Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-08-22
DUTY or A JUST GOVERNMENTS
Family Allowance, Indemnity--Insur.
ance for Our Soldiers and Sailors.
1By VIM. G. McAdoo, Secretary of
the Treasury.

SAS AiSoSuIS.J
The number of claims for exemp-
tion from military duty under the
draft law has caused painful i'm
preston In many quarters; but, after
all, does not the fact that no provis-
ion has yet been made by the govern
ment for the support of the wives
and children, mothers or fathers, of
the men who have been drafted ex-
plain many Of these claims for ex-
emptfon?
Under the draft law the govern
ment has the power to require every
able-bodied man between 81 and 81
years Of age to perform military duty,
thousands Of the drafted men are
wage-earners who married years ago
and are the sole support of depend
ent families. So long as the govern
ment has made no provision for the
care of these dependents, 1t is natu-
raj that such drafted men should
seek to protect their loved ones by
staying at home. l am sure that if
Wv SoA6AOoo oAoulu 0naCC
the pending war insurance bill, which
makes definite allowances for the
support of the dependent wives and
children, fathers or mothers Of our
soldiers and sailors, claims for ex-
emption Oh that score will cease.
This is an imperative duty Of the goy-
eminent. We cannot deprive help
less woman and children of the sup
port of the wage-earner by forcing
him into the military service of the
country unless the government sub
stitutes itself as their support.
Imagine the emotions Of the man
who Is called into the military SER
vice Of his country with full knowl-
edge that his loved ones are left
without means of support and may
be reduced to want unless the charity
of the community in which they live
comes to their relief. 1t would be
nothing less than crime for rich
and just government to treat its
fighting men so heartlessly and to
subject their dependent wives and
children, who are unable to fight, to
greater suffering than if they could
fight.
The morale Of an army is as essen
tial to its effective fighting power as
guns, ammunition and other instru-
lnentalities Of war. Of equal import
ance is the morale of the civil popu-
lation which must support the armies
In the field. We cannot have this es
sentfal morale unless the nation COM
forts the men in the ranks with the
knowledge that everything possible
will be done for them and their fami-
lies, and renders to the civil popula-
ton at home the assistance which
will make it most effective in up-
holding the government and the fight
ing forces.
The purpose of the war insurance
bill now pending in the Congress is
to secure the future Of Americas SOL
dlers and sailors by insuring their |
lives and providing adequate COM
pensations and indemnities for loss
of life and total or partial permanent
disability; also to protect their fami-
lies against poverty and want by pro-
viding 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 higher obligation to do
these things for It's fighting forces
than If volunteer army only was
created. This great and rich repub-
lie cannot 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 beneficiary
Of the proposed law will be badge
Of honor.
When we draft the wage-earner,
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 sacrifice-they d.
rectly share the burden Of defense.
They suffer just as much as the SOL
dier, but In a different way, and the
nation must generously discharge, as
proud privilege, the duty Of main
tanning them until the soldiers and