The Washington herald., 1917-09-09

patriotism the fighting forces in the
| field must be supported
! Why is this insurance not only Just,
but important? Because the amount
| the government will pay TO the SOL
| dier's dependents in case Of death.
| however generous it may be, may be
| wholly inadequate to sustain the SOL
dier's family in the position in life
| TO which they are accustomed, or to
give them the advantages they ough:
to have.
Take the case OF man killed in
| battle, leaving a wife and four Snii-
Gren: The government will pay his
widow $50 mOnthly, or 4 total Of $50
Per annum. II the soldier can take
out $4,000 of insurance, at a premium
| Of $50 per annum, the government will
! pay to his wife an additional 500 3fr
annum for a period Of twenty years.
! thus bringing the total annual pay
ments to the wife and four children
! up to Sl.220 per annum. Even this is
a modest income. but it might be sufii
Gent to enable the wife to support
| herself and children and give them
| the advantages of education.
Nee0 fOr insurance
Why must the government provide
this insurance? Because when the
government drafts the soldier and
puts him into this extraordinarily
hazardous war service. private life in
suranCe companies will not write in
surance on his life. or. if they will.
the rates are prohibitive. The lowest
rate l have heard suggested for such
private insurance Is SIS per thousand
for one year, renewable term. The
next year the rate might he greatly
increased. Where the soldier is re-
Ceiving only 1896 per annum pay. he
is unable to take much, il any, insur-
anCe at the rate OF SIS per thousand.
The government, therefore, has de-
prived the soldier of the opportunity
to insure himself. 1t has destroyed
the soldiers insurablity. The least
the government can do is TO make
restitution to the extent of providing
insurance upon the peace time basis,
and taking up or absorbing the cost
oe the excessive risk to which it has
subjected the soldier. 1t is, moreover.
the just and humane thing TO do. The
government must go to the limit to
put the soldier in as favorable a po-
siton as possible to protect his loved
ones when he. without any fault OF
his own is taken by the government
and subjected to the extraordinary
hazards of war, where his very life
may he taken for the benefit of his
country.
Who with blood in his veins. patri-
otism in his heart, and justice in his
soul can deny to the men and their
families who must suffer, more than
any other class of our people, the
horrors of this world carnage ana
war. these poor compensations? Who
would submit to torturing agonies or
soul and mind our gallant soldiers and
sailors by withholding from them the
knowledge that their wives and help
less children will not be dependent for
support upon charity while they arc
fighting at the front? Humanity and
Justice cry out against such monstrous
indifference as that would be.
Don't Expect Private Opposition.
1t has been intimated that the or
ganized insurance companies of the
United States may oppose this legisla-
ton. 1 do not believe it. It is not
conceivable that in a time like this
men would be so cal!ous and vision
less. Men of vision and humanity
will get behind this bill and not in
front of it. But if any such effort
should be made, who Is willing to
listen to the selfish crv of organized
Insurance companies that their in
terests may suffer If the government
dares to be humane and Just TO its
heroes? Can we for one instant per-
NIT any selfish interest, however Or
Ganized and wherever existent, to
stand in the way of humanity ana
justice? Shall we subordinate the in
terests of the nation, shall we inn
peril the cause of liberty in the world
by failing to do justice to our fight
ing men and their dependents, in
order that the selfish interests of any
private corporations or organizations
may be conserved? I can not believe
that any organized effort will be
made to prevent this just legislation.
but IL such an attempt should be
made, we should welcome the op-
portunity to arouse the conscience
and soul of America aginst any sell
fish purpose or demand.
America is holding aloft the torch
of liberty in the world. Can she hold
1t aloft with honor IL her soul is dead
to the sufferings of her own children?
Can she refuse to do justice to her
own dead and dying and suffering
while she claims 10 be rendering a
service Of Justice to the rest Of man
kind?
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