Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-01-23
CORRESPONDENTS.
The Bonus Issue.
Ellsworth, Me-, Jan. II, 1924.

The Bonus Issue.
Ellsworth, Me-, Jan. II, 1924.
To the Editor of The American:
AS the author of the resolutions
adopted at a recent meeting of Frank
E. Whitmore post of the American
Legion, on the subject of adjusted
compensation, | feel impelled to ask
the favor of space in your columns
in defense of those resolutions, and
in opposition to the arguments set
forth in your editorial, partly as
your own and partly as those of the
Ex-Service Mems Anti-Bonus League.
The editorial is the very essence Of
charity when it softens our alterna-
tive into merely IAN attempt to
capitalize patriotism" If | am not
mistaken, you have in previous is
sues of The American referred to the
activities for adjusted compensation
as "bonus-raiding.' Now raiders, hi
jackers, and the like, are not usually
held in good repute, and we some
times apply the term stealing to
such activities. We are willing to
stand on this one issue, and to let
the adjusted compensation demand
be judged either just demand or an
attempt to steal the funds of the
treasury. The opposition, however,
seems unwilling to meet the issue
squarely on this point, being ap-
parently unwilling to call a spade
what it undoubtedly implies is an
implement for digging, or perhaps
gouging.
You quote the principles of the Elk
Service Mems Anti-Bonus League,
and do so in such a way as to imply
that they are similar to your own.
Let us consider these two principles
briefly.
The first is that 'to serve ones
privilege as it is a duty" With this
sentiment | am in hearty accord.
But does not the obligation rest on
all citizens, as well as those who are
within certain age limits, and who
are physically able to undergo hard
ship? Is there not the same privi-
lege and duty on the part of the ag-
riculturalist,t the factory and shipyard
worker, and the capitalist, to give
what he has to the common cause?
And ii is not inconsistent that the
most dangerous occupations should
have financial reward equal to that
of the less hazardous ones. Let us
consider for a moment the actual
monetary consideration. The soldier
and sailor received one dollar day
for home service, with ten per cent,
added for foreign service. In addi-
ton to this, he was fed, clothed, and
lodged No other worker in the
United States worked for similar
wages during the same period. The
factory worker received from four
or five to ten dollars a day, the farm
er received good reward for his ser
vices. and the man with money in
vested in industrials was repaid many
fold. The advocate of adjusted COM
pensation holds that there was rank
injustice in this discrimination be-
tween groups that were working in
a common cause, and that the dis
elimination was against the one class
that on the face of things should re-
ceiye the greatest reward.
Had ali the citizens been drafted
to serve for nominal wages, there
would have been no fight for adjust
ed compensation Had there been
complete mobilization of industry,
on the same basis as the military
and naval mobilization, the soldier
would have been satisfied with his
dollar a day, and gloried in the fact
that his physical superiority gave
him the privilege of exalted service
that was denied to others less for
tunate than himself
The second principle of the Anti
Bonus League that ito seek cash
reward for patriotic service is an
act repugnant to the ideals of Am
erican citizenship" sounds like mere
poppycock in The light of facts OF
American history. If it is true, |
must blush for the three hundred
ex-service men who in June, 1888,
surrounded the meeting place of the
Congress of the Confederation in
Philadelphia, and demanded their
back pay. / must burn with shame
at the thought of the private soldiers
of the Revolution who were prom
Used a bounty of one hundred acres
of land for having served, and
bonus of one hundred dollars for
having enlisted prior to January 70,
1879, and for the officers of the same
war who, we are told by no less an
authority than Albert Bushnell Hart
of the history department of Har-
ward university, expected some more
definite reward And l must blush
for the great Father of his Coun-
try" George Washington, who at
tended the mass meeting of officers
called for the purpose of discussing
the question of financial reward for
service, and who s0iled his citizen
ship by going before Congress in
March of 1888 and pleading so well
the cause of compensation for mill
tary service that on March % of that
year Congress voted all officers who
served in the war for independence
full pay for five years.
| must feel shame for the men
who fought in the War of 1912, who
stained their patriotism by accept
ing a cash bounty and 100 acres of
land, and for the veterans of the