Arizona republican., 1917-09-09
ShaN Fighting Mem 0md Thelv
 Dependents Be Compensated
By w. G. McAdoo,' Secretary of the
 re surv


 Treasury
 One of the darkest pages in the history of the innumerable wars which have afflicted the earth for centuries is the recorded failure on the part of every nation to make any sort of ade- quate provision for those who have had to sacrifice and suffer most. namely, the soldiers who were sent to the front and their wives, children, and other dependents who were left at the rear. Until the European war broke out this question of fundamental justice and humanity to the fighting men and their dependents seems never to have re- ceiVed proper consideration.
 There is no more paramount duty than for each nation which is sending it's men to war to tell them in advance. as a part of the just consideration for the priceless service they are called upon to perform, what will be done for them in the way of actual compensa- tions for the injuries and disabilities they incur, what will be done for the support of their wives, children, and other dependents while they are away from home, and what will be done foi these same dependents if death over takes them,
 Some of the belligerents have pro- vided for certain allowances to depen- dent families while the men are alive for certain compenSations to the de- pendents in case of death, and for ccr tain indemnities and compenSations in case the men are totally or partially disabled in the service. But these steps advanced as they are, are not enough. It remains for the American people, the richest and most prosperous on earth, the most able to do justice to it's fighting men and their dependents, and the most humane and progressive in their ideas and ideals, to set an ex- ample to the world of just, generous, and appreciative treatment of their heroes
 The war insurance bill now pending in the congress is the most advanced and humane step ever taken by any nation to protect and justly compen- sate it's fighting men and their depend ents. It ought to be passed and quickly passed. The selfish interests of no class of people or organized body should be permitted to stand one in stant in the way of this elemental and essential act of justice and humanity.
 Heretofore il has been the practice of nations at war to leave the wives children, and other dependents of their soldiers unprovided for at home, at the mercy of charity, to become charges upon the communities in which they live, to endure all of the humiliations which proud people must experience when they realize that they are public charges, to say nothing of the unsatisfied wants which charity does not reach and the suffering in- evitably resulting from such a dis tressing condition of affairs.
 The nations of the world have failed to realize that when men are called to the colors their families and de- pendents are also called and are equally compelled to make terrible sac rifices. Until this fundamental fact is driven into the consciousness of the people we can not deal inteligently, justly, or humanely with this burning problem of every war, this problem that reaches down into and tears the very heartstrings of humanity
 Once we grasp the fact that the com mandeered soldier means also the com mandeered family and dependents of the soldier we have advanced to the point where we can consider the prob lem humanely and justly and apply the necessary remedy. We can not, of course, compensate for the destroyed life, the hopelessly mutilated and maimed body, the agony of the suffer ing wife and children, mother, and father but We can ameliorate these sutferings; We can mitigate the hor- TOTS of war to the extent that we pro- vide against want and needless suffer- ing. The practice of most nations has been to fight wars to conclusion re- sardIess of the essential sacrifices of the fighting forces and the sufferings of their dependents, and then, after the war-perhaps many years after the war to do tardy and partial justice by pa assing pension bills, with their ac- compartments of favoritism and poll ncal eXpediency, inequalities and inc quities, so that those who are favored with influence get the largest consider ation and those who ahve none get lit tle or nothing. The years of sufferinf