The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1918-04-12
THE DEBT TO SOL
DlERS AND SAILORS.


Loyal women spend time and labor in
knitting and sewing for the soldiers.
That is we'll and often means much sac
rifice of time and loney. But these
laudable efforts for the soldiers relief
ale made in comparative comfort. The
wearers use them in cold, rains, and
SHOWS, in the muddy slush of the tren-
ches.
In the making Of millions of surgical
dressings and hospital necessities the
labor is unceasing and no work means
more to the users. But these also are
mostly but the utilization OF otherwise
leisure time and made under pleasant
and cougenial surroundings. The pro-
ducts are pure, dainty and antispetically
clean. But finally they will be cast out
as horrible, filthy rags, stained with the
life-blood of our own relatives. In this
the contrast between the making and
the wearing is peculiarly typical. What
wounds, what pains, what suffering
these dainty white dressings finally
mean. How little is our home work
compared with the awful work "over
there"
Financially, we subscribe literally to
thrift stamps. to "liberty" loans, but
even in these we expect return with IN
terest; and in these are but learning
most useful lesson in social and financial
economy. But to the Red Cross, to the
Y. M. q. A. and kindred organizations,
we give millions of dollars outright and
/ think we are liberal. That is true but
do you ever think what the soldier boys
themselves are giving in money to the
financial support of the war. They have
subscribed bountifully to the liberty
loans, but we think they are really CIV
ing more according to their means in
other ways, more than any other class of
people.
The average farm laborer at this time
commands wage of from $50 to s75
with board per month. Other working
people are getting proportionate returns
for labor and the skilled educated and
professional classes receive from S. to
$40 per day
The soldier and sailor gets about $50
per month and board. The soldier has
his clothing in addition but the sailor
buys his own coverings These soldiers
we're until lately all drawing from about
So to $40 day, now they get perhaps
S1.50 counting in board. That is. the
common soldier contributes from say So
to S6 per day to the support of the gov
ernment. If we take an average OF. say
three dollars per day thus given, with
million soldiers under arms. that would
mean that the army and navy would be
giving services without pay of value of
$4,000, 900 per day S9o,O0o,00O per month
or one billion eighty millions of dollars
for the year. When the full mum bers of
the army and navy are made up the ag.
gregate will be proportionately increas-
ed.
Tbs sum mentioned, only few years
ago would have paid the entire expenses
of the United States government for
year.
How much will the people of the Unit
ed States owe these soldiers and sailors
when they come marching home again?
Unlimited gratitude and admiration, yes;
but how many dollars will it take to
satisfy the debt?
Many of these boys will have lost op-
portunities for lucrative positions be-
cause of absence in the army; they may
never be able to find their proper Aiche
in life, and thereafter struggle along in
comparative poverty. In a suit for dam
ages how much would be their proper
claim?
II these boys would only lie down and
die on the last battlefield after victory
what a burden OF debt would be remov-
ed from grateful country, Sometimes
it looks as if certain people wished that
mioht a1so ~. tho d,,fv ~ tho - lon - |