The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-08-24
THE DUTY OF A
JUST GOVERNMENT
FAMILY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
AND INSURANCE FOR OUR SOL
DIERS AND SAILORS.


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.
emptions?
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 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 ones by staying
at home. am sure that If the Cong
ress should promptly enact the pend
ing 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 exemption on
that score will cease. This is an
imperative duty of the Government.
We cannot deprive helpless women
and children of the support of the
wage-earners by forcing him into the
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 SER
vice of his country with full know
ledge 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 a crime for rich
and just Government to treat its fight
ing 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 in
strumentalities of war. OF equal i'm
portance is the morale of the civil
population which must support the
armies in the field. We cannot have
this essential morale unless the Ma
ton comforts 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 assist
ance which will make it most effec-
tive in unfolding the Government
and the fighting forces.
The purpose of the war insurance
bill now pending in the Congress is
to secure the future of Americas
soldiers and sailors by insuring their
lives and providing adequate compen-
sations and indemnities for loss of
life and total or partial permenent
disability; also to protect their fam
lilies against poverty and want by
providing them with sufficient means
of support during the absence of the
men at the front.
The nation, having been froced to
resort to the draft in order to create
quickly an army to save the country,
is under a higher Obligation to do
these things for its fighting forces
than if volunteer army only was
created. This great and rich Re-
public cannot afford to do less, and 1t
must do what is proposed in spirit |
of gratitude and not as charity. ,
Every soldier and sailor who serves I
his country in this war will earn !
everything the proposed war in
surance bill provides; to be bene-
fciary of the proposed law will 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 entail ]
ed is not divisible. The wife and
the mother, the father, are
all involved in the sacrifce-they
directly share the burden of defense.
They suffer just as much as the sold
Ter, but in a different way, and the
Nation must generously discharge as
a proud privilege the duty of main
tanning them until the soldiers and
sailors return from the war and re-
sumo the responsibility.
We have drawn the sword to vindi-
,ate Americas violated rights, to re-
store peace and justice, and to secure
he progress of civilization. We can
not permit our soldiers, while they
lold the front, to be stabbed in the
back by uncertainty as to what is
being done for their loved ones at
nome. Our tomorrows are in their
in ours. The national
conscience will not permit Americas
soldiers and their dependents to go