The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-12
Congress Worked
| Up Over Slow
| Pay To Soldiers
Many Complaints Tint Wounded Men
from Front Arc Left for Months
> Without Fnnds-Want TO %a.
Know Why.


Washington. Dec. f1.-sharp
attacks ON tho delinquency Of the
war department in paying OF
OF the house today. Representa-
tive Mann, of iiltnoin, Republi-
can floor leader, read q telegram
vigorously protesting ag INST
the failure Of the army officers to
properly provide for tho comfort
Of several hundred wounded men
recently returned to this country.
The telegram came from n hos
pital in West Baden. Ind, to
which the men had been sent.
n 1t said:
several hundred wounded
men have arrived In West BADEN
with no funds. They have had
NO pay for several months Is
there no way to provide wounded
men with funds when they dis
cmbark:'
Mr.. Manp characterized this as a
public scandal.
This money has been due these
men for MONTHS he said, "and not
a cent has been paid to them. And
here they are sent from the port Of
debarkation to Southern Indiana with
not a cent in their pockets.
This matter was taken up with the
war department. esterday they said
II we could give them the names Of
these men they would look into the
matter. and try to get their money to
them.
Need the Money.
Wounded men confined to hos
pita1 cannot trace up their pay
records. They are not physically able
and are not In a position to prepare
this data for the army authorities.
It is the duty OF the war department
to make adequate provision to meet
such emergencies as this. The men
country have earned their money and
the war department. should see that
they get It promptly"
Representative Butler IT Pennsyl-
vania agreed with Mr.. Mann.
There is a general complaint of
this kind" he said. :. 'It Is an outrage
that such condition should be al
lowed to exist. There is no excuse
for IL"
Representative Sheriey tDemocraA.
Of Kentucky. stated that he had sug-
gested to the war department officials
that system Of coupon books be
adopted SO that when a man became
separated from his unit and was
coupons The money used in this
way would be deducted from the SOL
diers' pay.
Ne Excsse. says shexiey.~.s,s.-s
sarhs auartermaster Corps advised
mo that they were endeavorfng to
put such plan into effect said Mr..
Sherley. From what the gentlemen
have said herE today however. 1t is
plain that this has not been done.
agree that there is no excuse for such
state OF affairs. or course, some
Instances of this kind are bound to
occur, but there is. no occasion for a
EenefAI number az such cases
Representa- i@s Tsstti;ssfsfie. Eepuonszsf
OF Massachusetts. charged the war de-
partment with Outrageous waste" in
continuing to make powder in emer-
gency powder factories. This practice
should stop even II they have to pay
the workmen while idle. rather than
use coal and raw materials In the man
nfacturc OF something we don't need.
we have too much of now
he said.
The attacks on the war department
were made during debate on . bill by
Chairman Sherley. Of the appropria-
tation home for war workers being
dismissed in Washington, The bill was
passed without y roll CALI
Representative Walsh, OF Massachu-
setts, opposed the bill on the ground
that no privileges should be enjoyed by
civilian government employees not ex-
tended the men In the armed branches.
He charged that men are discharged
from the navy and left to shift fer
themselves. They are mot even given
the benefit Of the two cents 4 mile rail-
road rate granted soldiers, he said.
TrAnsportationAl q low . n cea are
granted only to mon In the navny re-
serves or who enlisted for the dura-
tton Of the war he explained. TIE
man who enlisted for four years and
now secures hits reieAse. he stxt8d, tn
put ashore with his dunnaEe and told
Representative Igoe (Democratl. Of
men In the regular navy who secure
their release are not even given m
honorable discharge. They are given
and Ordinary discharge"
Mr.. Walsh explained how this de-
prives them Of the numerous dement's
provided for discharged soldiers and
sailors. n only honorably discharged
men are eligible to participate In these
dement's.
Mr.. Mann expressed the opinion at
this point that all civilian war work :.
ers ana all men discharged from the
army and 4 navy should be returned
home It the expense of the government
|@I IS Ell