS.
General Lord Again Explains and De.
tends the Army System.

Soldiers Pay Red Tape Cut" This
article appears in your paper under the
Washington, ID. c.. date line as spe-
cial despatch to THE Sun, and its first
paragraph reads as follows:
Thoroughly disguised with the delays OF
the War Department in paying anotments
TO soldiers families, the House took the
matter into Its own hands to-day and
passed legislation directing the department
TO resume Immediately the payments of
allotments suspended last July.
l wish to state most emphatical
that in the payment OF allotments by
the War Department there has been
absolutely no delay since the beginning
of the war, They have been paid regu-
larly and promptly and accurately and
there is no complaint that can be justly
laid to the War Department because
of failure to pay every allotment that
IL under its control and on which 1t can
under the law make payment. This
statement can be easily verified by your
correspondent at any time.
When In June, 1918, Congress. at the
request OF the Treasury Department,
amended the war risk insurance. act
by making the monthly allotment Sl5
in tho case of every enlisted man ire
spoctive of his grade, n conference was
, called by the Bureau VI War Risk In
! surance of tho Treasury Department 10
consider what action should be taken
in the case Of those allotmcnts where
the absence of dependency prevented tie
rrpn ~. -i,,,g NJ
family allowances.
This conference was attended by
| representatives OF the War, the Navy
and the Treasury departments. and the
Navy suggested that allotments which
| did not carry family allowances were
the kind which had been administered
TO- --"7rs by It. properly belonged to IT,
< puiu l.. administered by it without in
curling the numerous complaints which
were heard on every side. and II per-
m!tted 10 resume that such action would
certainly relieve the Treasury Depart
ment. which was in danger of being
! swamped by the food Of applications
pouring in upon 1t.
In this view the representative OF the
War Department concurred. and while
at first the Treasury Department de-
| INJURED it is evident that upon delibera-
| ton 1t must have agreed with the War
and Navy departments. Tor II decided
| TO discontinue the payment OF such
! allotments.
Please bear in mind that tho War
| and Navy departments did not dlscon-
| tinue these payments The records
| were the property Of the Treasury De-
partmcnt. that Department had been
making paymci s and the discontin-
uances were made ON its own initiative.
| neither the War nor the Navy Depart
| ment having the right To- insist upon
the Treasury department doing any
| thing that II did not visa to do.
| Having been informed by tie Treas
| rry Department OF its intention 70 dis
continue these payments. the War De-
| partment Immediately sent instructions
to every point IN this and in foreign
countries where enlisted men were sta
| toned. reCii-E the rev arrangements
which would be made IN all cases Of
! voluntary aNotments where no allow
! ances We're being made aud pointing ont
that II tho soldier wished to continue
th.. voluntary allotment. 20 in rcase it
or to decrease Il or 20 change the berc-
! nciary, he could do 50 by using the
! army allotment system, wnich has been
IN satisfactory existence for over twenty
years.
That the instructions were well
understood and that they received wide
publicity - evidenced by the fact that
over 100000 army a!lotments nave been
received winch can he I-ehrhed as ones
which probably "er" made as result
or the d.s'"n'!hlah''S Icy te treasury
Department. These a.lo;m'A's were all
sorled b the army allotment system
with no disturbances 10 ne orderly rou-
tine. and t"cy ana a.! other army al
!o;menis are helhE va" on N''' ana /"
Il way which Is eNoHiHE ~ 1oHp'Hh'
upon the part - either tie soldiers or
their benet'c'afies.
! trust that you VIII not mlsuhdcr-
stand Whist l am about 70 say an"
desire - rtiteraie my syinpa'h'Hc "P'
nreciat'on OF the ploD!eH "H'ch Inc
treasury Department han 10 s'lNe.
fee. hoWe'o". mat III the minus OF Con
ErCSsmcn ana the ruoic EehcFalIN 'heI'
is danger of confusing tho departments
Of the Government Responsible lor Inc
complaints when are 10" oe''s
received.
From an examination OF mail coming
TO this o'h'o' an 'nN'stFauon OF com
P'al''S "hi'n S"'c 'h''"',' w >'''
sress have sent 10 me- ana from con
NerSations when oih'"ra OF the " nj l'e'