The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-08-28
By ROBERT RUARK
EA Service Stan Correspondent

SEA Service Stan COrrespOndent)
 Washington. Aug. 28-No matter whehe he is or what he's doing, an American soldier knows that on the last of the month he's going to get his salary, even if he has to slap a Jap of the cashiers desk. It is one of the services most time tried methods of keeping morale high.
 And, after September 1 the boys in Cairo and Australia and Ireland are going to be equally sure that, at the same time they're getting their money, their wives and kids or mothers and fathers are going to be getting checks from Uncle Sam. The checks will contain a portion of Johny Doughboy's pay, and the rest will come out of Uncle's deep pockets.
 WIVES AND CHILDREN
 ARE IN "CLASS A"
 This is the fruition of the new allotment law, which authorizes the Government to take $22 from the soldiers pay, and add $28 for a wife, $40 for a wife and child, and an extra 1O-spot for each additional youngster. It is open only to men in the private and lower non-com- missioned classes.
 Wives and children are called Class-A dependents. Parents, broth CTS and sisters are Class B depend- ents, and in order to assure Gov- ernment additions to the allotment check, documentary proof of their dependence on the soldier must be furnished.
 If Q soldier makes application for the allotment-and no man IS al- lowed to leave the country now without either making the allot- ment or signifying in writing that he does not wish to make one-he has six months in which to file necessary documentary proof of marriage and fatherhood. If any, one other than the soldier applies Ca process discouraged by ArmO all proof must accompany the ap- plication.
 Let's take Pvt. Joe Smith, sta tionel in Australia. Joe's got a wife. and two minor kids. He goes to his personnel officer and makes out his allotment. It comes to the Adautant Generals office in Wash ington. It is examined by the de- tendency allowance branch, okayed, and then shot over to the Oface of the Chief of Finance.
 Joe's application is broken down Into an accounts-payable ledger, which is set up by marvelously swift, accurate card-punch ma- chine. A stencil then is made, and the accounts1payable card and stencil are matched electrically, to be sure they balance.
 The check which Joe's depend- snts will get then is electrically written from the stencil, signed automatically, stuffed into envelopes and sealed-au by machine.
 The entire process takes sep arate steps, necessitating about three days. And, on approximate iy the same day each month, be- tween and first and 18th, Joe's folks get their check for $72-Joe's 122 and the Governments $50.
 Mrs. Joe shouldn't get nervous if her check doesn't come in smack on the first of November. Pur- loosely, the Army is using stag ger system in getting out their all lotment checks. shooting them out in patches of 100000 day.
 Otherwise, terrific burdens would be inflicted on Americas whole banking system. Local banks, Fed eral Reserve districts, the Treasury even the General Accounting Onice and the postoffice system would be hopelessly swamped if Army cut loose million and 8 half checks on the same day.
 WRITE TO SOLDIER,
 NOT TO THE ARMY
 Now suppose, while Joe's in Aus tralia, Mrs. Joe has another baby. That young'un is worth another S1O . month from the Government. The quickest and best way to get Baby on the payroll is to write Papa in Australia. Joe then will change his allotment, and the task will be immensely simplified.
 Army'S Finance Division can't warn dependents enough to route all their correspondence through the soldier himself. Don't write the Army unless it's absolutely necessary: it only gums up the
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