Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-19
Letters to the Editor
Strona Appeal for Bonus

To fhc Editor Of the Evening Public I.cd0cr!
Sir--Iiardly day passes that 10 not
read in your paper a letter from some ex-
service man who Is still hoping for
bonus. or an article pleading for II or
notice Of some veteran who has been FOUND
starving to death or one who Is dying from
careless trea tment In some hosptal and
the pitifuI spectacle II rich and powerful
and altruistiC country that Is unable TO
find two or three billion dollars to help
the men who saved this same country hun
dreds OF billions by Fastening 1.-The end OF
the war. is daily before our eyes.
II all the appeals that have been made
could ne presented al one time. perhaps
our government officials would realize how
overwhelmingly the majority OF the people
desire even at this late date. to make some
recognition of our debt to our once muCh-
laudrd heroes they are Just as worthy
today as they were three years ago. TheS
Save done their part and done II nODIN'
Sn't II time did ours?
Letters such ~ this one I am writing
are constantly appearing in tho large news
papers Th"re would be ten times as man,
IL people thought It would do any goou
to write them over and over again the
same urgent impus" has moved me TO Wr't'
In protest against the way we are treaune
our NOR; Just az often the utter iul!iF
of doing IL has hold back my pen. bnt
the impulse Will not down anl ] can never
be at rcaCe with myself unless auh my
word to the growing volume "f protest.
While the war going on the men
who arranged to finance It did not say
I'VE will have TO stop fighting, we nave
ho motry to inco. tE" bills Th"y not
cnly devised plans for present needs out
went ah"a and mapped out plans anu
UrranromCnts for greatly Increased eN-
pensos expecting the war to last at least
anottpr year or two DO sou happen TO
ave at hand tho estimated cost OF the war
By the month or year? think TINS esu-
mated cost should he published side by slde
with tho estimated cost Of the soldiers
bonus
II We chr"rfully paid cur war la%es. so
would We Che"rfuly hay our bonus tax.
This umidity on the part OF our imam
cal experts seems most excessive when
dealing with pay for teachers in the schools
and with Rn approach 10 a ItvinS wage 10
our soldiers n road or bridge or
steamer or reservoir or any number OF
other things az neelnd by community
III" usual m"thcd Is to get what Is neces-
Enry and then tax tn" citizens for n--but
II money IL wanted FOR these two depart
mouts OF public service. we are tom that
there Is no money in the treasury.
In our urcCncerr AMI callousnCss regard
ing those who saved our honor well as
our country, do we not daily break falth
with those who died? Do not our hftN
thousand dead in France call to us louder
than any living voices to do tardH Justice
10 thoir 'buddics" who are still here? Must
the Am, rican senae OF horor and justice
and Eraiitud, lie sleeping an dinert, unless
it Is aroused by emotional drives aud sen
s"tiUral appeals.
In case We rous, ourselves to do some
thing more than tails let us not deIude
ourselves into thinking we are giving "A
rather generous present to lot Of strong
Young follows who really hardly need IT,
Cinrcl os.ty and self sacrifice have be"n their
Gif,a to Us: II is surely time we aCknowl-
edged m gift. Tho need Is urgent the
ig hN pN-SDllipTa walt
Ing
NJ Editor, how long must they wait"
l.. : LOCKWOOD.
phtlh.. FEBRUARY ~. 1921.