November 30, 1942
Camp White, Oregon

Dear Aunty Clara:

This is one of the confidential notes.

I have been cramping my style in a few of the former letters I wrote to you because I figured my Dad might want to read them and it wouldn't do him any good to read some of the stuff I might write. In fact, it might even make him blow off the roof.

Yes, perhaps it is better not to do anything about the allowance. You probably got the general drift of what I tried to say in a round about way in the letter I mailed to you from Camp Grant which concerned itself primarily with a discussion of the ways and means of obtaining that allowance.

It is only an additional fifteen dollars and in a few months when I am a corporal (ahem) I will be getting $66 bucks a month, I think. Any class above a private is not entitled to an allowance anyway.

And listen here, since when do you have to go out and work! Tell me that. I may have said to you occasionally that it might be a good idea but I don't think it is now. Isn't $7 a week enough to get along on? Of course, I know that now you are putting out just as much as you are saving by sending air-mails. I can send home to you $7 a week and if you need more then I will raise the weekly stipend to whatever figure you see "fittin".

You have enough to get along until January 1st, haven't you? According to our schedule, on the first of the year you will draw out the last $7 from the safety box. Right? O.K. then from that time on we will work on a current basis. I will either send you $31 for four months and $30 for the next eight (that's $31 each month and $30 each month) or I can send you back RH&R's check (which I expect any day) and you can put about $56 of that in the box and it should hold you until February 26.

Of course, if you are going to work simply because you want something to keep yourself busy, go right ahead. But if it is for money, forget it because we have enough to get along on for the duration of the war. In case I die, you will be getting $45 or something like that every month; so as far as finances are concerned just never you mind. I get $50 a month. $6.60 goes for insurance. I may be forced to buy war bonds and, if I do, I will make it some figure like $6.25 a month so one bond will be paid for every three months. I believe a $1.50 goes for laundry expenses during the month. My air-mails, candy bars, haircuts etc should run me no more than $6.00 a month. By simple addition, you will see that I have $30 dollars left.

I think that takes care of our little financial problems. Say, by the way, did you get Aunty Florence to sign for the box too?

Roman