South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-12-15
Something For
Bonus Opponent
To Think About
Even Washington Realized
Need of Extra COmpensa-
ton to Aid Soldiers.

Opponents of The American Lee
gion's plan for the payment of Ad-
juster Compensation TO World War
veterans are composed principally of
two classes. those who are against
compensation because of the increas-
ed taxes they imagine they would
have 10 pay. and those who are
against compensation on patriotic
principles" embodied in the belief
that American veterans would be
dishonored if they put a price on
patriotism they would break
sacred American traditions If they
took cash as a su Institute FOR glory.
This latter group refuses to con
cede that society today is built upon
an economic system which places an
Overwhelming burden In wartime
upon those who actually do the fight
ing and enables those who remain at
their ordinary occupations 10 obtain
extraordinary profits and rewards.
They see nothing inconsistent in ,he
fact that it costs the government to
fire one shot from a three-inch sun
az much as IL costs 10 finance the
private soldier for full month, and
that # costs to fire one shot from a
siXteen-inch gun as much as il costs
! TO maintain that soldier for a whole
year.
Practice of Middle Ages.
As a matter OF fact. the low pay of
| soldiers in modern war is only a sur
vival of the customs of the Middle
I Ages, when the common man was
/ expected 10 produce food for moth
/ ing. carry on the industries for moth
/ ing and serve as a common soldier
/ for nothing i'm order 70 maintain a
/ feudal aristOcracy that found its
wars pleasant and profitable In a
I democracy. founded upon the idea
\ Of equality Of obligations and bur
dens. the least society might be ex-
| pected to do for those OF its mem
/ bers II exposes 10 its most hazardous
I task ia 10 make their compensation
\ prOpOrtiOnate 20 that of its mem
/ bers who in wartime remain in un-
disturbed pursuit of their ordinary
vocations.
/ But the opponent OF the adjusted
| compensation proposal, who Will not
/ concede that the nation should give
I back pay TO the men il employed
I without sufficient compensation pre-
\ fers 20 talk only of the price on pa
\ triotLsm." Particularly is he wont TO
I speak OF the present proposal as a
\ violation of American military tradi-
I ton. implying that the World War
+ veterans are grasping and avaricious
+ and are seeking TO obtain an advan-
I tage which never was given fighters
| OF other wars
II one considered seriously what
/ these anti-compensation men say
one might imagine that the shade OF
i George Washington. the shade OF
I Abraham Lincoln. the spirits OF all
/ those who camped at Valley Forge
and at Gettysburg. would be hover
\ ing over President Harding 10 siren
I gthen mis- purpose not to give fur
Their compensation 10 those who
fought in the World War
Americans Are Generous.
But II we examine American his
! tory even casually. We learn that the
! American people have never been
/ niggardly toward those who fought
for the nation in Any war. that. OF
the contrary. financial inducements
were offered in almost every war "a
offset the financial sacrifices which
men incurred 10y leaving their daily
work and putting on the uniform in
response TO duty's call Further
more. In both the Revolutionary
War. the Mexican War and the civil
War. soldiers were given special
] compensation 80 call il bonus. OF
bounty II you will-in advance
Those who stayed behind have al
ways recognized the fairness OF
equalizing the compensation OF those
who went 20 fight their country's
battles. A brief study OF the coun-
try's military history proves this.
The very first financial inducement
I given American soldiers was offered
before the signing Of the Declaration
OF independence. In January. 1875.
the Continental Congress offered
each recruit for the Continental
Army four dollars. this "for further
/ encouraging the men more cheerful
\ - 10 enlist in the service Of their
country"
| Later IN the same year. 1875.
I George washington sent 20 the Con
tinental Congress letter telling OF
some or his earlier difficulties due
20 the failure 10 OFFER men sufficient
Inducements 10 leave their families.
Congress. adopting Washington's
suggestion. authorized a bounty OF
I $50 and one hundred acres OF land.
, The following year. delegates OF the