Evening star., 1946-08-18
Ample Forms Ready
For Veterans 10 File
Terminal Pay Claims
By George Beveridee

By George Beveridge
Washington veterans in a hurry
to file terminal leave pay applica-
tions will be in little danger of
running into a shortage Of forms
or shortage Of help in filling out
the questionnaires.
In addition to a stock of 1876 900
forms at city post Offices to cover
washington area needs. the Vet
erans' Information Center, Four
teenth and Pennsylvania avenue
NV, has 10000 and veterans
organizations are privately printing
thousands of others.
While post Offices were designated
the only official distributors of the
forms, Waldron E. Leonard, director
of the Veterans Center. obtained
special War Department permission
and passed out the first sizable
numbers in the city on Friday after
noon.
Distribution from the Districts
40 post offices and % contract sta
.tions began yesterday morning. AL
except three closed at noon yester-
day and will reopen at 8 am. to-
morrow.
Urged to Wait Until Tomorrow.
Supplies will be available today
at the three-the main Office, North
Capitol street and Massachusetts,
avenue; the Benjamin Franklin
Station, Twelfth and Pennsylvania
avenue NV, and the National Air
port Station-but City Postmaster
Vincent c. Burke urged veterans to
wait until tomorrow morning to
avoid crowding regular mail service.
Applications will be issued from
all windows in the postal stations
The same application forms will
be used by all World War II vet
erans-regardless of their branch of
service. Army veterans will send
the forms to designated finance Of
hcers nearest the point of their dis
charge, while the Navy, Marines
and Coast Guard each have desig-
mated one Office to receive the
claims.
Even with speedy action in fur
nishing the applications, Army Of
hcials were unable to estimate how
long veterans might have to wait
for their bonds and checks. Treas
ury spokesmen estimate the bonds
will not be turned over to disburs-
ing finance officers for more than
a month.
Longer Hours Proposed.
Mr.. Leonard said he has asked
the District Commissioner to allow
the center to remain open for an
additional three hours, from $50
to $50 o'clock each evening, in
order to furnish photostat service
to copy discharge papers for vet
Grams. A photostat must accom-
pany the filled-out applications.
Personnel of the center also will
be qualified to notarize the applica-
tions, as required by law, and other
wise aid In filling out the forms.
Mailing also can be handled by the
center, Mr.. Leonard added.
Fearing that the official forms
through post offices might not be
available for as long as five weeks
based on early War Department
predictions-several veterans or
ganizations obtained permission to
print copies OF the forms.
We've instructed our finance
officers to honor reasonable copies
of the official FORMS Col. H. F.
Chrisman. assistant to the acting
chief of finance, said but he added
that distribution of the official
forms should not be handled
through the organizations.
Organizations Plan Service.
In addition to those who have
contracted for separate printing,
nearly all local organizations plan
to offer free notary service and
assistance in filling out applications
beginning tomorrow A survey last
night revealed plans of the follow
ing groups:
American Legion-Notary service
and assistance every day from $50
am. to S pm. at 2437 Fifteenth
street NV. Officials are discussing
plans to print application copies.
Regular Veterans Association
About 5000 form copies, printed last
Wednesday will be available with
notary service and assistance at
Ills Fifteenth street NV, from 8
am. to $50 pm
Veterans of Foreign Wars About
1000 printed copies are expected to
be available Wednesday at 1919 K
streets NV. Notary service and as
sistance will be furnished from 9
a m. to 5 pm, with the possibility
of night service later in the week" !"
according to District Comdr. Charles
M. sOMalley.
American Veterans of World War
II-Notary service and assistance all
day. 1907 M street NV.
American Veterans Committee
Notary service and assistance, 8 am
to 5 pm. at 808 Seventeenth street
NV.
Disabled American Veterans-No-
tary service and assistance from 8:15
am. to 445 pm. at 1701 Eighteenth
street NV.
Organizations emphasized that
the service will be available to all
veterans-regardless whether they
are members.