Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-08-05
DISABLED SOLDIERS
VIRTUALLY ASSURED
$50 PAY INCREASE

Disabled ex-service men taking vo-
cational training in Atlanta are vir-
tually assured of $50 a month in
crease in their pay from the govern
nient, retroactive from July l.
This was announced Tuesday by
senator Hoke Smith to the students
If the Atlanta Business college,
where about forty of the men who
will get the increase are enrolled
Senator Smith addressed the stu
dents at the request of B. Dixon
Hall. president of the college, who
asked him several months ago to ap-
pear before them as soon as he re-
ceived definite announcement from
the vocational training board regard
ing the increase. Senator Smith got
a letter from the board Tuesday
morning, and communicated it's con-
tents to the students at noon.
His announcement was greeted with
applause by the disabled soldiers. 1t
was good news to them, as it will
be to hundreds of others taking voca-
tional training in various Atlanta In
situations.
Senator Smith, introduced by Presi-
dent Hall as the educational sena-
tor because of his work for the
cause of education, told his audience
he was there "oniy for the purpose
Of speaking a, word OF encourage ehl
to the boys injured in service
1--WE are going to do more for you
than we have been doing" he said
He then recited briefly the leglsla-
ton that had been enacted affecting
them. He said that in the summer
of 1917 he and some of his colleagues
began a study of similar laws IN
France, England and Canada, Win
view to getting laws in America that
would give the disabled service man
a chance to become self-sustaining.
Smith Bill Passed
1--WE felt that mere compensation
isn't in the same class with COM
pensation that will also give a man ma |,
the chance to take care of himself,
he said. "The bill we finally drew
I introduced in the senate and after
e. two days of struggle. 1t was passed
almost unanimously. The only
question at issue was-should a dis
service or not? That was the plan
IN England, and it was failure. We
felt it was best to take him In civil
life, after he had left the army
and put MIN into existing institu-
tions instead of creating separate
military schools. We won the fight.
we beat the senators who stood for
The militn1v ide1.
"However, an amendment was
tackea onto' MY bill llmltlng the
man taking vocational training to
the amount it costs him. to live
where he is studying. l didn't like
the amendment. l don't think the
appropriation is sufficient. if it
makes a man do any outside work
ie. 1n1 IN "a riC
to give all his time to his studies.
That was why l introduced pro
vision to increase the compensation
from $50 to $500 for single men,.
and from 500 to 1920 for married
men.
"And then they tackled on the
amendment, providing this increase
should be given only to men 'resid-
ing where the cost of living is above
the average and comparatively high
hours OF the session. L would have
insisted that that clause be stricken
out. But / was afraid the bill would
lose out altogether. However, when
We meet again. in December. l am
soing to insist that the clause be
truck out. Men ought to get thar
Increase outright, wherever they are
wing.
"But with the amendment there
asked the board to regard it as
lightly as possible and to give tho
increase wherever they could. This
morning l got a letter from the
board, advising me definitely what
liHs policy sSSIs. be-"
- At the conclusion Of his talk; the
forty or more disabled men in the
audience went to the front and shook
bands with Senator Smith and thank
ed him for his efforts in their behalf.
The students were also addressed
''-Tv Captain r. G.. Baber, representing
che Association of Army and Navy
;nres, Inc, who invited service men
4: deX-service men among them to
IN tie organization. which is a
: ort of buyers union" in which
>embers get a discount on purchases
@n at stores that belong to the
ife