Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-03-23
NEEDED LEGISLATION

When the soldiers of the Revolution fought for
nine long years to establish this government.
they suffered not only the hardships of warfare
but left the footprints of their bleeding feet on
snoW-covered ground about Valley Forge, but
they subsisted on roots and herbs gathered in the
swamp5. Their blood made slippery the decks of
the Bon Hornme Richard. and their unshriven
bodies went to the fishes. In 1915 it was the
frontiersmen of Kentucky and Tennessee, that at
New Orleans made Jackson president in 1928, in
our first Mexican war. Again it was the rank
and file, i e.. in plain parlance, the man with the
hoe; and so in 81. and again in so, In olden times
they were called the yeomanry, and none were
paid for gallant service, unless you call $3 to SIS
per month for exposing life every day. and then
80 soon as the war was over. came back and their
places again in field or mine. to create wealth to
pay the acculated bills of the men who made a
fortune while they were offering themselves on
the altar of Patriotism. A hired army impossible;
one can't fill the number of 100, 900 in
times of peace, because many will not stand the
grief that the regular army offices will deal out.
Our boys are not built that way.
But the hope of universal peace, of Peace on
Earth and to men good will, y has had a set back
and we are face to face with the proposition that
we must have a larger army. Not a paper army,
but one is demanded that we can have confidence
in; an army of insurance, not a Dark Town Fire
Brigade"
For your consideration we present you the
Draft of a Senate Bill introduced in the u. S.
Senate by our Senator, E. S, johnson. Read it.
think it over and see if you. the same as we. car
begin to see the dawn of a new era. viz: justice.
In the first place it will establish a minimum wage.
forty hours work, ten hours drill, and it will make
a soldier and a good one. 1t will clothe that sol
der in the garments of responsibility for he will
earn his upkeep and will be paid a living wage. A
national g~uardsman is supposed to drill two hours
once a week (but he don't. This industrial Amy
man would drill five hundred and twenty hours in
a year. and would be healthy and hardened all
the time instead of living an indolent life at some
army post, he would in times of peace, (Which
when we have him will be all the time, for no
nation is going to tackle us with 8 trained army
of 50o.0 600 men be engaged in building good roads.
irrigation dams. rip-rapping the banks of rivers,
etc, in fact accomplishing the things which
the coming days require and which must be done
by the coming generation. He can join for one
year or three, save if he so desires. procure by
night school an education and with his savings
pay his way to future betterment through a col
lege. and still he will be a soldier, trained and with
ideals and grateful inspirations for the means
which a Just government provided for the better
ment of his condition. At the expiration of his
term of enlistment he will be better fitted to en-
gage in the struggle for a living; in the course of
ten years there would be nearly five million men
in reserve trained men.
Yes. this is tinged with Socialism, but if en-.
acted into law would forever put an end to labor
disturbances. Its the kind Of Socialism that is
coming, it stands for justice and humanity, this
bill may not pass but when Justice finally shall be
done it is some such bill as this that must pass.
and here is to Ed. S. Johnson, we never knew that
it was in him, he makes so little noise. When
some such bill as this passes then for good old
u. S. the appended lines of Kipling won't fit:
It's Tommy here and Tommy there
And get you out you brute:
But it's the thin red lines of heroes
When the guns begins to shoot