The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-07-13
The Soldiers Bonus.

Editor, Times: So far as Mr.. Dale
has deigned to put forth any reason
for his election to the Office of repre-.
sentative in Congress he has resorted
TO a private letter to the ex-service
men. Unlike Mr.. Gordon, who is a
candidate for the same Office, he does
not present his claims in the interests
of all classes, he appeals to a special
group of voters. He expresses no sym
pathy for the farmer who is struggling
against a shortage of labor and the
high prices of everything he is to buy.
TO the farmer in his difficulties he
says, Buy more bonds and pile higher
our national debts and burdens" He
bases his plea on the ground that we
have not done as we'll for our sol
diers in the great war as England,
France, Italy, Canada, Australia and
New Zealand have done, and on the
further ground that we have legislated
wastefully during and since the war.
As to the wasteful legislation, we
understand that he voted for it, though
he now seems to condemn it. He rea
sons that because he and other mem
bers of Congress have wasted a lot of
our substance we should add a bonus
to our burdens. Is this good reason
ing or is it a reckless way TO secure
votes2
So far as the treatment Of our sol
diers is concerned as compared with
other countries named, he is moi stat
ing the facts correctly. Let us look
at some Of the facts in the case. A
French soldier was paid a bonus OF IS
a month, five cents a day, for e "a
service and towards the close Of the
war co cents a day when in the front
line. The highest paid French soldier
for a years service, includiag bonus,
received fS279l two hundred and seven
ty.nine dollars. The Italian soldier re-
ceived ii cents a day and no bonus, or
S40.l5 for q year. The English sol
der, if he served four years or more,
received a bonus of sos, and his pay
gradually increased during the war
from "a cents a day to so cents. His
average paw was about 40 cents a day,
but call il As. If he served four years
or more he would receive 1924 for a
wear. If his service was less than four
wears the highest pay for n year would
be only S2l9. The Canadian received
sI.I0 a day and a graduated bonus, de
pending upon the length of time he had
served. For service from three TO four
wears he received s42o, two to three
years $3.50, one TO two years $3.50, and
for one year or less S2lo. He also re-
ceived at his discharge $50 for a civil
ian suit. He, therefore, received for
the first wear overseas, including bonus,
$500. The Australian boy was paid
SL25 per day for service overseas but
we have not been able TO find out what
bonus. If NY, he was paid. The same
is true of the New Zealand boy, A Yer
mont soldier who went overseas was
paid Sl.lO for services and a bonus OF
Sl20 bv the state and $50 on dis
charge by the United States, or a to-
tai for a wear of 1851. Our government
was more liberal than most OF the 9th
or countries in allowances and 1t pro
yided for insurance as no other coun'
try did.
Therefore. in the case of zone, and
perhaps three. British colonies, a sol
der received more than Nermonter for
the first wear overseas, but only $50
more. As compared with the great
mass Of soldiers who fought in the
great war q Vermonter received from
1902 to $40 more than a soldier OF
the allies.
Has not Mr.. Dale. therefore, dellb-
erately tried TO create discomfort
among II ex service men and to cap
~italize this discomfort for the purpose
of getting votes! y