Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-06
OFFERS FREE AID
ON BONUS LOANS
Legion Representative Says
i NotarieS' Fees Are I'm
necessary.

Complaining of what he charged
was a "land-office business" of nota-
4 ries public in the vicinity of the
Veterans Bureau, Identifying veterans
who desired to obtain loans on their
bonus certificates, Robert NJ. Tolson,
representative of the American Legion
with offices in the bureau, has taken
mn the matter with bureau officials,
and announced to veterans that he
and other representatives of service
organizations will be glad to furnish
at the bureau more authentic ldentl-
fication without cost.
Some differences of opinion exist
among bureau officials themselves as
to whether a notary public Zee is
allowable on a certificate of ldentlnca'
fion. Sufficient doubt had been cast
upon the wholesale business conducted
by certain notaries near the bureau
Yesterday, however, to cause at least
one of them to appear voluntarily be-
fore bureau officials, and offer to re-
fund to veterans the 50-cent fees ne
had exacted.
Some bureau officials openly frowned
uuon the policy of some notarles OF
attaching their names TO certificates
of identification of veterans who APP
peared with bonus certificates, swear
ing under their seal that the veteran
the veteran named in the adjusted
service certificate referred TO therein.
and that the signature on the above
note is the signature of such veteran
Doubt NOtaries' Right.
Legion officers who have become
considerably exercised over the mat
Ter expressed some doubt of the abil-
ity Of notaries to identify veterans in
such an offhand way, stating that
there was danger of some unprincipled
persons having obtained the certii-
Gates of others, and thus obtaining
money from the Government fraudu-
lently.
The principal things with which the
Legion representatives are concerned
are that the veteran get an absolute
identification, both for his protection
and that of the Government, and that
the veteran get his service free OF
charge.
Mr.. Tolson, who officially holds the
position of executive secretary, Area
b, rehabilitation committee of the
American Legion. said his organlza-
ton clearly took the position that no
person, not even a notary, could
charge for services of identification.
Although some officials of the bu
reau hold that a notary public fee
would be authorized, others definitely
raised question concerning it, and
Legion representatives were emphatic
in pointing to provisions in the law
which would forbid the taking of any
kind of a fee to help a veteran get
q loan on his bonus.
On the official certificate of identifi-
cation, however, which must be filled
out by the veteran before applyin,, for
his loan, appears this note: "Certifi-
cate should be executed by the post.
master of the community in which
the veteran lives, or by an officer, over
his official title, of a post, chapter or
other comparable unit Of an organiza-
ton recognized under section 500 of
the World War veterans act, or an
officer, over his official title, of the
State or National body of such organi:
cation, or a notary public
1t is further noted that IF the per-
son certifying is a notary, tEe above
certificate must bear the notarial
seal; If a postmaster, an impression of
the cancellation stamp of the postal
station should be made on the above
certificate.
Facilities at Bureau.
Facilities have been arranged in the
bureau, under plan Of cooperation
with the representatives of service or
~oy,sso fiaY1S IL ic Caid mora