Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-08-20
(By James E. Darst)

| have attempted to make is That
compen sation is owed to the former
service man; that it is not bonus"
but an amount actually due to put
him economically on a level with
the man who stayed at home. 1t
seems that the question is simply
one of plain justice.
But some opponents of any COM
pensation are clouding the issue by
raising the nice point whether the
service man should ask for compen-
sation, admitting he is entitled to
it. Some even go so far as to say
the majority of service men do not
desire to make this demand.
These men must admit that polls
have shown ox-service men ten to
one favorable to compensation and
big majority favorable to demand
ing it. The opponents profess to go
beyond these figures and argue that
the straw-votes are not really repre-
sentative.
You can not answer such men.
Apparently nothing can convince
them that their point of view is not
the popular one-not even the rec
ords that 10 out of II men think
differently
10 faY hot al.
Legion was forced to ask for justice
for eX-service men. 1t would have
been better had congress awarded
compensation without the necessity
of anyone's asking for it. But since
when have men of spirit been silent
in the face of justice? How long
has it been ethical to suffer in ST.
lence rather than to stand up for
your rights?
There has been great confusion
over the question Of demand. While
some opponents are declaring that
service men do not really want COM
pensation, others are attacking on a
different flank and argue that only
the service men desire it and that
the country at large is opposed; that
the minority is endeavoring to in
flict its will on the majority.
OF course, it is hard to get definite
proof to show to these people. No
one likes to deal in glittering gener-
alities, but, in the absence of tabu-
lated facts, our. statement of the
case is as valuable as theirs. Both
of us must rely on the scattering
bits of information that come to our
notice.
A few witnesses have appeared at
congressional hearings to oppose
compensation, but they represented
nc one but themselves. The bulk of
editorial opinion we have seen has
been favorable. A majority Of the
newspapers quoted in the Literary
Digest of March 20, in which a COM
pendulum of opinion appeared, adj
mitted the justice of the service
mans claim. The nation, so far rs
we have been able to observe, is
quite willing to see the fair thing
done by the men who fought
We do not claim to have our fin
ger to the pulse of America. We
really are not prepared 10 stand up
ard shout; Now, what this cou1-
Try wants. Nevertheless we
do not think it is the oft-quoted man
in the street who opposes compensa-
ton. Ask him. We believe he is
willing to give the soldier a chance
to break even with the man who
stayed at home We have no stethc-
scope to the nations heart, but we
feel sure it beats warmly. We co
not think america is against justice
for the man who fought
There is third group of tacti-
Clans who wage another kind of war
fare and say that neither the ma
ton nor the service man desires
compensation. but only "a group of
self-seeking politicians Here we
must trot out the facts. We must
point out that compensation was
dead issue in congress. in spite of
the fact that some &c bills had been
introduced, until the American Le-
sion heard the voice of the service
man and demanded action.
1t is not fair to drag this question
OF demand into the argument at this
stage. The Legion did not make the
demand until it saw-not only its
leaders but the vast majority of it's
riembers-that a demand was nee
essary. Now that 1t is made, it is
merely necessary to convince the
country of the justice and reason