The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1912-1984, 1918-04-02
MR.. HELMS GREAT SPEECH

Helm opposed the increased salaries
of clerks and additional expenses of
the government during these war
times and gives good reason for his
opposition. The speech is taken from
the Congressional Record:
Mr.. Chairman, there is another
viewpoint to this proposition. The
soldier in France is Offering his life
he has subscribed for liberty bonds
he is buying war stamps. The little
children on the streets and in the
homes are buying and peddling war
stamps, the passage of this amend
ment means that the proceeds of
their efforts are to be devoted not to
the prosecution of the war but to the
increase of salaries Of these Govern
ment clerks around Washington, who
are enjoying the best advantages of
any employees in the United States.
(Applause.) They have the best of
conveniences, the most sanitary and
comfortable offices to work in, with
electric lights, hot and cold water,
electric fans in the summer and well
heated in the winter. I maintain that
the civil employee of this Govern
ment should occupy the status of a
volunteer, not to get the utmost dol
lar out of the Government. but to do
his might for it while his Nation is in
peril, and it i'll becomes the Govern
ment clerks, whether in Washington
or elsewhere, who work only seven
hours a day for 800 days of the year,
and are receiving as much as $4,000
year, to come in and ask that the
proceeds of these little war-stamp
sales and these liberty bonds be con-
tributed to their further comfort,
pleasure and pastime.
am against this wholesome lump
sum, indiscriminate increase in cleri-
cal salaries. Over yonder, over there,
is the boy standing on the firing line
fighting for the very life of this Re-
public, for home and freside. You
are proposing to send him back to
raise the crops. You take from him a
portion of his earnings to support a
dependent mother; you take from
him a portion of his salary to buy
Liberty bonds; you send him back
into the furrow to raise the crops to
furnish the food for these employees
who are now coming here and asking
28,000,0O0 increase out of the war
funds that ought to be sacred and
dedicated to the prosecution of this
war. (Applause.)
This is but an entering wedge. 1t
is to be followed by like bills increas-
ing other employees salaries. In the
name of God, will the American Con-
gress always be towards and not
stand for the people who are paying
these taxes? Think of them. There is
an army of income-tax collectors 60
ing about over the country. The far
mers and merchants are all denying
themselves the necessities and COM
forts of life to prosecute this war.
and here comes a raid on the Treas
ury to make money out of it to give
to these people who ought to be will
ing to deny and stint themselves in
order to aid in more successful
prosecution of this war; and say to
you that it i'll becomes the Congress
of the United States. in the first
place, to invite, protect, and guaran-
tee organized labor against punish
ment, as it did, by giving it the right
to strike when the ships are moving
with the boys on board, but requiring
emergency repairs, and some set of
men say, "No; we will not drive a
rivet." and then have the Congress
go ahead and say, "We will protect
and guarantee you against punish
ment." Call back the boys from
France.
You are sending 100000 boys
over there. Stand here and protect
them. They are the ones to be pro-
tected and safeguarded at all haz-
ards. Speak it to the world and let it
be known that the American Con-
gress is looking solely and exclusive
ly to the welfare and success of the
boys on the firing line and not to the
comforts of these clerks,
who ought to be contributing to in