Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-10-08
Soldiers Preference

(By Fay Cravens, editor of the Mile
Laos County Times, and who at one
time served in the United States
army
There is no civil service examina-
ton in state political appointments
and no soldiers preference law" as
we understand it For instance, game
wardens have never been appointed
in Minnesota on a civil service basis,
but always on a political basis as a
rule by past administrations. The
first we began to hear of soldiers
preference" in state political appoint
ments was when Gov. Olson took Office
tended TO have all ex-service men re-
tanned in office so far as would be
practicable in relation to efficiency OF
the public service. The state admin
istration has been endeavoring to
carry out this policy throughout, al
though no attention was paid to this
matter by Republican administrations
OF the past.
Soldiers preference under the
federal government means only that
the ex-service men would have ten
points added to their civil service ex-
animation in their favor on proof OF
their military service. 1t does not
mean that they must be appointed or
retained in office. And in fact the
soldiers preference clause might just
as well not be there for all the real
good il does, 1t is easy for the civil
service authorities TO mark the ex-
service man low enough in other
points to disqualify him for appoint
men if they so desire. and they have
been known to do that very thing.
So a lot of this talk by Republican
politicians about soldiers preference"
as a reason for retaining old line Re
publicans in office where they can
more effectually work against the
plans and purposes of the Farmer
Labor administration is mostly hooey.
And this raises the question: why
should there be any such thing as
soldiers preference in appointments
to public Officer" Is there anything
about military service that better
qualities a man for public service
than the ordinary pursuits of life?
We have served in the army and we
have never found anything there that
seemed to add much to the ability to
serve in public office Army life does
not train for such service, except in
cidentally in some cases We met
many good men in the army, and also
a lot of them not so good. The av-
erage was just about the same as
other people anywhere. We knew
some who spent their time in gam
bling and other vices, and we would
not entrust them with any very i'm
portant mission. We did not see any
thing in such careers that would be
improved by the mere fact that they
held an army discharge. And we do
not see any reason why such men
should be given any preference.
In our opinion this matter of sol
diers preference is merely an attempt
to throw a sop to the ex-service men
in place of the remuneration that is
Justly due them. 1t is recognized
that they were compelled to make
sacrifices and were grossly underpaid
for their time and risks. So instead
of making the nation pay directly the
obligation that is due these men, il
Is attempted to shift the matter over
to the possibility of a few getting
some advantage over their fellow citi-
zens in public office by reason of their
service in the army. The few that
may incidentally get some benefits in
this manner is supposed to settle the
bill due all of the men who have serv-
ed their country in time of war.
The worst feature of such things as
soldiers preference" is the fixing of
a privileged class, or the beginning OF
a caste system, which is repugnant
to American ideals. Pay the ex-serv-
ice men, all of them for their serv-
ice to the nation as far as it is pos
sible to do so. but do not set them
up as privileged class. If they enter
public service let it be on the same
basis of merit and efficiency as would
be required of any other citizen, and
rot because of the incident that they
had served in the army. At best
only a very limited number can get
any benefit from a soldiers prefer
ence, and it is better to acknowledge
the debt and pay it rather than to
take this haphazard and un-American
method of trying to make up for what
is owing the ex-service men.