Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-19

OUR uNREwARDED REGULARS.

Of Affairs we're realized. A canvass
has already been made Of the house
and senate and . large majority Of
the members OF both houses have
stated in writing that they are de-
cidedly In favor OF IN increase.
The uninitiated in matters political
might think that settled the whole
matter. and that the pay bill would
be passed without further ado. But
the ways Of the politician are more
devious than those of the plain cit
izen. and his motives are not al
ways apparent at first glance.
Hence the pay bill has been held
UP for months because Of the re-
fusal of six members Of the house
Of representatives to act. These
men are Thomas S. Butler Of Ches-
ter, Pa, Patrick H. Kelley Of Sag
NAV, Mich, on the house naval
committee. and r. w. Mondell Of
Newcastle, Wyo.. M. B. Madden Of
Chicago, F. H. Gillett Of Spring
field, Mass, and ]. r. Mann Of Chi
cago, on the steering committee.
The house is willing to pass the
Kelley bill, which provides for an
increase for the men. but not for
the officers. The senate, on the
other hand. il not willing to dis
criminate against the ofiicers, and
wishes to have the Wadsworth bill
passed, which will provide for an
increase for officers Is we'll. And
as the house steering committee is
unwilling to bring UP this bill in
the house the whole matter seems
to be deadlocked.
But the men cannot be held In
the service with the same ffmness
with which the bill is held in abey-
ance. Representative Madden, one
Of the pay bills bitterest enemies,
recently came out with the state
ment that II the officers and men
didn't like the pay they were get
ting. they could get out. They are
following this very sensible advice
with alarming rapidity. Secretary
Daniels, in the meantime, is recon-
mending an extensive shipbuilding
program for the navy, which seems
that the navy will require more
men.
Great Britain seems to feel a
more substantial gratitude for her
defenders than our own politicians
do for ours. She has recently
granted 100 per cent increase in
pay for her. army and navy. The
United States Is allowing the inter.
est on her loan to Great Britain to
lapse for two years. So when the
shabby American officer sees the
smart English officer swanking by
he may At least have the sorry con-
ISOLATION that he and all his fellow
citizens are in an indirect way pay.
ing for all this added grandeur in
the army of our ally, even if it is a,
the expense Of our own army and
navy.
Among the prominent American.
who are actively supporting the in
creased pay bill Is W. Butler Dun
can. famous yachtsman and skip
per of the cup defenders that have
raced against Sir Thomas Lipton's
yachts.
"The regular army formed tht
skeleton upon which the wartime
army was built" said Mr.. Duncan
in a recent interview. "The officer'
of the regular army are the mel
who took the huge raw bulk o
conscripts and volunteers ant
moulded them into the efficient ant
victorious organization that VOL
the war. As q matter Of common
sense we ought to pay these mel
enough to keep them In the regular
army.
Here is a verse ran across tn,
other day which was written il
England in 1910:
"Our God and soldiers we alik'
adore
When at the brink Of ruin, not be
fore;
After deliverance both alike re
Quilted:
Our God forgotten and our soldier,
sighted"