Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-11-16
FORMER SOLDIERS
INQUIRE FOR DOPE
ON ILLINOIS BONUS
STATE PREPARING TO ISIS U E.
BLANKS IF LAW is ADOPTED -
COMPLETE LIST OF THOSE
ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE coMPEN.
SATiON.

The new soldier bonus bin, which
appears to have boen carried at the
recent election. has been the cause OF
many perplexing questions propround-
ed which, in some cases, cannot he
answered at this time.
The law passed at the last legislc'
ture on this subject says:
THE sum of s55.000,000 shall be ap-
propriated to be refunded by bond is
sue for the purpose OF paying the sol
diers bonus. The omnibus bill of
the last legislature carried an appro-
pritaion of $4,000 to pay expenses Of
this commission. In case the law was
approved This includes a chief clerk
at $500 per month"; an assistant chief
clerk at 5000 per month. $4,000 for
clerk hire. $4,000 for postage and Of
.ice expenses. and $4,000 Tor repairs
and equipment This IS outside of
the bond issue.
Every person who was enlisted, in.
Quoted, warranted or commissioned
and who served honorably in active
duty, military or navy service OF the
United States, any time between April
6, 1917 and Nov. II. 1918, and at the
time OF entering tho service was a
resident of Illinois and who Is honor
ably discharged from service. or who
Is still in active service or has been
retired or furloughed to a reserve and
who was in service longer than two
months, shall receive 30 cents for
each day In service after April g. 1917,
not to exceed $500.
"The husband or wife tif not re-
married), child or children, mother
father, brother sister, il any, of de
ceased person who served honorably
as provided above, shall be paid to de
ceased. If deceased, died be paid the
sum which would be in service the
beneficiary shall receive $500"
Those not entitled to bonus:
Dishonorably discharged.
Refuse military discipline.
Performed civilian work at civilian
pay while in service.
Received bonus from another state
or for time spent in training in stu
dents army or any training corps.
A service recognition board Is form
ed composed OF the governor. stat
treasurer and adjutant general, wht
have complete charge OF the paymen
of the bonus.
All applications must be made be
fore Jan. /. 1925. ss
1t is definite that eIh individua
must make his own application to thu
service recognition board On form
to be prescribed by the rules.
The state of Illinois now has care
~ index of the service record of all en-
listed mon, credited to Illinois. includ
ing the marines and the navy, and
part of the service records of officers
the latter still being in Transmission
from Washington These cards viii
form an original test Of the app!
cant's right to the Illinois bonus. i
any scvent, each application will b
tested first by the war or navy dc
partment service card record.
Bonus checks or state warrants wi
be mailed to every mans home &C
dress.
The bonus cannot be assigned. Tn
law is very clear on that point. Wit
in ten days if the law Is found to b
o. KID by the voters, these rules wi
be ready for submission to the stat
law authorities for approval probabl
the attorney general.
The first question to be solved wi
be that of the application form. A.
cording to present plans, the form
when filled out and returned will b
examined, and If the applications al
accepted will be forwarded throug
financial channels for payment
soon as the money is available. TIL
application forms will be compare
closely with war department record
These records are considered to
the best test of the merit OF III
claims, doing away with the necessit
OF having the honorable discharge ce
tificate mailed with the application.
The question of men who enliste
two months before armistice day beir
paid has not been decided.
The law says that no claimant sha
receive more than $500, but a coul
of the days between April s, 1917, ar
Nov IL, 1918, shows that 1t would |
impossible to collect the maximu
amount, there being only 5S5 day
This may lead the board to belieN
that the theory of the law was to pf