Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1919 — SOLDIERS ASK ABOUT BONOS [ARTICLE]

SOLDIERS ASK ABOUT BONOS

DISCHARGED SOLDIERS INQUIRE AS TO METHOD OF OBTAINING THEIR BONUS. Discharged soldiers are anxiously inquiring as to what -method they Shall pursue to collect their sixty dollar bonus from the government, which the recent revenue bill, signed by President Wilson, provides for them. To these inquiries we are forced to turn a deaf ear for it seems that the methods for paying off this gigantic sum are as changeable as Billie Burke’s mind. One day it’s one way and the next day it’s another. Today we offer the following from Washington : —__ Washington, March 2.—Secretary Daniels tonight issued a statement showing procedure to be followed in obtaining payment of the S6O gratuity granted under the new revenue bill to persons honorably discharged or relieved from active duty in the naval establishment after service during the war. The statement says that those entitled to the gratuity were “officers and enlisted men of the navy and marine corps; naval reservists, male and female; and persons in the service of the coast guard, coast and geodic survey and lighthouse service who performed active duty with the navy during the present war." Such persons, however, will not be entitled to gratuity if they have already received one month’s pay on discharge from the army under the act of May 18, 1917, or if they are entitled to retired pay. Gratuities, it was also pointed out, are not payable to heirs or legal representatives. Payment upon discharge or release from active duty will be made by the supply office charged with final settlement of account. Persons already separated from. the service if in the navy or naval reserve force, should make claim for payment upon the naval bureau of supplies and accounts at Washington; if in the marine corps, upon the officer who settled their accounts, unless his whereabouts are unknown, or he was a navy supply officer, in which case claim should be forwarded to marine corps headquarters ,at Washington; and if in the coast guard, upon coast guard headquarters at Washington. Claims may be made by letter and must ‘be accompanied by a statement of service and original certificate of discharge or orders to inactive duty. If the original discharge or order is lost, a duplicate must be submitted together with a statement from the office final settlement of account showing that no gratuity has been paid upon discharge.