The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-11-03
THE ISSUE Of
COMPENSATION
Arguments of the Ex-S0ldiers
Who Favor Proposed
! Amendment
CLAIM IT. THEIR DUE;
NOT A GRATUITY,
An Adjustment as Against Ben
efits of Those Who
Could Remain
at Home

On November 8, three days less
than three years since the end of the
late unpleasantness, the people Of
Ohio will be called upon to express,
in material and concrete way, their
appreciation Of the services rendered
them by the boys who upheld the
honor of the United States in 1917
and 1918.
This opportunity is given in the
form of proposed amendment to
the constitution, which, if voted upon
favorably by>the people, will autho-
rize an tissue Of bonds for adjusted
compensation for service in the
World War, that the state may pay
Ohio veterans $40 for each month of
service"
Those favorable to this legislation
declare that it is not a gift or graf
uity that the ex-service man is ask
ing for, and mairitain it is merely an
additional compensation adjusted in
the light of the economic Benefits re-
ceived by those who remained at
home and the losses to those who
served from Ohio during the war.
Arguments advanced by ex-soldiers
are that men employed by the gov
ernment and exempted from military
service under the classification of
"civilian employees" received from
$5 per day, the minimum wage, to
$50 per day, and that these wages
were paid regardless of the Civilian
employees" skill or efficiency. They
also claim the private soldier, who
composed 85 percent of the army,
was required to fill out. question
naire giving in detail his qualifca-
tions and experience in whatever line
of endeavor he followed in civilian
life. Then he was giver severe men
tai and physical tests in all lines,
Twas classified as-to vocation, strength
and mentality, and placed where the
government might use the utmost in
him; was kept on the job "a hours
out of every day, days week;
compelled to face the havoc of the
elements, to sleep amid the stencil
of hog pens and manure piles, to eat
anything from the by-products Of
packing houses to steaks cut from
horses that died Of fatigue, in their
mute heroic efforts to get ammunition
to the firing line. Then the soldier
was sent home, some dismembered,
some gassed and with tuberculosis,
some wrecked by shell shock, all with
strength, vitality completely sapped.
And for this he received $100 per
day ($1.10 overseas).
i 1t is not only to equalize this in
equality in compensation that the ex-
service mar is asking you to vote
Eyes" on this amendment, according
to the amendment hackers.
1, Other arguments of the ex-service
man are that out of the $50 per
month received by the service man,
SIS in thousands Of cases, was de-
Quoted by the government in the
nature of compulsory allotment and
sent to dependents at home. An ad-
ditional approximate 81 was deduct
t ed for practically compulsory insur-
, ance. Thousands of service men sub.
scribed for Liberty Bonds and allow.
ed $500 and $1,000 to be deducted
from their pay. The result-thous.
: ands Of boys received in actual cash
So q month from which he had to pay
! the government for the loss or dam
age Of any of his equipment.
A number of other states and ma
tionS have provided additional com
{ pensations in amounds ranging from
! $40 per month service to $500 for tn,
full term of service. The smaximun
$ for the Ohio soldier under thi
amendment is $3.50. All he has re
j ceived 50 far is $50 bonus at the tim
) Of discharge.
II is proposition that should no
be considered by every voter a
an imposition upon the efferent poc
ketbook, which would have receive
q much greater strain had the wa
q continued but one month llcnger, 81,
7 7 rather as matter Of fairness, jus
! tice and expediency.