The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-02-21
ADJUSTED COMPENSATION
Bv ]. S. FERRIS.

to reimburse soldiers for money losses sustained
through military service in the World War.
Is it too much to suppose that the who
into military service earning at least S1OO
month at his civil occupation? For service as private
he received $50 month Besides, he got his and
clothing. Let count those items at $50 month The
average private then at this modest rating lost $50
month through his enlistment 1t is proposed to
him back, not $50 month, but $780, if he happened
to only $50 month if he remained in
this country Surely, that would be very moderate
tlement but the plan is really not that
For instead of getting the 81 200 which would be his due
rating after years absence from civil life
proposed to pay the woyears veteran not to
exceed $685. while the twoyears service man, who did
not get the must be content with $500
Since the only possibility of getting at the right in
this controversy lies seizing firmly point it may
be worth while to put the matter in another way.
private received for army service $50 month with board
and clothing 1t is claimed that that pay,
pared with in civil Life small; the
theory of the Adjusted Compensation Bill the private
should have received S225 day. if he overseas
50 day. if he was in military service on this side How
ever, if he out 500 days the Bill proposes to
pay hm Tor the overtime simply at the dollar-aaay
rate that is nothing beyond what he has already
Do you regard two dollars day with board and cloth
ing excessive recall the wages paid laborers
cradesmen, and others in wartime? And do you think
the who went to risk his life the battle
fields of France would have been overpad if got S225
day his service? We all must know we'll enough
that S225 day and board not excessive wages
the safest and simplest kind of work. such as cutting
grass or shovelng snow. How much did the miner get?
the train-man? the shop-man? the who worked on
construc tionwork tradesman? How much did the
profteer make? But the soldier only forfeited his
be
lied for his absence both by losing his standing in
promotion line relative STAYED at home and
by being taxed for government debt which in
siderable part created by the high cost of and
plies, profit from which he excluded.
No considerable number of people has main
that the soldier is entitled if the be
put down a basis of wage difference compen-
sation The fact is than half the states OF the I'm
ion have indorsed the justice of this claim either by
petoning Congress for favorable Federal legislation
by themselves enacting local compensatory and
Congress- Senate and House, by most decisive vote de-
cared the claim just Moreover. Allies in the War;
Great Britain, Canada Australia New Zealand Italy,
France, have all voted wagecompensation to their SOL
diers
Nevertheless soldiers compensated. Why?
Let now consider the objections which
monty urged against the proposal
First, it is conceded that the ncapacated should
taken Of but the strong ableboied soldier has no
claim which he should yield part price
There hardly be two opinions about the claim
of the incapactated Everybody must desire the
man who suffered in broken body and reduced earning
power compensated for his disability; and certainly his
buddies in the War yield to civilians their
mination that he shall have whatever alienation PEN
sion afford him. But, ladies' and gentlemen submit
nat ms case rests down on quite different principl
from the case of the bleboded exprivate. The inca
pacitated should be compensated merely the
wage-loss he sustained in the service but he should
thing apart be compensated according to the
of his physical injury But when the government pays
for injuries it is of paying waeg-losses
By all let the injured be compensated first and
they are being compensated total thus far of
half billion dollars but when is DONE who can
not see that the wage-loss claim still remains?
But it is sometimes intimated that the able-bodied
exprvate should relinqush this claim part of the
price of have it hnted that this going
off to France kind of skylarkng trip Look what
the boys chance the world; gay Paris
and all that Why, it education! So was But
there were also cooties and soaking rains, and muddy
beds under the weeping skies. and trench duty and
rendezvous with death"
at may be he shall take my hand
And lead into his dark land
And close my eyes and quench my breath:
IL may be shall pass him stE
have a rendezvous with death
On SCARED slope of battered hill
God knows 'twere better be deep
Pillowed in silk and scented down,
IS Where love throbs in blissful sleep,
Pulse nigh pulse, and breath to breath,
Where hushed awakenings dear.
But I've a rendezvous with death
AT midnight in flaming town.
No. it was hardly sky-larking trip Indeed, it
bit safer and less wearing here sell
goods to write for the papers, practice the capti
waiting art of wind jamming And while the soldier
about it there and while he peeng potatoes and
scrubbing and drilling here, he losing for