The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-02-05
GIVE HIM A START.


The following communication, received by The
! Journal from the naval air station, by one who
signs himself Old Timer, gives much food for
thought.
'"The great problem and great duty before this
country is to assure to the men taken into the
army and navy fair opportunity when they
leave the service Millions of young were
taken away from their work, compelled to give
up their positions, two million sent abroad, many
killed and wounded, all kept in readiness to be
sent.
''Does the nation owe those men nothing? Ev-
erybody knows that the end of the war, the ces-
sation of war contracts, the slowing down of
closing up of many factories, makes it difficult to
find work. Doesn't the nation something to
the young men that were taken away from their
regular work for the benefit of the country at
large?
IF this country could afford to spend from
forty to fifty billions of dollars to protect itself
in war, can't it afford to spend little money to
give the soldiers and sailors decent treatment and
freedom from worry in peace? You hear great
deal, and very properly, about the desires of the
government to protect business men. You hear
that men, who had ammunition contracts actu-
ally going on with their contracts, although the
government cannot use the stuff, because the
government feels that it owes something to bus
mess who have changed their plants and
adopted themselves to the government need and
it does them something.
"You read that regular courts have been es-
tablished in which business men can go, present
their claims and show to the government that
because they understood and interrupt
ed, they entitled to damages. The damages
will be awarded, which is only just if the claim is
just, and some cases they will amount to millions
for single Individual.
"What about the young man taken from his
work, put into the army navy and then thrown
out of the service? Is there no court where he
can appear? Is there no justice to be dealt out
to him?
HAS HE claim simply because he is moth
ing but a citizen of the United States, ready to
fight for the United States, it is true but with
out any factory or bank account connected with
his name?"
The Bureau of Labor is trying to find employ
ment for former enlisted men, And many pub
lie spirited men and women doing the same
thing. But during the transition from military
to civilian life, the soldier is absolutely dependent
upon his last pay to tide him over the interval
between the last government pay day and the
| first pay day of his new job His pay is thirty
dollars not much of which is left, after the de-
duction of allotment, insurance, and other neces-
Sary expenditures.
!! Something certainly should be done for the re-
turned soldier. One of the suggestions made to
The Journal is that six months pay be given the
soldier or sailor leaving the service which would
not only free him from worry, but would pre-
vent the Cutting of the labor market and give
him time to look about bit.
Six months pay would be less than two hun
dred dollars. Not so much to give man another
start towards success, if he has been successful.
| Not enough to make him much of a wastral, no
matter how extravagant he may be.
| There has been good deal of money spent by
the American people in making the boys happy
and while overseas. Why not spend some now
in giving him new grip life?
The soldiers and sailors not only did their part
in standing ready to give up their lives for their
country. But few of them there were who did
not contribute, and generously, to the Liberty
Loan War Saving, and all other patriotic drives.
| Congress should make some appropriation, and
at once, to meet their need. 1t would not only
give these start but it would be a concrete
evidence of appreciation of their services to their
country.
The first womans suffrage association in the