Automated Sync Active • Database updated as of Recent Browse All Orders →
Executive Orders Archive

Every President • 1789 to Present

Executive Order 8704 Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order 8704—Regulations Governing the Granting of Allowances for Quarters and Subsistence to Enlisted Men

Tuesday, March 4, 1941
3 min read (601 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on 1941-03-04, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "Regulations Governing the Granting of Allowances for Quarters and Subsistence to Enlisted Men." It outlines operative directives for executive department officers, delegating enforcement responsibilities and establishing official governance guidelines.

Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

Upon arrival at or departure from a station where allowances for subsistence are paid, allowances shall be computed as follows: The day to begin at midnight; for 18 hours or more at the station, one whole day; for 12 hours or more but less than 18 hours at the station, two-thirds of one day; for 6 hours or more but less than 12 hours at the station, one-third of one day.
TABLE II Men traveling on duty where cooked or travel rations are not furnished for the journey shall be granted daily allowances as follows: Note 1.
The combined allowance for subsistence and quarters shown in first column opposite subdivisions A and B under heading of "Travel status including detention not exceeding three days at one place", shall in no case exceed $4.00 for any one day.
When in a travel status allowances for subsistence shall be computed as follows for the day of departure from and arrival at station: The day to begin at midnight; for 18 hours or more in travel status, one whole day; for 12 hours or more but less than 18 hours in travel status, two-thirds of one day; for less than 12 hours in travel status, one-third of one day.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Private Citizens & Property Owners 🏛️ Public Health & Medical Institutions
Total Words
601
3,327 characters
Estimated Read Time
3 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
11.9
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
+0.02
Framers' Alignment index
📜

Scholarly & Legal Citations

Exec. Order No. 8704, Franklin D. Roosevelt (Mar 4, 1941). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-8704-regulations-governing-the-granting-allowances-for-quarters-and.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)