The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-08-30
pom ALSO HAS
A BONUS Bill

Of Congress, controlled in be
houses by Republicans, have pass
and not a single piece of legislati
helpful to the soldiers has been ena'
ed. In fact, the only piece of legis
ton that has been brought to t
floor of either house is the Mond'
bill, soldiers organization plan ca
culated to benefit only such soldie
as are willing to enter into colon
zation scheme, and this likely to
of aid to a relatively small numbI
of four million fighting men.
One of the Democrats who h;
been urging in season and out thu
Congress do something substantii
for the soldiers is Representative EC
ward w. Pou, chairman of the Rule
Committee in the last House. MI
Pou has pending a bill which woul
give $3.50 additional pay to discharg
ed soldiers and sailors which, addeC
to the $50 provided for in the rev
enue bill passed by the last congress
would make their compensation, il
addition to their pay while actually
in service, $240. At every oppor-
tunity, Mr. Pou has urged upon the
house that his or some similar bill be
passed that the soldiers may receive
at least the same assistance that was
given to the war workers in Wash
ington who were granted bonus of
$24O each.
The people Of the country feel
that Congress can do no less than
this as an appreciation of the service
of the men who answered the call to
the colors, said Representative Pou,
who continued:
81 have received a great many let
tiers since I introduced the bill Civ
ing the soldiers additional compensa-
tion-I will not call it bonus-be-
cause feel we justly owe the soldiers
an additional amount of compensa-
ton. Without a solitary exception
the letters l receive express the earn
est hope that the bill will pass.
81 notice that our Republican
friends have introduced several SINH
lar bills, but up to this hour nothing
has been done about them. sincere
ly hope there will be something more
than talk.
'Tn the near future I shall again
take occasion to cal this matter TO
the attention of the House. From
time to time the Democratic member
ship will insist on this. l have talked
with "a number Of my influential De-
mociatie colleagues, and they agree
that something oUght to be done
They agree that there is no defend
ing the discrimination against sold.
iers.
81 noticed the other day the GER j
tain government clerks are going to 9
demand an additional $3.50. The s
are they will get it. Surely {
Congress will give the soldier as /
much as $240 additional pay, as pro- s
vided for in the bill which have in
PRODUCED.
Representative Pou's bill prvoides
that "all persons who served in the
or naval forces of the Unit
ed States during the war who re-
ceived base pay not exceeding the !
sum of $4,000 annually, and who
nave, since April 6, 1917, received {
honorable discharge, and all reserv- I
SITS who have been or shall be placed '
N inactive duty, shall be paid in ad- |
lition to llother amounts due them a
" law the sum of $780," 7
Mr.. Pou and other Democrats will u
SIX for hearing by the Committee e
t Military Affairs and will insist up il
n an early and favorable report. c
During a speech on the floor of @
he House, in urging substantial aid Z
or the soldiers and sailors, Mr.. Pou s
aid that "these men won the war.
hey should be at least treated fair a
:. ***He accepted his 81 per day
nd relied upon the justice of the s
alton for whose flag he was willing d
, die. fl
"This same private soldier was n
mt to Europe. He made July IS, s,
BIB, a day never to be forgotten.
e won a victory at -Thierry d
hich will mark an epoch in the his is
ny of the world. He pressed on; d.
, endured privation and suffering ii
lring the Argonne drive impossible ct
describe. He was then receiving ii
creased pay; he was actually re- gl
living $1.10 per day, but he never q.
ice complained. He knew war was S.
IL, but he wanted to make short SO
ork of his nasty job. ""The cour- a
e, the staying quality of the Amer D
an private soldier won the war. *"* b,