The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1917-08-31

national conscience will not permit
Americas soldiers and their de-
pendents to go unprovided with
everything that just, generous and
noble people can do to compensate
them for the sufferings and sacri-
fices they make to serve their coun-
try.
Aside from the care and protec-
tion of their dependents while the
soldier is alive, the proposed war
insurance act provides for definite
compensation for his dependents in
case of death, for definite and ade-
quate indemnities in case of total
or partial disability, and for re-edu-
cation of the manned and disabled
man, so that he may take up a new
occupation and make himself use
| full member of society. We must re-
store their efficiency and adjust their
still available faculties and func-
tions to suitable trades and voca-
tions which the injuries of the bat
tlefield have not wholly destroyed
The heavy depletions in man-power
resulting from this conflict, which
is without precedent in history or
imagination, will place new and
greater values upon all forms and
degrees of human energy, and de-
mand as first duty of intelligent
government that every remaining
useful sense and limb of the blind
and crippled shall be reclaimed un-
der the benevolent processes of edu-
cation and reapplied to economic
uses for the benefit of society. The
millions we shall be called upon to
spend to support the dependents of
the soldiers while they are in the
fighting line, for indemnities and
for re-education of the crippled, are
in the last analysis investments of
the best sort; they are sums of
capital advanced by the nation to
promote utility, self respect and
economic development. More than
all, they are essentially humanitar-
ian and in the highest sense a dis
charge by the government of an es-
sential duty to society.
Military service is now obligatory;
those who imperil themselves have
no election. The insurance COM
panies do not and cannot permit this
fact to affect their calculations. They
must protect themselves by charg-
ing 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 for that rea-
son be able to secure the most IA
vorable insurance rate in peace
time, are denied as soldiers the r,eces-
sary life insurance to enable them
to protect their families and depend
ents. The tremendous rates charged
by private risks of war put insur-
ance entirely beyond the reach of
the conscripted soldier
Military necessity has, therefore,
subjected the most fit subjects for
insuranc to an insurmountable dis
elimination unless the government
itself supplies insurance at cost and
upon a peace basis. 1t would, in
fact. be dastardly and undemocratic
it the government should penalize
the soldier who is forced to render
the highest duty of the citizen by
it's failure to provide war insurance
upon peace terms and at net cost.
first, because the pay of the en-
listed men in the army and navy
is less than the wages and salaries
generally earned in private life,
which reduces their investing capac-
ity; and, second, because government
insurance is an essential war and
emergency measure, inaugurated for
the specific benefit of our military
forces, and cannot and should not
be conducted for profit.
Such overhead charges as agents
commissions, advertising, promotion.
local rentals, ETC., are eliminated.
The government must assume the
cost of administering this benevolent
agency, just as it bears the cost of
administering all other government
agencies established for the benefit
of the people
This legislation will be great
step forward in the recognition of
the republics duty to its heroes. l
consider it the most significant and
progressive measure presented to
congress since the declaration of war.
1t Immediately affects the well-be-
ing of greater number of persons