The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-05-07
Return Them to Suitable Employ
ment After Their Discharge
From Service.
GENERAL WOOD URGEsACTION
All Lines of Effort Should Be Oruan-
lied and Every Opportunity Given
Men to Settle Down in
Civil Life Contented.
BY LEONARD WOOD.
Major General Commanding Central De-
partmenf limited Sfafae rr,aM

partment, United States Army
Appreciation of the work done b
our soldiers, sailors and marines /
the great war can best be shown b
active measures to return them t
suitable civil employment upon thei
dlscharge from service. 1t is a ma
tional duty and one not to be shirke,
by nation that stands for justice an,
square dealing. Our soldiers wer,
sent to their training camps-to thu
battle line-with every demonstration
OF a nations appreciation of the sacri
flee that these men were willing tt
make. Now that the active operations
OF the war, are suspended we are in
cl1ned> to lose interest in those who
made our success possible. This is
the time for the nation to show that II
understands and appreciates the sac
rifices which our men willingly made
when they answered the call for ma
tiOnal service
The 100000 men indicted into the
service, less the dead, are being re-
turned to their homes. We must or
ganize all lines of effort so that every
possible opportunity will be given
them to settle down happily contented
in civil life. Some of them we will find
a bit difficult to handle and we must
have considerable patience with them.
They have been through big expert
ence. Some are a bit unreasonable
In a way, and perhaps it Is hard for
them to settle down.
a-~. Ambition Is Aroused.
In seeing that they are returned to
suitable civil employment-an by that
mean employment in which they
will find CONFERENCE.-The will find it
at times difficult to deal with them.
We must remember that many of these
men, before going for the great ven
ture, had never been far from home,
had never seen the big things of life,
had never had the opportunity of |
finding themselves. During their serv- |
Ice In the army they found out that |
all men were equal except as distin-
guished one from the other by such
characteristics as physique, educa-
Ion and character. They discovered
that men who are loyal, attentive to
1uty, always striving to do more than
'equired, stood out among their fell
ows and were marked for promotion.
many Of them now see that
heir former employment will not give
hem the opportunities for advance
nent which they have come to prize,
md for that reason they want a
hange. They want kind of employ
nent which offers opportunities for
promotion. Many such men are fitted
or forms of employment which offer
his advantage, and they must be given
he opportunity to try to make good in
he lines of endeavor which they elect
? follow: 1t is not charity to give
aese men the opportunities for which
aey strive. It Is justice; Others are
OF mentally equipped to take advan-
age of such opportunities if offered,
nd with these we will find it more
ifficult to deal. They must be rea-
)ned with, and directed if possible,
ito the kind of employment best suit
! to their characteristics.
We will find many of the men have
lost efficiency in the lines
employment which they followed be-
re entering the service, but for that !
JASON alone they must not be deprived :
the opportunity to regain their eff +
ency in those lines, nor can they be Z
fered reduced wages during this pc !
cd. !
Give Them Square Deal t
Our soldiers sailors and marines T
fered themselves for the great adj !
nture. Many Of them have been (
rough the great adventure, in which /
ey offered their lives, to the end that !
sHce might prevail and the world +
made safe to live in. Those who i
d not come face to face with the 7
eat adventure nevertheless were (!
ady to do 50, and it was through no Z
ult of theirs that they did not have !.
e opportunity. In training camps =,
,rking from early morning until late :
night, fitting their bodies to meet =
e physical hardships of war, fitting
cir minds to meet the mental shock
combat and in the battle line I'M
r soul-stirring conditions, these men
,od ready to make the great sacri-
e.
Let us remember that a square deal
; our honorably discharged soldiers.
Tors and marines will strengthen
J morale of the nation and will help
create a sound national conscious
IS ready to act promptly in support
truth. Justice and right.