The National tribune., 1905-12-21

SIMPLY As 4 MATTER OF JUSTICE.
| All sentimental and humanitarian
arguments may be put to one side and
the passage Of the Service Pension Bill
asked for on the ground of plain, or
binary justice.
| These are undeniable facts: The
Government of the United States was
in mortal peril and it's very existence
was at stake. 1t called upon it's young
| citizens to sacrifice everything else for
| it's rescue. More than 100000 of
them gave up profitable employment.
the comforts of home, the chances of
establishing themselves in business for
life, of building up for themselves good
spond to the call. There were some
thing over 100000 of these young
men who did this. out of a total popu-
lation in the loyal States of about
100000. The other men remained
at home and took advantage of the
high wages and the exceedingly profit
able prices upon goods and products. -
The young men who went into the
army accepted from the Government
a month and then for two years at $13
a month. This small amount was much
farther diminished by being paid in a
apidly-depreciating paper money.
Every young man who enlisted was
in the prime of youth, and his body
and strength were in such excellent
condition as to be able to pass a strict
surgical examination. They were the
pick of the wage-earners and money
makers of the country, and yet they
gave up all that their strength, health,
energy and enterprise would have Sc
cured them in order to devote these
invaluable qualities to the service of
the imperiled Government.
For four long years they struggled
through the malarious morasses of the
Mississippi they sweltered on the
burning sands of the Atlantic seaboard;
they struggled with the miasma of the
Gulf coast; they camped on the bleak
peaks of the Cumberland and the Allie
ghenies, and labored and endured
days and nights of Winters biting cold
and Summers burning heats of Vir-
ginia's plains and lowlands So severe
were the strains upon their physical
system by campaigns which knew no
cessation or even rest for any inclem-
ency of the weather, that one man in
every six was buried in shallow graves
near their camps or lines of march be-
fore the war closed. Probably nearly
a half million of them succumbed to
disease before the struggle ended; for
we must add to the official reports Of
those who died from disease very many
! thousands who were discharged be-
and died at home. Probably also fully
10000 died from the effects of the en-
emys shot and shell, and we know that
1900, or an army greater than was
engaged in any battle, died from the
effects of their Imprisonment.
During those four years they fought
more than 5000 officially reported bat
ties and skirmishes, with probably sew
eral times as many engagements which
do not appear upon the records. Many
of these battles were the bloodiest in
history, and in each one of several
there were more men actually killed
OIL, the Union side than have fallen in
all the other wars of the Nation put
together.
For all this service, for all this sacri-
flee of themselves for the benefit of
$13 month for the first three years
and SIC for the last year. This was
paid in greenback money which de-
clined in value until it reached a point
where it's purchasing power was only
80 cents in gold. That is, SIC a month
represented only the beggarly reward
of 1924 a month. They accepted this
uncomplainingly as part of the sacri-
fees they were making for the saliva
ton Of the country. Where they were
giving their lives and health without
stint they were not in the mood to
bubble about few dollars of monthly
pay.
The passage of the Service Pension
Bill is an opportunity for the Nation
to make some return for this lavish
| sacrifice Of those Of her sons who res
cued her from destruction and made
| possible all the present prosperity. Any
Court Of Equity i'm the world having
such a state Of facts presented to IT
would, as matter of salvage, give far
more to the rescuers than is contem-
plated by the Service Pension Bill A
court would do this as a matter Of alb
solute right and justice, without any
| reference whatever to sentimental and
| other considerations.
|