Evening star., 1923-07-23

Army service as a life career for
assuring ease and q competency in
old age. He says that IL private
continues his re-enlistments until he
reaches the age of retirement with
life pay, he will be entitled to a
pension at the age of fifty years,
amounting to 1854 month for the
rest of his life. If he has risen. in
the meanwhile to the grade of ser
geant his pension will be s66.37 a
month. If he is first sergeant. when
he retires he will get s133.s7 a
month for the rest of his life. The
argument is that outside of the sery-
ice one would have to be sure of
accumulatiDg $4,000 In order to be
able to get s133.S7 a month, after
fifty years Of age.
In addition to the monthly pay,
the soldier gets his board and clothes.
so that he is at no necessary expense.
Few soldiers. however, really save a
cent out of their pay, hence the
writer who is advising young men
to grow rich out of thirty years
service IN the Army is wisely figur-
ing only on the retirement pay at
and after the age of fifty years.
When the enlisted man enters the
, Army, he receives s22 d month, with
board and uniform. Perhaps he will
| rise a grade after four or five years,
until in the forties he will be first
sergeant at $133 a month. He must
show personal ability above that
of the average in order to rise. He
| must remain in good vigorous health,
be sober, attentive TO duty. obedient
to discipline and ambitious to sue
he becomes discontented and wants
TO quit He will never have a home
and family.
4 4 & <
Now comes a life insurance man
who ridicules the recommendation of
Army life as d career, and he pro-
poses that his son-if he has any
shall be a bricklayer or carpenter
instead. In either trade. he can earn
$40 a day. or $4,000 a year. With
$500 Il year set aside to cover a
thirty-year endowment policy for
$4,000. he Will still have $4,000 for
his current expenses, in keeping up
his home and supporting his wife and
babies. When he is fifty years old
his endowment policy will mature
and can be converted into a life an
nuity of $1,000 Il year for the rest of
his life, or, ii he believes he can
safeguard Investments. he might
make u far larger income.
In both cases, the assumption is
| taken that the man is of only mod
crate ability and ambition. The
brlcklayer or carpenter may grow
| into a builder or contractor and get
rich quick" The two careers are
| contrasted for the mediocre, not the
genius.
, The contrasting OF d civil with a
military career must not be construed
as deprecating military duty from the
standpoint of patriotism. When a
crisis confronts the country every
I man is duty-bound 10 forget self
| interest and fight to the best of his
ability. but. according to the insurance
experts. that is not an argument for
| the Army as a life career for the
young. healthy man, choosing his
life work. How many men at twenty
can think the thoughts of forty?
x * X X
Old Virginia is entitled to do some
strutting now over her influence in
Americanizing Great Britain. Lady
Astor. born in Virginia, member of
the house of commons of England,
has carried her bill to stop the sale
of intoxicants to minors under
eighteen years. and her admiring
husband, Viscount Astor. has intro
duced the same bill in the house Of
| lords.
Some years ago the noted English
Journalist, William Stead, wrote a
very illuminating book. entitled
"Americanization of the World" He
omitted a chapter on the eighteenth
| amendment, however Gas the book
was written before the world war;
| but he prophesied that some day
the capital of Americanized Greater
Britain. including Canada and the
United States, would be in America
probably Washington.
Mr.. Stead was drowned in the
Titanic. but his soul goes marching
on.
Copyright. 1929, by T. V. Collinsl