Army & Navy – Sailors’ Pay

If a serviceman is not around on payday, he misses his pay. If he is on maneuvers, home on furlough or traveling, he may go payless for months till his records catch up with him. Last week the Navy came up with a remedy.

Cumbersome, inefficient bookkeeping will be replaced by a simple pay-record card to be carried by the bluejacket wherever he goes. In theory, presentation of the card to any paymaster on payday will get Jack his money.

Army men have long carried pay booklets, still periodically go unpaid and broke. Knowing the ways of finance officers and their horror of simplicity, they wagged experienced heads.