Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 19, Number 34, DeMotte, Jasper County, 22 July 1949 — Machinery Started To Pay State Bonus [ARTICLE]

Machinery Started To Pay State Bonus

Another chapter in Indiana’s history was written today as wheels of the mamoth bonus machinery started turning to grind out the first steps in the payment of a bonus to Indiana veterans of World War 11. Governor Henry F. Shcricker, who signed the 1949 General Assembly’s bonus act into law, drew the first application from a mail bag today at the headquarters of the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs, administrators of the bonus, in the World War Memorial Building on North Meridian Street. The first application drawn by the governor was from Daniel Holom, 28-year-old former Army private, winner of 2 bronze stars and holder of the Purple Heart, of 1111 Wilcox Street, Hammond, Indiana. Holom served in the Normandy and Northern France Campaigns. Immediately after the opening ceremony the bonus organization started work on the huge task of processing what will eventually total almost 400,000 applications from Hoosier veterans for their bonus payment. Although there is no reason to rush in making the applications since the deadline is not until I Dec. 31, 1950, it was evident today that the bonus machinery will be swamped for several weeks due to the huge overflow of applications during the first few days. No bonus payment can be made ' until such time as there are sufficent funds accumulated through the increased gross income tax collection to pay all the claims at open time. Various estimates place this approximate date in 1954. Of the few applications already opened today some w r ere found to contain photostatic cqpies of their original discharge papers, which are not acceptable. Also some envelopes even failed to contain any discharge papers. All veterans were warned by bonus officials that the original discharge or separation papers must accompany all applications for the bonus payment. It was also pointed out that if the veteran feels he will have any need for his original papers for any other purpose during the next 50 or 90 days, he should not apply for his bonus at the present time but instead conduct his other business with his discharge and then file for his bonus payment anytime before Dec. 31, 1950. Despite the fact nothing is gained by making immediate application, reports from over the state today revealed veterans were rushing to make application. The necessary forms are now available at over 3,000 locations throughout the state. These locations include county service -officers, major veterans organizations, Red Cross and other civic groups and many industrial establishments Many of the places are furnishing assistance to the veteran in making out his application while others are serving only as a distribution point to hand out the blanks to the veteran. Bonus administration officials also emphasized today that application blanks are not available at their headquarters for individual veterans. Hundreds of veterans had applied during the day at the Mar Memorial Building seeking application blanks. This procedure will only slow up the

bonus administration since all its operation is being done by mail and no application blanks are being furnished to individuals. Veterans were reminded that applications must be secured from the various organizations in his own community and then mailed to the Bonus Headquarters, when completed, by first class mail only. Registered mail greatly re-

tards the entire bonus operation and serves no useful purpose for the veteran, it was pointed out. sfflce each individual place of mail has to be signed for. First class mail is just as safe as registered mail and will be processed much faster. »