The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-03-18
pENALIZED FOR SERVICE

is absolute need of a bonus, but the
former service man, if worthy, is usu-
ally proud individual and he doesn't
care to air his plight only to be re-
ferred to some one of the charitable
organizations. He argues, correctly
that if the war and the part he played
in the war are responsible for his con-
dtion then there is an obligation on
the part of some one to alleviate that
condition. In attempting to place that
responsibility and the consequent OBJ
legation he follows this line of argu-
ment:
When war was declared it imposed
upon every citizen of the United States
an equal obligation to bend every ef
fort to secure successful prosecution
ami All early ending OF that war. Such
effort should be subject to modifica-
tions only in accordance with the nat
ural or physical limitations of each
individual citizen. And the returns for
such effort should not be dependent
upon the particular directions or man.
ner in which this effort is exerted.
II has never been a settled prin-
ciple in this country that only males
between the ages of 81 and 81 and such
others as cared to volunteer owed their
allegiance and best efforts on an equal
basis to their country in time of dis
tress, and that other classes were priv
ileged to demand from the government
exorbitant returns for the performance
OF a citizenship obligation.
Expediency is the only argument or
excuse that may be urged in support
of a method by which different citi-
zens equally obligated were allotted
their duties during the war. That ex-
pediency was desirable is not a de-
batable question. Whether eXpediency
would have been equally possible with
fairer relative treatment of indi-
viduals is not pertinent to the subject.
The fact remains that those who
were in the military, naval or marine
service bore the brunt of the struggle,
both physically and financially. They
do not object to the physical hardships.
They do insist that the financial bur-
den should be more nearly equal for
those who were in and those who were
out They do not complain because
they did the fighting, and some one
else built the ships or raised the wheat.
They do believe that if it is worth
from $40 to $40 a day to build ships
or cantonments or make ammunition
OF raise wheat or run railroads. that
is must be worth about $4 day at
least to train and fight. If the pay
were equal the fighters would still
have the worst of it,
The fact is that major portion of
those who owed an equal obligation
TO their country made many times the
amount paid the service man, raised
their standard of living and the price
of necessities The disadvantage is
apparent.
If the service man had some small
savings before the war they have been
used up in caring for his family dur
ing the period Of his service or since
in living. True he got a $50 bonus,
but discharged soldier has always
been entitled to a suit of clothes
even a convict from the penitentiary
gets that.
The former service man, then, does
not want a bonus because he was pa
triotic, nor does he ask for it as a
mendicant, a socialist, or an anarchist,
and he would not ask it had every
other individual served in a different
capacity for relatively the same
amount
He asks it because the cost plus,
the exemptions and the necessary in
dustries features of our program Of
expediency have resulted in a finan-
cial and economic disadvantage which
he cannot overcome, which he has no
hope ci overcoming, Dut which he
thinks can be slightly alleviated by
some adjusted compensation. He feels
that wah should not be a misfortune to
per cent of the people and the great
est boon of generations to hosts of
the others without some effort to cor
rect the situation
During the time of service he rec
ognized this relative disadvantage
He was led to believe by every pub
lie utterance, supposedly the opinion
of the people and never denied by the
government, that something would be
done for him
He has waited year and a half,
az first confident and then doubtful,
without any constructive effort along
that line by those in power.
He has been put in the embarrassing
position of demanding something that
should have been urged upon him And
strangely enough there are those who
slurringly say that he is not patriot
or he would not ask for additional COM
pensation.
To those / can only say that he
has demonstrated his patriotism in
a very material fashion, while the only
evidence we have of theirs is untitled
promises, spread eagle Oratory and
other characteristics of appeals to the