January 5th, 1918.

To all Local Exemption Boards:-

Gentlemen:-

Complaints are constantly coming to me that indicate that dependents of soldiers do not fully understand what is necessary to be done in order to secure the allowance made by the Government to such dependents.

In the case of a wife or child the law compels an allotment of a portion of the soldiers wages and this is supplemented by a schedule of allowances with which you are familiar.

With respect to dependents other than wife or child it is necessary for the soldier himself to make a voluntary allotment of his pay and then request the additional allowance made by the Government; in other words the dependents must seek their relief through the soldier. I have no doubt that in many instances soldiers are collecting their entire wages and sending a portion of these to their dependents. This is a fatal mistake for it cuts the dependents out of receiving anything from the Government. If the soldier will go to the officer in camp and make an allotment of his wages and ask that the additional allowance provided by the Government be sent to this dependents this will be done. Please give this the widest publicity possible and call this information to the attention of all dependents of soldiers in your county.

Very truly yours,

Gov.