The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-06-19
WILSON TURNS
WAR VETRANS
INTO PAUPERS
Much Criticism of AdminisHa-
ton for Turning Civil War
Survivors Out of Office.

WASHINGTON. d. c., June 10
The dismissal of union veterans OF
the Civil war from the Washington
City postofiice has brought storm
4 OF criticism on the Wilson admins
tration. Senators and representa-
tives in Congress have taken up the
veterans fight and a thorough inves-
tigation is promised. The Hon. Ju-
liam Kahn, representative from Cal
/ ifornia, in recent speech, paid the
following beautiful tribute to the
living veterans OF the Civil war:
All Are Poor.
! 1t is well to remember 1.-THE dead.
but let us not forget our duty to the
living. And especially to those liv-
ing soldiers and sailors who, in the
years of their youth. were ready to
sacrifice their lives, If need be, upon
the altar of united country. Their
number is diminishing rapidly. Most
of them have lived far beyond mans
lallotted period Of three score years
and ten. Comparatively few of them
have been able to draw substantial
prizes in the lottery Of life. This is
especially true Of the rank and file.
Many of them were mere boys when
they enlisted. But they had the
hearts of men within their breasts.
They were ready to perform and Of
ten did perform the various deeds of
bearded men. Their aAa was not
deemed an obstacle to the faithful
and honest performance of duty to
their country. Their services were
welcomed gladly by great and
grateful government. Some of these,
after they had grown to mans es-
tate, after they had laid aside the
implements of war, after they had
been honorably discharged from the
military service, decided to serve
their country still In its civil service.
Just as they had performed their
duty faithfully and honestly on the
tented field, SO they performed their
duty faithfully and honestly in the
executive departments of this gov
eminent.
No Crime to Grow Old.
True, they have grown weary and
old in that service. Is that fault?
Has old age grown to be crime?
Some men clothed with little brief
authority would make 1t so. But
their actions will be resented as
1t Should be by the citizens Of this
government. The proverbial ingrat-
itude of republics must not apply to
these men, The compensation they
received while in the very heyday of
their lives, while in the fullest vigor
Fof their faculties. was not princely
fortune. Many of them had families
to rear. Many of them have not been
able to save much from their meager
compensation for the almost newt
able rainy day. Some of them have
become superannuated. To my mind
1t is disgrace to our country that
they have been thus thrust out, at
an advanced age, on the very threshh-
old of the grave, to fight the battle
of life in competition with their fell
lowmen. At best, their years will be
few. Even If they were totally in
capacitated. which they are not, II
would be a fitting recognition OF
their past services to continue them
in the public service until they peace
fully close their eyes in death.
The few dollars that will be saved
as the result of the discharge oil
these aged men will be squandered
probably in some less deserving
cause. But how can you assuage
the sorrow, the grief. the pain, that
must come to these old veterans
when they are told that this great
American commonwealth which they
helped to save must THROW them
adrift in their declining days in or,
der to make room for younger men,