Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-11-15
Letters to the Editor
gL.est We Forpet!"

r.,,, Editor Of the BuenirD Public Ledger:
!" ".,...rbere is no duty so clear to we'll
,,,nking Americans as that which points
.n'' W ,no relief and comfort OF the men who
tonrJ,od III, lifo and sacrificed health that we.
N'po1t,izens OF our common country, should
u1,,, ue undsturbed life and the pursuit Of
happiness. ,,,- .s. ,.,o,a I, 4,
Nan he FIRST faces the world after having
VIZ" VIZ Way from It. The men who went to
,s"arra and came home uninjured often tell
r. .ho restlessness and the difficulty they
va,nd In settling down to home life and
.oN.r oncs more. And this Is doubly true OF
~ men who, In addition to this restlessness.
@ oro suffering from the effects OF gas and
81, shoct<. They scarcely know where to
tr,n as they emerge cnce more and try to
.Srn I'm tie daily task Of living. Some OF
,s"r, are so tired and discouraged that
thsv do not think OF living: their whole
,houeht seems to be how best to stop living.
Many employers generousIy--or shall we
80, iustIy7-promised TO take back the men
..so went to war, but that was long ago.
-na well men went back. but places could
"a, he held for those not strong enough to
=. what they once did. So many men are
oyt of work that It Is hard to place a strong.
.Lilled workman. How much harder to
r,sce ono who is weak and ailing! This Is
,vhsn the friend OF the soldier ought to put
strong shoulder TO the wheel. 1t is true
tbst there are well-conducted bureaus In
cI,Ies to find work for the men. but for one
nIansd ten are waiting.
One boy with a hip amputation was found
.,seping in an attic on a table. with his old
army ovarcoat for covering; another con-
yaIescent spent three days and nishts-
,siny nishts-in a city park: a third sold
rsnnils on a street corner until he tainted
from exhaustion. I'VE can't make Jobs
acclaimed an official when these things were
hrousht to his attention: I'VE do our best!'
ant even the best Is not half enough. 1t 10
a crying shame that any soldier. especially
one who is not physically strong. 10 not
hslped to a situation and one which he is
competent TO fill.
II ever the spirit Of democracy was lack
Ing in this country. It is lacking today as
We meet these eA-service men. The girl who
used 10 dance with the butchers boy ought
al least to speak to him cordially when she
meats him now and 10 show some interest In
his future, too often dark enough: and the
older women who used to say God bless
you my boy!'' when they were TO give all.
might at least give some encouragement to
those who are finding life rretty hard.
What all soldiers need is to have etheir
morale kept up. Life is discouraging to
most Of the men who were In the army. 1t
IL the small minority who have slipped back
into comfortable berths: most OF them are
handicapped in one way or another: some
are out of work; sople have too email a
salary TO live on sonU arc fighting n deep.
seated nervousness left by the shock OF war:
many arc struggling along with painful
wounds--some that no one suspects exist.
Tho men need cordality--a warm. vital in
terest In their we'll being. We promised
them so much three years ago. Let us re-
mind ourselves how much, lest we forget"'
READER.
Philadelphia. November 0, 1921.