The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1921-12-09
THAT BELATED OUTCRY FOR JUS
TICE TO THE SOLDIER.

1t is impossible, without violating
the proprieties of political discussion
I to properly characterize the dema.
gogy of Democratic congressional
leadership in its sham battle for sol.
der bonus legislation, and its out
cry against wartime profiteering and
in favor of an equalization of the
war burden as between the soldier
and civilian population.
1t was Democratic administration,
supported by this same Democratic
leadership, which passed in war time
a CONSUMPTION act applicable to per-
sons but not to property. The time
for equalization of burdens between
those called to fight, and those per-
mitted to remain in peaceful pur-
suits, was while the war was on, and
an industrial system necessarily de-
moralized by war conditions could
not have been made seriously worse
by any exaction the government
might have demanded.
If, as Democratic leadership in
Congress now alleges, the man who
stayed at home to enjoy unusual re-
turns for his labor or investment was
favored as against the man called to
military service, where lies the re-
sponsibility ? Nowhere but with the
leadership of the party then in power,
and which it was unsafe for any man
in public or private life to resist in
the slightest degree, because the
psychology of the war branded such
opposition as unpatriotic. No ore
would have questioned any act of
this leadership during the war, with
any hope of success. Then was the
time for equalizing conditions Of
service as between the soldier and
the civilian. But the soldier had no
vote and the civilian, especially those
civilians banded together in power
full organization, had to be reckoned
with at the pools. Consequently we
hear present day Democratic leader
ship declaring that so much more
was exacted of the soldier than of
the civilian, and the civilian was
permitted to reap so large a measure
Of profit and reward while the soldier
was given a mere pittance, that the
money must now be taken from the
pockets of the people burdened now
with taxes almost beyond endurance, |
and industry must be taxed into a
of paralysis, in order that |
the injustices this very leadership |
may at this late date be
corrected.
The American soldier has come /
home to help carry the burden of an /
era Of public waste, and worse, which |
laws its weight upon every home in
the land. Along with other citizens /
Of the republic he is paying the \
penalty for an era of initiation, of ex-
and of gross mismanage-
ment The orgy was conducted by /
the very political party whose repre-
sentatives in public life are now
high heaven with their
,lamor about the inability of the /
party which has come into control of
a nation brought to the verge Of
to vote billions to the
soldiers. The reason the party in
power cannot now vote billions to
the soldiers is because so many bill
lions were wasted by the leadership
that was in control of the govern
nent during the war era.
The greatest blessing that could be
bestowed upon the millions of World
var soldiers in this country is to get
he wheels of industry moving once
more, and furnish the opportunity
or employment which Americans
-alue more than government bounty.
The cry of SOAK the rich" which
roes up from the Democratic camp,
,ot from conviction but from the
owest motives of demsgogy, will
.urse rather than bless soldier and
.ivilian alike, II it shall prove to be
effective to promote taxes