100 Years Ago: Soldiers’ Pay Held Back, Poster for Belgian Relief Fund

The Intelligencer January 22, 1916 (page 1)

“Part of Soldier’s Pay Held Back. Ottawa. Jan. 21.—It has been found necessary in the interests of discipline and of the men themselves to withhold a portion of the pay of the troops on overseas service until their return to Canada. This statement was issued by the militia department today.

From the beginning of the year, therefore, 50 per cent of the pay of the rank and file is withheld from those who have not made any assignment of pay. As regards those who have assigned less than 50 per cent of their pay, the difference only between the portion assigned and 50 per cent of their pay is being withheld.

The pay so withheld will be paid to the men in Canada at the termination of their engagement, but the cases of men invalided home, the overseas paymaster in London is authorized to issue it before the soldier sails, if the latter so desires.”

The Intelligencer January 22, 1916 (page 4)

“We must not let these Belgian Children Starve. Their fathers are with King Albert in the trenches—or dead. Their mothers, destitute and probably homeless, are striving hard but helplessly to save these children on whom Belgium’s future depends.

Nearly 2,000,000 old men, women and children in Belgium are absolutely dependent on help from Britain and America. Unless we feed them, hundreds of thousands must starve to death! The Belgian Relief Fund has saved them so far. …  $2.50 Feeds a Belgian Family One Month.”