The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1917-05-12
RY ABE huRWIrI

VANCOUVER d. c.. May n.
And wha, about the returned
soldieri He comes home Grip
pied. MANNED, wounded. unfit
TO fight any longer. And when
he can fight no more, he 10 usu.
ally also ineapseltased from
following his usual vocation.
When he 10 no longer over
seas fighting for his country
the Canadian patriotic fund no
longer extends it's voluntary
aid 20 his dependents--unless
he 10 s,ili under the govern.
ments medical and hospital
care. He gets a pension, but u
10 a trifiina amount compared
20 the high cost OF living. es
peelaIly N the returned soldier
10 a family man.
What 10 do for the returned sol
der. II Is indeed a problem. The
provincial parliament nj Victoria
has been wrestling with u for a
long time Il has been suggested
that each soldier be given tract
VI " fhltOH AAAf nv
worked In the mines wants TO
know what In thunder he'd be do
Ing as farmer-and so the dis.
cussion widens and broadens and
seemingly has no end
Citizens Get Busy
While parliament lie debating in
British Columbis. the cltikenry has
not been at a standstlll. Shortly
after the heroes OF Ypres began to
return. the Returned Soldiers club
OF Vancouver was founded. ita
mission IA thus summarized BY w.
A. HRrner. manager OF the club
The least We can offer our
fighters upon returning from the
trenches ia welcome. an oppor.
tunity TO earn comfortable iiv-
Ing. an aNsurance that there IL al
WAYS a home available II required.
and assistance to soldier or his
family should the conditions rem
der this essential
The Returned Soldiers club now
has the quarters formerly occupied
by the Canadian club Member.
ship In u. SO far as dues-payiug IN
concerned. ia universal. Its hospi,
tally. % course. r. limited To re-
turned fighters.
The most important work OF tho
club Is 20 secure suitable employ
ment for them. In this. consider
ing all the conditions, II has been
singularly successful. Again the
war slogan; Every one must do
his bit" did effective work. A
on.-armed man was fitted out with
a little cigar stand. 4 onelerged
man was given a clerical position.
and so on down the line In all.
this club has provided employment
for g25 returned men.
Men Live at Club
In addition To this. the club.
house il used as place OF rest
eence By a number OF men. The
club rules provide:
AT any time a returned man
without means may avail himself
OF the full accommodation Of the
club without charge. and II re-
turned man who can afford 10 pay
wishes TO use the club as his resi-.
dence. comfortable accommodation
~ supplied to him at 81 a week.
The club has a billiard room.
dining room. reading room. and 20
'cial room. besides the individual.
rooms for the men
"The organization OF the club. %
says Harper. lis az the service of
all returned men also In any legal
business or other difficulties that
they may be experiencing.
Voluntary Subscriptions
Tho officially recognized by the
provincial and dominion govern
ments. the Returned Soldiers club
depends upon voluntary subscrip.
lions 10 maintain II. And here. a.
also the Canadian Patriotic fund.
slight evidences OF discomfort are
manifest simply because the man
who is brave enough 20 volunteer
his services as n fighter Is too in
dependent TO taste the bread OF
charity.
II il a government duty to ade-
quately provide for the returned
soldier. an we'll as to provide for the
soldiers dependents that is the
viewpoint OF the men concerned.
And they are waiting upon both
the provincial and dominion parlla.