The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-02-10
Soldier. in Old Age.
HOW THEY ARE TREATED ny FOREIGN
aovERNNkNTs.

0ohO' ~ VOhh Btnohs w
Pensions, has just received from most
Of the European nations a compensa-
tion Of their laws aud customs ih the
matter of pensions, and they are. by
contrast with our own, of profound in
terest in every sol lier. General Black
has kindly gwen to the Washington
correspondent Of the Chicago Herald
access to the manuscript of this i'm
portaut correspondence aud he has
'boiled 1t down" wllhiu the easy grasp
Of the bas'y reader.
Foreign military laws assume that
everv citizen owes The state his life,
and 40, of course, that the state owes
the citizen nothing. A pension, there
fore, in foreign countries assumes the
distinct form of a charity, granted 70 a
man who owes society the service of a
lifetime withou, regard to any com.
pensation whatever.
The French Republic grants pensions
for permanent disability and for pro-
long'd service-t twenty-five or thirty
years. This last il called ''retirement
PENSION and is, after thirty years,
1920 year for a private soldier, and
other sums up to $4,000 a year for a
Major-General. The officer Or private
ls allowed to re enlist, and receives al
advance IN his pay For all active ser
Woe they get time allowances to hasten
their service pension. A pension for
disability is alway- as great as the ser.
vice, and if entirely ,irabled the soldier
can get an increase over it of twenty
of thirty per cent. A widow gets
about half the pension to which the
soldier himself would have been en-.
titled
The French have a queer sort Of
small pension called "the reform PEN
'ion." 1t benefits officers who are "oF
iuty,' who can not BE- recalled to active
service and are not entitled TO the SER
ice pension. They are either under
going discipline or are off duty on &C
cunt of an incurahle disability not
shown to be chargeable to the service.
The pension system of the German
Empire is the most elaborate in Europe.
If an officer is discharged after ten
years for being incapacitated for the
'ervice he is allowed pension equal
to one-fourth of his former pay, and
one-eightieth additional for each year
of service logger than ten years. ANY
officer at sixty can retire from the my
on pension. Widows pensions are
granted only to those whose husbands
have died within one year of the con-
clusion of peace, and they are good
for one year after widowhood and one
ear after marriage Widows oi
Generals are allowed $3.50 year; OF
Colonels and staff officers $500 oi
ne officers, 5000. Non commissions ed
ficers and privates can claim an in
aid pension if disabled in the service
or after a service of eight years. After
e ghteen years service they are en-
tied 10 pension without disability
''he pension of privates and non-coun
'issioned officers ranges from 81 tt
Sl2 month. The child of deceased
fficer is allowed $50 year as al
educational fund TIL seventeen year,
f age and each child of deceased
private or pon-commissed officer is en-
tied to $3.50 month till the com
Iletion of the fifteenth year.
All applicants for pensions in Spai
| get paw till their clam has been passe,
m. Private soldiers receive from S
l.. 81 month in care of tota disabilit
md after twenty years of faithful ser
ice. Offictrs receive pensions &
$500 10 81, 900 year tor entire loss 0
light or limb IN service. Soldier
found begging are arrested, but if thei
drstitu'ion is caused by negligence o
an officer, the officer is suspended an,
punished. All officers are allowed t,
reIire on half-pay after twenty-fv
|years of faithful service, and on fuI
pay after th,r'y-five.
| The pension system in Russia is
sort of soldiers insurance compan,
By donation of thu imperial treasur
aud taxation of the whole army for
number of years fund of S50,00(
1000 was accumulated, and from thi
all pensions are paid, The pension I
fficers ranges from 5000 to 81, 400
year, and the widow of an officer kille
in war is entitled to the whole of b,
husbands pension in case of her deaf
the children. Officers who are total
disabled receive pension equivaleI
to their pay. Pensions are general
distributed by committee, which,
fixing the amount, takes note of ii
benefciary's financial condition, givir
him money in proportion to his need
The pension machine of the Mo
sollans is very complicated and vel
i peculiar. Under the Chinese code 4
! soldier, disabled or otherwise, has al
!. fright" to a pension, as the pension d
. pends, not on any law or regulatio
. but on the arbitrary exercise Of Il
) will of the Emperor. In fact, Il
money occasionally received by di
y abled soldiers is not call d ''pensiol
a. a !, but ga mark OF compassona
: distinction
a: The heather Chinese is sharp,
i genious and frugal. He manage
Z very nearly, to m Ike his warriors 4 y
= for nothing and board themselves. TT
Ipay of cavalry soldiers is about $2..
Z |. month; of Infantry, So; and
8 troops on garrison dnty, 1925 mont
= II an ordinary infantry soldier is kill
N battle his relatives receive a gratui
of $50 If he has no relat' ons The su
If $3 is appropria' ed to pay for sac
Z fees at his grave. But he Oh ne
= government has one dodge that is COZ
). oaratively inexpensive aud is said
;, work like charm. A. good deal
money is saved every year by PRONE
2. 'g dead officers inst ad of PEE sionii
: them. In the ca Of high officer
saI the second or third class dying 10 Gan
a. of disease, 'the sixth-class button "
t be conferred on his oldest son."
O. the case of death by storm, a Int,
Q. money and good deal of honor W
- bs awarded; thu dead man being p
= NOTED at once t. high brevet rank
m Captains being prom ted l., be Colon
r and Colonels to be Najor-Generals,
."on as it is certain that they are dea
!. In this Way a good deal of money