The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-29
A NEWSPAPER THAT
 DOES NOT FORGET
(Anniston starl

Unterrified by the continued pa rading of the wooden horse of ex- tra taxation which is rolled up before the doors of congress from the self-seeking financial centers 1 of the country every time our l national lawmakers are about to convene, The Birmingham Age- Herald, as is evidenced by the ed- | itorial reproduced on this page today, has not, forgotten the serv- 1 ices rendered the country by the soldiers of the World War and IS standing steadfastly by them in their fight to adjust economic dis abilities they suffered.
 This may be surprising to some | persons when 1t Is considered that the men who publish The Age-Herald are gentlemen of large personal fortunes.
 When we understand the quality | of manhood that stands behind the 1 policies of The Birmingham Ago Herald, there need be no surprise that that splendid paper should line up with the patriotic as op- posed to the sinister forces of the country on this great issue.
 For the benefit of those who are open to conviction. some facts about the compensation bill may be submitted. It is plan that has been adopted by every coun- try that was engaged in the re- cent war along with the United States to prevent penalizing the soldier for his patriotism. He has been given not only physical reha- 1 bilitation, but economic rehabilita- tion as we'll. This country, how ever. has seen fit to make the sol dier not only risk his life, sacri- flee his property and his savings and suffer other economic dis abilities, but actually made him. under moral pressure, help to finance the war by buying Liberty Bonds while he fought and by paying insurance premiums, out of his dollara-day wage. In this respect, we stand alone. We have ignored a policy of compensation for soldiers that Is as old as civili- zation; a policy that dates back as far as Rome, at least, and which has been followed by our illus trious fathers after every over war in which this nation has en- gagged.
 And it is wise policy. It makes for a contented citizenship, insuring nation against seduc- tive propaganda and making It easier to raise another army in case of need. It gives the lie to 1 the old adage that republics are ungrateful and tends in a small degree, at least, toward that equalization in the distribution of wealth that is fundamental to sound political economy In the case of the plan now before con- gress, it would be a boon to thrift, to education, to home and farm owning; for all the other al- ternatives embraced in the bill be- fore congress carry larger bene- fits than the cash award, thus making it probable that a rela- lively small number of the former soldiers would accept the cash plan.
 States like Iowa, Minnesota and New Jersey. where state compen- sation laws were enacted some time ago, have proved that com pensation is a boon to savings banks and to the discharge of le- gal obligations incurred by reason of service. As for the argument that compensation would wreck prosperity, we have the example of Canada, where one year after all soldiers were given $500 in cash, allowed cheap insurance and loans on land at low interest rates up to seven thousand doIiars-a bonus" far more liberal than that contemplated in this countryside trend of general business rose | from 120 to 140.
 The great Northwest states of the American Union were settled and made prosperous by reason of 1 the "bonuses" given the soldiers l of the Union army after the Civil War, and it was with that fact in mind that the American Legion insisted on land grant feature when they were called upon to compose the seventy odd bills for adjusted compensation that were voluntarily introduced in congress immediately after the World War as an expression of the gratitude of the American people, That fea- ture of the bill alone should com mend it to all thoughtful persons, for all history teaches us that na- tions rise and fall in proportion to the increase and decrease of their rural population. "A bold | peasantry. their country's pride, when once destroyed. can never bt supplied" said Goldsmith, and the American congress could rem der no greater service than to lend this encouragement to the back to-the-fa movement that is so greatly needed in the United