Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1921-10-13

about one out of every ten men
within the same class was drafted
for war purposes, while the other
nine of the same class were paid the
highest wages ever paid in Ohio. In
time of war every male citizen is a
soldier of his country in duty bound
to give the very best which is in
him whether selected to do civil or
military employment. Had that
principle been followed, there would
have been no inequality today and
millions of dollars would have been
saved. Because this principle was
not followed there is today lack
of economic equality which the ex-
service man is merely asking the
people of Ohio to help him to equal
ize. Moreover, the man selected for
the army. when he returned home
had to shoulder his share of the DEBT
with the man who remained at home
and hence has right to nave some
thing to compensate him for the dlf-
ference in the position in which he
was placed as compared with the po-
sition in which the man at home was
placed, which made the soldier far
less able to pay his part than the
man at home Surely this discrimi-
nation should be in a measure ad-
iusted by this proposed State Ad-
justed Compensation.
What is the financial handicap OF
the returned soldier? He had been
out of his line of occupation for
period of from one to two years.
Hence. he was not SO efficient and
there was not so much demand for
his civilian service as when he went
away. He had to unlearn the busf-
ness of being a soldier and again
learn his civilian vocation. In some
cases he was placed in employment
where he had left off while others
who had remained at home had ad-
yanced beyond him. aBecause of the
necessity of relearning his vocation,
in many instances he failed either to
secure or. retain the same position he
had held before the war. These
facts prevented him from living and
supporting his family according to
the same standard as he had prior
to the war on account OF the lnf1a-
ton Of prices. The consequence of
this great imitation was depres-
sion. This caused a business slump.
The ex-service man being the last
man employed was the first man
laid off, having had absolutely no
opportunity to accumulate savings
with which to support himself and
his dependents during the slump.
There are thousands of such ex-ser-
vice persons now in Ohio walking
the streets begging for job to keep
the wolf from the door. 1t is esti-
mated there are $4,000 such cases
in Cleveland alone. Upon his return
the financial opportunity for the ex-
service man was very poor as COM
pared to the man who remained
| home.
Because the $1,000 per month
covered by this amendment would
not entirely equalize the inequality
of compensation, should it be refus-
ed? It will be an aid to equalizing
this inequality and will above all
show the ex-service men of Ohio
that the people of this state recog-
nize and appreciate this inequality
of compensation. If a man is en-
titled to meal, should he be denied
a sandwich because he cannot be
given a porterhouse steak? The peo-
pie of Ohio will realize that the Ohio
ex-service man is very modest in his
request, and will surely show their
approval at the election in Novem-
| Der.
Were others compensated for
| their losses on war contracts? The
! United States Government cOmpen-
cial losses in connection with war
contracts in amounts ranging from
| SIS to SIS, 100000 on a single con-
tract. There were more than 10,-
! 900 of such individual cases aggre-
eating three billions of dollars with
out any of such claims being estab-
lished in the United States Court of
| Claims. One company received over
seven and one-half million of dol
lars without delivery of a single ar
ticle under the contract A proper
tional estimate for Ohio would be
approximately 500 such claims ag-
gregating 100000. While
/ Ohio firms were compensated for al
/ legged financial losses due to war con-
tracts, the@ Ohio ex-service men have
not received any adjustment for
their losses due to war service.
If the corner lot is needed for
public purposes, what is done to Sc
cure 1t? There is an appraisement
and before the public would think of
taking title, just and full compensa-
tion is provided Are property rights
more sacred and deserving of more
consideration than human rights T?
Are contract rights more inviolable
than the muscle and brain of human
beings when they were taken and de-
voted to public use?
Did Ohio Service People Finance
Their Share of the War? The total
amount subscribed for liberty bonds
| fncluding victory notes, but exclud-
ing the First Liberty loan) in the
United States was 21,036,884.55O.
Ohio's proportion of this was about
$1,000, 100000. The total amount
subscribed by men in the army was
S289,165,850. Including the men in
! nd ~, !,