Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-16
Enitnr.ial Btgrat.
An Independent Analysis Of Leading Cur.
lie Press Of the Country
For and Against Soldier Bonuses.

Can patriotism be rewarded in cash! And
| il 50, how much? These are the questions
that the country is trying to decide in connec-
ton with the proposal to pay q bonus 70 All
men who served in the war against Germany.
The latest plan is to grant $50 for each month
of service in the army or navy, and II IS esu-
mated that four million men would benefit, to
the average extent Of $500 apiece. making
total OF $4,000, O00. 900. Congress seems favor
able to the project, but wonders where the
money is coming from
The Fargo Courier News (Non-Part. league)
believes that 1.-THE boys themselves Will nave 70
pay for their own bonus at least IN part, II
it is simply added to national taxes, whereas
"it can easily be raised from excess profits
made during the war, without adding cent
to the taxes paid by the average man. rms
paper argues that 1.-The men who stayed behind.
and protteered as no Americans nave ever
profteered before in history, should De COM
PEELED to divide little OF their lll-gotten
wealth with the boys who made 1t possible for
them to continue in business. Inc okianoma
News Ind), on the other hand, favors the
so-called LEGION bond PLAN" as the best. the
most lust the most workable" This plan is
to give $50 government bond for every month
of service, and would therefore involve no
immediate expenditure of money. The Column
bus Citizen und.) likewise endorses this plan,
which the service men themselves nave asked
through their official organization, the Amerl-
can Legion" and calls it a fair and retro
active compensation to our active war forces"
in large way" the Des Moines Register
lind. Rep says, 1t is certain that the solder
is entitled to something and adds:
mot necessarily cash payment. Not nee
essarily loan. Not necessarily any specific
PLAN But something that will in some degree
tend to equalize the situation of the soldier
who dropped out of the country's economical
life at time when it was productive OF highest
rewards, and the situation OF the man who
STAYED in and got those rewards-that is fair
| and right and ought to be conscientiously
undertaken"
The Manchester Mirror (Dem) thinks lad
| justed compensation" a better term than
! bonus" and points out that the payment of
$50 a month would merely result in giving
| each service man a total of something over
| $40 week for his services-about what an
| IS-year-old boy can earn in cotton or wooden
mill"
| But there is much opposition. sentimental
as we'll as practical to the whole bonus idea
The Columbia State DEM declares that 1.-THE
value of the service of a soldier in war cannot
be reckoned in dollars. If bonus be given,
the argument for $500 a month would be as
good as for $50 And the Knoxville Sentinel
| lind. DEM is OF similar mind THE Ameri-
can people," it says, "can never feQuite the
gallant boys who went to the front and saved
their country and civilization in the world war,
by money consideration. Any sum offered
. them in lieu of the 100 per cent patriotism and
the consciousness of having done their hghess
duty to their country would be a wretched and
pitiful exchange" The Sentinel believes the
bonus movement in congress has Its origin in
the incentive of political profteerng on the
patriotism of our soldier boys They served
in the war, not from hope of financial reward, -
adds the Chattanooga News (Dem.) but from
a love Of their nation. They have come back
from the war; not to bleed the treasury of the
United States but rather to take their part in
| establishing America firmly in its interna-
tional position by loyal work and faithful
service"
Or, as the Greensboro Daily News Qnd J
states it:
| There were men in the army, hundreds of
thousands of them, who hold the service they
rendered the country above price j.. They
will not sell the gratitude the country owes
them for $50 a month nor for $500 month. ,
The New York Times Und DEM agrees
that the people are a unit for generous treat,
ment of MANNED and helpless veterans, cost
what it may Why does congress turn away
but present a smiling face to the applicants
for bonuses who are sound in body and in
most cases we'll employed?" And the New
York Evening Post Ond.), which has been
exposing the breakdown of the governments
plan for rehablitating the disabled soldier
says this
"If congress will act promptly and bring
about thorough reorganization Of the voca.
tional board and the war risk insurance bu.
reau insurlng efficient execution of the bene.
fcent intention which established these two
agencies. there may yet be time to avert re-
course to pension and bonus'