The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-08
CONGRESS WILL
BARE INJUSTICE
INPAY OF ARMY
Legislation to Correct Dis
elimination Against Of
ficers Proposed.
CONDEMNED BY O'RYAN
He Says q Glaring Injustice
Has Been Done to the Tenn
porary Soldiers.
CONDEMNED BY O'RYAN

The revelation of the discrepancy in
the army retirement laws which permit
Regular Army officers to retire on three
quarters pay. while all other officers and
men, no matter what their wounds, are
forced to accept a percentage OF $50 a
month, according TO their injuries.
aroused much interest yesterday among
officers and men who have come back
from France and have been discharged
from the service.
From generals down to privates they
exclaimed that the preference shown
Regular Army men was a shameful
example of the way in which the mill
tary laws have been framed to benefit
members OF the Regular Army. In every
section OF the city where army men
met they were discussing THE Suns
explanation of how II Ii that there Is
one law for the Regular and another for
the volunteer and drafted men. and they
were outspoken In their denunciations.
Major-Gen. ORyan, commander Of the
Twenty-seventh Division New York
National Guard), said that a good work
had been done in exposing the inequali-
ties of the laws for retirement for dis
ability and hoped that the fight against
such discrimination would be continued.
"a Glaring Injustice"
Tho Regular Army law which gives to
an incapacitated officer retirement on
three-fourths pay. while the guard or
Reserve Corps officer who is incapacitated
Nv yn ~ hn iaE
Insurance for the few dollars allotted
him. is a glazing sample of inequality
and injustice" said the General. But
II Is only sample.
when the Reserve Corps was formed
those entering it could not understand
the lack OF enthusiasm Of the guard to-
ward the Regular Army. Now they do.
For one reason or another the Reg
ular Army has been able to maintain a
large force of officers In Washington,
and their influence is felt everywhere
and always in the interests of the reg
ular army.
Injustice such as THE SUN calls at
tention to will continue until the citizen
soldiers, Reserve Corps Guard and Ma
tional Army are consolidated and organ
lied as a great national force. with their
own stan In Washington"
1t WIS evident yesterday from the
comments of reserve officers that II the
statutes which permit this inequality OF
compensation for wounds are not re-
vised so as to put all the forces OF the
army which served against Germany on
an equal basis. that some organized
movement will be put on foot to bring
pressure to bear on Congress to amend
the law. Many comments of regret
were heard that Congress is not in ses-
sion, SO that THE SUNS explanation of
the way the retirement and disability
lrws work could be taken UP on the floor
OF the House.
Labored Under Misconception.
1t was also apparent that legislators,
as we'll a. civilian soldiers who are dis
eliminated against by the military laws,
labcred at first under the misconception
that all the forces OF the nation were on
an equal basis of pay and compensa-
ton. The soldiers of the National Guard
and the National Army did not know
that they were the victims of dis
criminatory legislation until they were
wounded and found that the statutes
had been framed in such a way as to
make the Regular Army officers. no mat
ter what their length OF service, a ia
yored class. The legislators believed
until they began to hear from their
wounded constituents that the army was
all on one footing.
Murray Hubert. who was in Congress
when the Selective Service law was
passed and who now Is Commissioner OF
Docks and Ferries of this city, said he
believed when the law came up on the
floor of the Huose that its provisions pu,
all the officials and men OF all branches
OF the army on a basis of equality as re-
CARDS pay. allowances and pensions.
LAS l remember 1t there was no question
OF the law because of unequal working
because no one but n man expert in mil
itary legal affairs would have noticed
that 1t left out the question of retire.
merit. If I had thought that because
the retirement clause was excluded II
would work in this way. know. for one
that l would have made a protest on the
floor. Other Representatives woult
have done the same. l don't know wha
happened in committee, but there wa.
No suspicion on the floor during debat,
Of how volunteer officers would hav,
been affected and the matter was no
mentioned.
But It is shame that these mer
WHO fought in France should be placed
in A position where they have to take &
mere pittance from the Government
while other officers with no more train
ing CA get n fairly large amount Is re
tired pay. They all should be treated
on the same basis. for they are al
equally brave and offered with no quail
fications everything they possessed II
the time of their country's need T,
discriminate against any OF them Il
wrong and there should be an invest
cation of the whole matter by Congress
1t is on par with some other matters
Investigation of which was quashed."
No CompIaint Against Regulars.
There has been no disposition on tn,
part OF any officers to question the RICH
OF the Regular Army officer or man VIII,
has given his life TO the service, ant
made il his profession, to large pensions
That is one OF the reasons given by tn
Regular Army officers for the difference
IN standing. but it is scoffed at by sol
oilers and officers who left their home
and professions and businesses I'm tn
crisis when every man was needed. ]
is against the discrimination in favor o
the younger army officer one whose ex
perience Is no greater than that of tn
Plattsburg graduate, that their voice
are lifted, for only the youngest Regu
lar Army officers got to France.
There seems to be some question o
the legality OF the provisions as affect
ing all branches OF the service outsid
the Regular Army, and careful exam
nation of the statutes will be made I
see II they capnot be overturned. IL thi
is found to be impossible there Is n
doubt that an organization Will b
formed the sole purpose OF which WI
be to get more equable compensation 70
wounded men than Is provided for b
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