The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-18
Times Readers Voice Their Views

Editor Times: In your recent edi-
torial headed "Gold Bricks for Vet
Grams" you take sides with Andrew
Mellon i'll his statements that the
veterans are trying to disrupt the
treasury by asking for cash on their
insurance at this time.
We as veterans probably realize
more than you or any other per-
sons that our future is tied up in
this country, but we also know that
We are entitled to a certain amount
of consideration for the service we
have rendered and also that the
present depression was not caused
by any bond issue OF the govern
nlent, but still it is with us and it
Is safe to assume that all of this
cry by Mellon is only the excuse of
the treasury department to side
step an issue that is Of vast i'm
portance.
The average citizen does not
realize just what the ex-soldier has
been up against, and if you will
allow me small space on your
editorial page, I will try to bring
the true facts out. These are not
gueSsWork Of a fanatic, but the true
experiences of the writer.
At the beginning of the war, a
private soldiers pay was SIS a
month, but a philanthropic con-
gress saw fit to raise this to $50,
for which they demanded all of a
mans time away from his family,
drilling in the hot sun for eight
hours a day. digging trenches, hik-
ing until he was ready to drop, and
then a trip abroad on a cattle boat
to fight for his country.
After congress gave him this
wonderful raise in pay, it proceeded
to take it away from him in the
form of a compulsory allotment, to
which it added an equal amount.
They then tried to tell him that
"he" was receiving $45 a month, and
as this was far too much for any
one man, they made him pay back
certain amount for war risk insur-
ance, which amounted to 81 a month
for the average man.
Then some wise and patriotic gen.
tleman decided that the soldier
not only should fight the war, but
should help finace it as well, so they
sold him a liberty bond (value 500,
and he had to pay only SIS month
at the end Of the war"on this bond,
which had a cash value of around
SAT.
So, on pay day, the soldier
marched up to the paymaster and
was handed the remainder Of his
pay, which amounted to the mon
StrouS sum Of So, this amount be-
ing what they considered sufficient
for any man to spend for tobacco,
laundry, stamps, payment for lost
equipment, and any other use that
he might have for such an enormous
amount of cash.
OF course, if he happened to COM
NIT some infraction of the rules,
there always was the company COM
nlander who had the power to fine
him. which took the rest Of his pay,
and all he would receive the next
pay day was the honor Of placing
his name on his country's pay roll.
The newspapers at this time were
for him just as strong as they now
are against him, and we're making
things look very good for him after
he returned home.
Factories were going night and
day, wives and stay-at-home huS-
bands were working side by side,
making salaries which never before
had been heard Of.
1t was the golden opportunity for
the American workman to put aside
some money for the depression
which was sure to follow.
Did these people save their
money while they were making it in
such large amounts? moi" They
threw away and were too blind to