St. Tammany farmer., 1917-08-25
WAR NEWS FROM Bull.
LETTING COF THE
u. S.
(Continued from page u

subject their dependent wives and
children. who are unable to fight, to
greater suffering than ii they could
fight.
The morale of an army is as es-
sential to it's effective fighting as
guns, ammunition, and othe: dnstru-
mentalities of war. or equal I'M
portance is the morale OF the clv1l
population which must support the
armies in the field. We cannot nave
this essential morale unless the Ma
ton comforts the men in the rnaks
with the knowledge that everything
possible will be done for them and
their families, and renders to the
civil population at home the assist
ance which will make it most effec-
tive in upholding the Government
and the fighting forces.
The purpose of the war insurance
bin now pending in the Congress is
to secure the future of American SOL
diers and sailors by insuring their
lives and providing adequate COM
pensations and indemnities for loss
OF life and total or partial disabili-
ty; also to protect their families
against poverty and want by provid-
ing them with sufficient means OF
support during the absence OF the
men at the front.
The Nation having been forced to
resort to the draft in order to create
quickly an army to save the country
is under a higher obligation to do
these things for it's fighting forces
than if a volunteer army only was
created. This great and rich Repub-
lie can not afford to do less, and It
must do what is proposed in spirit
of gratitude and not as charity.
Every soldier and sailor who serves
his country in this war will earn
everything the proposed war-insur-
ance bill provides; to be beneflc1-
ary of the proposed law will be
badge Of honor.
When We draft the wage Garner.
we call not only him but the entire
family to the flag; the sacrifice en-
tailed is not divisible The wife and
children, the mother, the father, are
all involved in the sacl5fice--they
directly Share the burden OF defenJe
National Conscience Involved.
We have drawn the sword to win
dicate Americas violated rights, tC
secure peace and justice, and to sec
cure the progress of civil zation. w
can not permit our soldiers, while
they hold the front, to be stabbed il
the back by uncertainty as to wha'
is being done for their loved ones
at home. Our to-morrows are in
their hands-theirs in ours. The
national conscience will not permit
Americas soldiers and their depend
ents to go unprovided with every
thing that just, generous, and no
BILE people can do to compensate
them for the sufferings and sacr1-
foes they make to serve their coun-
try.
Aside from the care and protection
OF their dependents while the soldier
is alive, the proposed war insurance
act provides for definite cOmpensa-
tion for his dependents in case OF
death, for definite and adequate IN
IDENTITIES in case of total or partial
disability, and for reeducation of the
manned and disabled man, so that
he may take up new occupation
and make himself useful member
of society. We must restore their
efficiency and adjust their still valu-
able faculties and functions to suit
able trades and vocat,ons, which the
injuries of the battle field have not
wholly destroyed. The heavy de-
p1etions in man power resulting from
this conflict, which is without pre-
~~nk TN sc%n
will place new and greater values
upon all forms and degrees of hui
man energy, and demand as a first
duty of intelligent government that
every remaining useful sense and
limb of the blind and crippled shall
be reclaimed under the benevolent
processes of education and reappled
to economic uses for the benefit OF
society.
Essential Duty to Society.
The millions we shall be called
upon to spend to support the de-
pendents of the soldiers while they
are in the fighting Tine, for indemni-
ties, and re reeducation of the Grip
pied, are in the last analysis invest
ments of the best sort; they are sums
of capital advanced by the Nation tG
promote utility, self-respect, and eco.
nomic development. More than all
they are essentially humanitarian
and in the highest sense discharge
by the Government Of an essential
duty to society.
Military service Is now obligatory
Those who imperil themselves have
no election. The insurance cOmpan
les do not and can not permit this
fact to affect their calculations
They must protect themselves by
charging premiums so high that they
are secured against loss no matter
how severe the rate of mortality may
be. Consequently, the very men who
are called into the service because
their physical condition is OF the
best, and who as civilians would fol
that reason be able to secure the
most favorable insurance rate ir
peace time, are denied as soldier:
the necessary life insurance to en-
able them to protect their famil'e:
and dependents. The tremendou!
rates charged by private insurance
companies to protect them agains'
the extra hazardous risks of war pu
insurance entirely beyond the reacl
of the conscripted soldier.
Dastardly to Penalize Soldiers
Military necessity has, therefore
subjected the most fit subjects fOa
t0y,v Va II 10