Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-25
WHAT THE PEOPLE SAY

lturned TO civilian life they had to stort
whore the other fellows had started !
several years before They took what I
ever Jobs were open. took all the re- 1
ductions In salary without having re- /
ceiyed the raises, and, because they /
were the last men employed, In many
instances they took the gate"
From the clouds Of. misrepresenta- !
tIon that have arisen and from the /
opithets that have been hurled af the /
ex-sorvice men through the news-
lpspers-suoh epithets as "gougers,"
l"Treasury-ra raiders" ana others equally 1
false-one might think that the idea |
Of bonus was new one in the ex-
perience Of this country. But such |
Is far from the fact. During the Ciyil
War. when volunteer enlstnents had
practically ceased, the government
paid fiat cash bonus Of $500 for each
new recruit. In the late war, the gov
ernment allowed at least $40 a month
10 each civil service employe In Wash
lngton to help meet the rising cost Of
J living. To the best OF my knowledge,
these allowances are still being paid
Also during the late war, firms that
were working on contracts for the
| government saw nothing wrong In
giving bonuses rather promlscuously.
q We're the Civil War veterans un-
patriotic or un-American or were the
{ others gougers and Treasury raiders
= through accepting these allowances?
] Was 0 price put on their patriotism
( or their splendid spirit choapened2
With the passage Of the Universal
}. Service act. the government took four
3 million young men and said 70 them:
{ You must enter the military service
a Of the United states. You must do
c what you are told and go where you
< are sent-whether 20 the battlefront, to
3 tho service OF supplies behind the
], lines, 0r 20 the training camps In this
4 country. For this service you win re-
y ceive the pay Of a soldier dollar a
It day" At the same time. the govern
d ment said 10 some twenty million other
II young men. equally qualified for mill
tsry service IN age. physique, and IN
n teIiigence, You are not required 70 70
l. into the ARMY. You may enter any
j. other occupation you choose, at what
rs ever salary you can get"
N The four million men IN the military
Ia service went where they were ordered
)r them. Il Is true against their incllna
h tions. But they went And they "diC
rs. their bit"-and did Il well. There &
20 no question OF tho self sacrifice an,
patriotism OF the men who answered
~ the call to the colors. Their deed
Of s.and blazoned on the pages of history
of established without the shadow Of
n doubt. And they got their dollar
IN day
no OF the twenty million other youni
tic men. some chose the shipyards. other
the munitions plants. others the rail
20 roads, and stil others remained a
ed their pre-war occupations. They ha
se important work 70 do--and did It wei
he But not az a dollar day, They re
de ceived. instead. IS. $40. even SIS pc
nd day--and most Of it paid from govern
,se ment funds Yet their patriotism wa
)ly not questioned; they were cheere
oh when they helped float the IAbert
loans But as a matter of ordinar
'or fairness. II il was right 10 pay thes
ur men the enormous salaries and wage
they received, Is Il not right that IN
a ex-service man should receive NOR
than dollar a day for the service
ew performed?
nal Was the work performed by thos
sed who stayed at home 40 much more IN
OF por.ant or so much more hazardot
ain than that performed by the war vete
ire ans2 Was It worth go much mo-
var money? The veterans are not askir
bonus. they have done their VOL
vas without any extra inducements wha
Dur ever; but they are asking the goverl
ars ment. the people Of the United state
hat for adjusted compensation TO he
make up for what they lost duriI
ans the war.
/ a This government IS acknowledged
be the richest in the world. Il has
ich hesitation IN finding hundreds Of m
Ost lions Of dollars FOR the relief OF q
the railroads, millions for the relief Of C.
hey farmers, millions for the relief Of {
ing European countries. and now pr
poses additional millions for the reii
thy Of the merchant marine. Does
an't lessen the service the veterans ha
Of rendered If they ask the governme
to devote a few millions to the rel
ce? of the men who saved the world frc
Teutonic aggression and helped ma
4. the world a better place TO live
Does It dull the lustre Of their pat
.tism? Or is il the price Of patriots
that the eX-service men must. becaU
Of their service OF their country. be
our debt TO the butcher, the baker, Z
I grocer, or the doctor. in order II
ela- they may keep their families tod
as while in the golden age" Of the W,
, Of times iapofers on tne streets q q
'en- city aug sewers ciad N SIX shirts
ASS mas lhe eN-seFN+Ce man hau
bill, square aeai: lhat IS 'he Quesu
part the conscience OF the country M
decide.
the Harvey c. Bounds
and wilmington FeorNary - 4S-z'