Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1917-08-23
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One Year in Advance $1.5O
.SiA Months in Advance 75o
GOVERNMENT TO INSURE
OUR FIGHTING MEN.

OUR FIGHTING MEN.
( The number of claims for exempt
ion from military duty under the
lraft law has caused a painful i'm
preston in many quarters, but after
all, does not the fact that no provis-
ION has yet been made by the sr,-
eminent for the support of the wives
and children, mothers or fathers of
he men who have been drafted ex-
plain many of these claims for ex-
tmption?
Under the draft law the Govern
nent has the power to require every
able-bodied man between q and 81
gears of age to perform military
Iuty. Thousands of the drafted men
ire wage-earners who married years
ago and are the sole support of de-
PENDENT families. So long as the
Government has made no provision
or the care of these dependents, it is
natural that such drafted men should
seek their loved ones by staying at
home. / am sure that if the congress
should promptly enact the pending
var insurance bill, which makes de-
mite allowances for the support of
he dependent wives and children,
athers or mothers of our soldiers
md sailors, claims for exemption on
hat score will cease. This is an i'm
.)erative duty of the Government.
Ne cannot deprive helpless men and
women of the support of the wage
arner by forcing him into military
service of the country unless the
Government substitutes itself as
their support.
Imagine the emotions of the man
who is called into the military serv-
,ce of his country with full know
edge that his loved ones are without
means of support and may be re-
iuccd to want unless the charity of
he community in which they live
ONES to their relief. 1t would be
lothing less than a crime for rich
md just Government to treat its
lighting men so heartlessly and to
ubiect their dependent wives and
:hildren, who are unable to fight, to
greater suffering than if they could
light.
The moral of an army is as essen
ial to its fighting power as guns,
ammunition and other instrumental
ties of war. Of equal Importance is
he moral of the civil population |
which must support the armies in
he field.
We cannot have this essential morale
.nless the Nation comforts the men
the ranks with the knowledge
nat everything possible will be done
or them and their families, and rem
lers to the civil population at home
ne assistance which will make it'll
nost effective in upholding the Gov
rnment and the fighting forces.
The purpose of the war insurance !
,ill now pending in the Congress
5 to secure the future of Americas
'oldiers and sailors by insuring their
ives and providing adequate COM
IenSationS and indemnities for loss |
If life and total or partial perlna-
lent disability; also to protect their
antilles against poverty and want
~ providing them with sufficient
neans of support during the absence |
If the men at the front.
The nation, having been forced to
esort to the draft in order to create |
quickly an army to save the country |
$ under higher obligation to do |
hese things for its fighting forces
han if volunteer army only was |
treated. This great and rich Repub-
ic cannot afford to do less, and it
must do what is proposed in a spirit |
IT gratitude and not as charity. Ev-
Try soldier and sailor who serves
lis country in this war will earn
everything the proposed war insur-
lnce bill provides; to be a benefici-
Try of the proposed law will be a
badge of honor.
When we draft the wage-carner,
we call not only him but the entire
.amily to the flag; the sacrifice en-
allied is not Invisible. The wife and
children. the mother, the father, are
all involved in the sacrifice-they
directly share the burden of defense.
They suffer just as much as the |
soldier, but in q different way, and
the Nation must generously dis
charge as proud privilege the duty |
Of maintaining them until the sold
iers return from the war and resume
The responsibility.