Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-10-05
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1917
McADOO's APPEAL FOR OUR SOLDIERS
By w. J. McADOO, Sec'y. of Treasury

TT number of claims for exemption from mil
itary duty under the draft law has caused a
painful impression in many quarters, but after
all, does not the fact that no provision has yet
been made by the Government for the support of
the wives and children mothers or fathers, of the
men who have been drafted explain many of these
claims for exemption?
Under the draft law the Government has the
power to require every abe-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 the sole support
of dependent families So long as the Govern
ment has made no provision for the care of these
dependents, it is natural that such drafted men
should seek to protect their loved by staying
at home | am sure that if the Congress should
promptly enact 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
emption on that score will cease. This is an i'm
perative duty of the Government We cannot de-
prive helpless women and children of the support
of the wage-eaner by forcing him into the mill
tary service Of the country unless the Government
substitutes itself as their support.
Imagine the emotions of the man who is
called into the military service of his country with
full knowledge that his loved ones are left without
means of support and may be reduced 10 want
unless the charity of the community in which
they live comes to their relief 1t would be moth
ing less than crime for a rich and just Govern
ment to treat their fighting men So heartlcssly
and to subject their dependent wives and chill
dren who are unable to fight, to greater suffering
than if they could fight
The morale of an army is as essential to it's
effective fighting power guns, ammunition and
other instrumentalites of war Of equal import
ance is the morale of the civil population which
must support the armies in the field. We cannot
have this essential morale unless the Nation COM
forts the men in the ranks with the knowledge
that everything possible will be done for them and
their families, and renders to the civil population
at home the assistance which will make it most
effective in upholding the Government and the
fighting forces.
The purpose of the war insurance bill now
pending in the Congress is to the future of
Americas soldiers and sailors by insuring their
lives and providing adequate compensations and
indemnites for loss of life and total or partial
permanent disability; also to protect their fam
lilies against poverty and want by providing them
with sufficient means of support during the alb
sence of the men at the front.
The nation, having been forced co resort to
the draft in order to create quickly an army to
save the country is under higher obligation to
do these things for its fighting forces than il a
volunteer army only was created. This great and
rich Republic cannot afford to do less, and 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 every
thing the proposed war insurance bill provides; to
be beneficiary of the proposed law viii! be a
badge of honor.
When we draft the wage-earner we call not
only him but the entire family to the flag the
sacrifice entailed is not divsable. The wife and
children, the mother the father, are all involved
in the sacrifce-they directly share the burden
of defense, They suffer just as much as the sol
der, but in a different way, and the Nation must
generously discharge as proud privilege the duty
of maintaining them until the soldiers and sailors