1914-10-07sfa

‘In every case brought to our attention, where a soldier’s family were in need, prompt relief has been afforded.’

-      J. F. Bell, general manager of the Bank of Hamilton, and treasurer of the local branch of the Canadian Patriotic fund, October  6 1914.

Just a few months into World War One, the distribution of help to wives and children of soldiers who had volunteered for military service was being criticized.

A letter writer, signing himself as only “J.R.” had sent a letter for publication to the Spectator. He claimed that that dependent families had yet to receive any money from the Canadian Patriotic Fund. He also claimed that many families entitled for help did not know where to apply for assistance.

Mr. Bell’s first response was: “We have adjusted all claims up to October 1^st, and from now on, we will make payments to needy ones twice a month.”

Helpful information as that may have been, it really did not address J. R.’s claims.

George C. Coppley, chairman of the investigating  committee of the fund, issued the following statement :

“On September 14, 200 checks were mailed out to the dependents of soldiers. Since that date, every case brought to our notice has been investigated in order and relief afforded in every deserving instance within twenty-four hours.

“Our headquarters on King street east are open every day from 8:30 a.m.to 5 p.m. All applications for relief should be made direct to the headquarters and not at the city hall, the armories or elsewhere.”¹

¹ “How Patriotic Fund Is Being Distributed : Splendid System Has Been Arranged For Local Work : Criticism of Men in Charge Here Quite Uncalled For”

Hamilton Spectator.    October 7, 1914.

There were dependents of Boer War veterans who were still receiving money from what J.R. knew was called the Boer War fund. He wondered how these people were being taken care of in light of the new war. Also dependents of part-time soldiers in the local militias also were supposed to receive some help from the government, J. R. wondered how also this support was being coordinated:

“In this connection Mr. Bell said : ‘The wives of reservists are receiving relief just the same as the others – in fact, a little more than the others, because they do not get so much from the government. The Canadian volunteers are allowed a separation allowance of $20 monthly, but the reservists but $17.10 a month, including assigned pay.

“ ‘In regard to the Boer War fund, that money has been used right along for relief purposes. Mr. Hope, the registrar, has had a continual stream of women and children in his office every day, but has now turned them over to the Patriotic Fund.

“We ourselves have been paying out money to the dependents of soldiers for the past three weeks. We have had to see, of course, that it did not go to underserving cases, as that would have been a breach of our trust.’ ”¹

The application process required substantial information, including estimated cost of living for that family for a month, the number of children in the family, their ages, whether anyone in the family was employed. All the information was noted on a card and filed. An investigator would then review all information on the card, and estimates what a funds should be required and decides on that a month, despite what the applicant may have entered as her estimated monthly costs.

Complicating the matter was the lack of detailed information from the government as to which Hamilton men were actually in the armed services.

Many men who had volunteered during the heady days just after the war had broken out and had even gone to the Valcartier camp for training, had changed their minds and had left service and returned home. Patriotic Fund officials had to make sure that the families of such men were not receiving help.

Each family receiving assistance from the fund has a case worker who would visit the households of applicants to ensure that the information provided in the application was correct.

Those critical of how the Patriotic Fund was being distributed learned from the article that while J.R. was certainly allowed to ask questions, it was felt that all were doing their best for those left behind without support when their husbands and fathers had volunteered to fight in the Great War.