The National tribune., 1908-11-05
RETIRING VOLUNTEER OFFICERS
Should Officers He PensiOned Higher
Than Enlisted Men:

|
| Editor National Tribune: AS reader
of your valuable paper 1 ask space for
the few lines. Shall commissioned Off
GERS be preferred in the distribution of
pensions?"
The public is aware that general
discussion is now going on both in and
out of Congress as to whether the COM
missioned officers of the civil war shall
receive pensions equal to two-thirds the
| amount paid Captains of Cavalry dur
| ing the late war. 1t is contended by
most all non-commissioned officers and
privates and some commissioned officers
| that it would be eminently unfair to
make this discrimination, and offer the
| following as some of the reasons for
SO contending.
| AT the beginning of the war and
during the most of its continuance men
enlisted in the services much the same
| as they do when q neighbor's house Is
| on fire; all were anxious to see what
| they could do to help save the coun-
| try. Some had to be and were desig-
| mated as officers (and many were not
the best men for the positions), but all
der on the deadly battlefield or picket
duty, and all were willing to divide
their last cracker or drink Of coffee
from their canteens with commissioned
| officers.
Far be It from me to intimate that
the commissioned officers. as rule,
did not do their duty nobly and we'll,
for no officers ever did more gallant,
brave and daring duty that did the
officers of the late war, but no words of
compliment that may write or say
of the commissioned officers is too
strong to be applied to the non-com-
missioned officers and privates, and I
think no one who was in the war will
dispute the statement when I say that
the duties of the non-commissioned Off
GERS and privates were much harder
than that of the officers. Think for one
moment of standing all night on picket
IN rain or storm or digging in the
trenches day and night. with little or
nothing to eat for indefinite lengths of
time; but / need not enumerate more
of the hardships of the non-commis-
stoned officers or privates, for all know
of the hardships they endured during
the long and memorable years of '61
to '65
The Loyal Legion, which is an or
ganization composed of commissioned
officers (and their sons), are making
the hardest demands by both petition
and personal delegates to lobby at
Washington for the passage of this bill.
am aware that they claim by their
action, If not by word, that they are
better than the non-commissioned Off
GERS and privates, for no non-commis-
stoned officer or private can join their
organization, yet they do let the sons
of officers join the association. thus at
tempting to show that the sons of the
commissioned Officers are worthy of
their association and comradeship, and
thus saying to the world that they are
deserving OF more comradeship than is
the non-oommfssioned officer or private
who fought by their sides.
1t requires no proof to establish the
fact that tine non-commissioned officers
and privates were on the average as
good citizens before the war, and have
made as good, worthy citizens since
the war as the commissioned officers
Now, If we were on the average as
good citizens when we went into the
war and were as good soldiers and did
our duty as we'll during the war,
and are now and have been as good
citizens since the war. why should any
difference be shown in the distribution
Of the money the Government allows
for pensions? sr
The officers received during the war
from s100 to $500 per month, and the
noH-CoiIiiliSSioneO OHcefS ana prlVateS
S13 to $17 per month. II any prefer
ence is to be shown in the distribution
of pensions, I pray 1t may be in favor
of the ex-prisoners OF the war (of
which I am not one). for they not only
suffered tenfold more than the average
soldier and officer, but returned with
shattered health, from which they have
and will suffer for the remainder of
their lives.
I feel this matter should be taken
up at once by all G. A. R. Posts, and
inform your member in Congress by
petition and personal letters what your
wishes are on the subject. The friends
OF the bill hope to quietly work this
thru at the coming session. I claim
when further pensions are to be dis
tributed that the distribution should be
made in recognition of service per-
formed during the war. All we ask is
a square deal.--H. B. Hedge, Ringgold
Cavalry and later Co. A, ED Pa. Cav,