South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-07-15
Barnhart FaUors
Pay for Families
of Men on Border

In a recent speech TO congress,
Rep. Henry A. Barnhart made a
strong plea for the government 10
take better care Of the widows OF
soldiers who fought 10 save their
country. He pointed out the merits
OF bill which the house has passed
and sent 20 the senate giving pen
sions 10 the widows OF Spanish
American war soldiers and especially
urged action on more liberal pen
sions for widows of soldiers who
served their country in the Civil war.
Among other things he said: In
my first campaign for congress 1
especially advocated four items OF
just and needed legislation-better
pensions for old soldiers, better con-
ditions for labor, shifting the burden
OF government taxes from the toll
ing millions 10 the rich. more safety
10 banks and those who put their
money into them. 1 have helped TO
enact such legislation and much
more in behalf OF fair play between
man and man. But / am especially
proud of my assistance in passing
the Sherwood pension law which
gives most old soldiers a dollar a
day and increases the allowance to
nearly all others.
Il do not say this boastfully. for
doubtless other congressman have
been able TO do more, but / call at
tention TO il as an illustration of
what has been done for the soldiers
in contrast TO what has not been so
| literally done for their widows. who
either shared the awful hardships of
war with them by suffering the dis
advantages Of a soldiers wife or
cared for invalid soldier husbands
as the direct result Of military serv-
| ice. True, We give many of these
widows meageT pensions, but many
others. on account OF marriage re-
strictions, are left in need. with no
present means of helping them. For
instance, if a soldiers widow, who
may have spent the best years OF
| her life helping her soldier husband,
remarries she cannot have her pen
| sion restored if she is again left a
widow And again the widow Of a
soldier who married him within the
last 26 years cannot have pension,
however much of her life and means
! she may have given to his care and
comfort This. L insist is not show
/ ing the gratitude to widows of SOL
diers they deserve.
Now We have a bill pending in
this congress and reported for pass
age which / hope will become a law
i
which will be next March. Ii pro-
poses to give the widows of soldiers
who were the wives of soldiers dur
ing the war an increase; IL proposes
| TO give widows of soldiers an in
crease If they are past 20 years of
age: il will restore widows who were
once the wives of soldiers to the PEN
! sion roll; and il will give all widows
pensions who married their soldier
husbands prior TO 1905.
Quite recently this house passed
a bill giving pensions to the widows
of Spanish-American war soldiers.
Now we ought to take care OF the
widows of the Civil war soldiers, and
we must do this if we are just TO
the soldiers of the past and fair to
those we expect 10 become such
hereafter when their country calls.
If it is right that we spend mil
lions for defense" as the great ma
jority is now advocating, it is but
answering the cali of common hu-
mainly that we literally provide for
the women and children made help
less or needy by the patriotic sacri-
flee of life or health of those who
volunteered to die that their country
may live.
Pass this bill and be just to those
who are already the victims OF wars
cruel hardships and thereby assure
those of the future that they shall
not suffer neglect"