The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-24
SOLDIERS EFFECTS
Bureau Maintained by Government
to Return Them to Bereaved
Families or Friends

Since the end of the war the "Ef-
fects Bureau" has been bringing back
to the nearest kin of the soldiers who
lost their lives in France any effects,
valuable from either a monetary or
sentimental standpoint.
This is the first time bureau CT
this sort had ever been maintained
by the American government. Dur
ing the civil war and the Spanish
American War friends or relatives Of
, dear soldier trusted to chance. Very
often, however, there was no faithful
| comrade at the side of the dying man.
In this war, knowing and understand
ing how dear the pocketknife, wrist
| watch, picture, or war trophy would
be to family whose son had given
up his life, the government has or
ganized this department.
In March, 1917, what was known as
the Effects Quartermaster was or
ganized with six branches. These
were at Philadelphia, Boston, Hall
fax, Newport News, Baltimore, and
Hoboken. To facilitate the work and
| to insure the proper care of the eff
fects by having them all go through
one clearing house or channel these
branches were consolidated into the
one bureau now quartered at Hobo
ken.
! Just as soon as man is indicted
into the army he fills out qualifica-
/ ton card which, among other things,
gives the name of the person he
wishes the government to communi-
cate with in the case of death or III
jury to him. In the majority of cas-
es it has been proved at the offices
of the Effects Bureau that this per-
son is not the next of kin but good
friend of the soldier. 1t seems that
a desire to spare his wife, mother OF
near member of the family, makes
the soldier name somebody who, he
thinks, can be trusted to give the
news in the kindest manner. 1t is
with this person that the bureau COM
municates when the effects of tbs
soldier arrive.
The first step in the work comes
ClC CilS tllliC viz OOlNASA SoONS AAAS>
battle In no case does a man carry
all his belongings to the hottest part
of the fight. A good many things
like his insurance papers, his Liber-
ty bonds, if he has any, valuables
which might easily be lost, are left
at the quarters at which he was sta
toned OF billeted. After the battle
is over and the casualties ascertained
the field of the dead is combed fol
those possessions of the soldier which
!, can be sent back to his family. II
every case the articles are put into
an Individual container or package tt
insure against mistakes. Very OTTER
it is days and weeks before the or
ganization commander can undertake
, this duty. Always, however, whether
it is matter of days or weeks, some
men in the company are ordered bach
to search the bodies for effects. DC
, casionally, during a retreat, it ha
been found that the bodies had beer
, looted by the Germans. In that CASE
: only those things which were left a
! the company headquarters of TIL
dead man are delivered to his family
just as soon as the division com
/ mander has in his possession all thu
: effects obtainable, they are inventor
: led, packed securely, and forwarded
| to Base Section No. 1 in France, i
the soldier has died there, or to Bas'
: Section No. 3, in England, if hi
death occurred in that country. TIL
greatest number of shipments of eff
5 fects are by cargo, but some are sen
by special messenger. Where tn
valuables are of nature to deman'
special attention, they are given t