Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-11-04

Three and one-half per cent of
American population wore the uni
form and went over seas or were
ready to go. Ninety-six and one-half
per cent remained at home and IL is
practically this 96 " per cent which
says whether or not our heroes are
to be forgotten. 1t would seem from
recent senatorial legislation that
they have forgotten. That patriot
ism is waning. Our American soldier
magazine is a victim OF lack of
patronage and appreciation and
forced to suspend publication. In
the adjusted compensation bill our
boys and girls are only asking what
is justly coming to them. All the
more reason why they should receive
it. Statistics show that $1,000 new
millionaires were created during the
war period. A bill was introduced
in congress which If passed would
have required that one-half above
the normal income of this million
aire class be taken and appropriated
to pay ex-service men and women
this extra compensation. in other
words one-half of the war profit
would be so APPLIED an estimate of
such tax woulud yield from five to
seven billion dollars but this bill
failed to pass. However, some sensa-
tors are very enthusiastic about
giving the railroad a bonus of five
hundred fifty million dollars which
they call the refunding bill, and to
which they are not entitled to a
single penny. They have increased
both freight and passenger rates ex-
horbitantly and discharged en-
ployees at an alarming rate.
The war mothers must stand as
unit back of the American Legion,
and see that the United States con-
gress decompenses in substantial
manner those sacrifices made by our
soldiers, sailors marines and nurses.
And that congress representing the
American people shall manifest this
appreciation by a substantial COM
pensation And 1 have confidence
that if we war mothers stand solidly
behind the American Legion ar firm
as the Rock OF Gibra1ter that con
gress will be forced to take favor
able action on the soldiers adjusted
compensation bill It is regret
able fact that President Harding
used his great influence with the
senate to defeat this worthy bill, to
which our boys are SO justly entitled
and deserving.
I'm 19y7, if the American soldiers
had asked the house and senate to
stipulate for some definite amount
in case they went abroad and won
the war not only the house and
senate but the American people
would have promised anything
within human power, but they did
not ask nor extract such a promise.
They went over, fought a winning
fight, brought glory to the stars and
stripes, and now shall it be said of
America, tht she Is the only country
that went to war that forgot her
heroes when the fighting was ended
Canada, France and England are
debtor nations and have borrowed
their money from us yet all of them
have taken favorable action with
reference to their heroes and have
provided for them in a generous
manner with long time loans at a
very low rate of interest. But It
seems, sister War Mothers, it is
largely up to us to see If our sons
and daughters are to receive suitable
or any Reorganization from our gov
eminent. Twenty-Five states have
taken favorable action concerning
compensation and are doing a great
deal for their ex-service men, but |
am sorry to say tht our own state
is not one of them so far as / am
able to find out. Other than to ap-
proprite $1,000 to each county to-
ward a memorial and the ninety
days priority on lands. Mothers as
sembled here will you not carry back
with you a determination that you
will do all you can in interesting the
members OF your chapters In work
ing for the welfare OF the boys and
girls who hive been spared to come
home to us and pledge yourselves to
do your bit to assist in securing this
adjusted compensation bill? we war
mothers must keep posted on mat
/