Evening star., 1941-09-26

McLemore. why he isn't cut
in on some of these billions and
given raise in pay that will enable
him to buy a soft drink or a pair OF
shoe laces without throwing his next
months budget all out Of kilter.
He must wonder, too, just how
important the Government figures
him to be when it hands him
monthly pay check that an indus
trious youngster with lawn mower
could earn cutting the neighbors'
front yards.
All know about finance is what
learned operating lemonade
stand during the summer OF 1916,
when I was at the notwithstanding
and stubbed-toe age. SO you have
a perfect right to wrap the childrens
recess lunch in my opinion on the
matter of more pay for soldiers. But
am going to express it just the
same.
There may be some sound ecos
nomic reason for putting soldiers on
approximately the same wage scale
as incompentent chimney sweeps
but what is IT? Until I find out
land my home address is the Dead
Letter Office, If any one cares to send
In an explanation) I am going TO
argue that the No. ! person to be
taken care of in time of war Is the
man who, when the enemy is sighted,
will be told to "Sic 'em!"
There is no getting around the
fact that he is the gent who runs
the real risk. This isn't meant as a
slight on the -combatant, but
when the shouting begins, it's the
gent In khaki who'll have to get out
there and play for keeps. Not to
appreciate his Importance or to put
him at the end of the line when the
dough is being passed around is like
giving the achievement award to
the man who makes baseball bats
and not to the players who swing
the bats to win ball games.
At the present the average soldier
is paid less than the low-bracket
defense worker. This doesn't make
! sense in my book. The defense
worker is vital, yes, but what in the
world good would the gun, bullet,
tank or plane that he builds be If
n if
in his hands and make it work?
I am not advocating that the SOL
dier be paid a salary that would
enable him to have a limousine and
chauffeur, breed polo ponies, take
the cure at Hot Springs on his fur
lough. and keep the girl back home
supplied in orchids and diamond
clips.
But he should have enough to do
a few of the things that he did and
enjoyed before he was called into
service. And he can't do that on
the pay he gets now. Not unless
he is tremendously gifted at throw
ing sevens and elevens, or has one
of the fates working overtime in his
behalf to see that his hole card Is
always an ace And we have all
lived long enough to know that such
men are rare.
I've been to enough Army camps
and talked to enough soldiers to
know that they need a little more
money. 1t can't be right that the
men who stand ready to lay down
their lives for their country should
have to fret about the price of
3-cent stamp or scent bottle OF
pop or the admission charge to a
double feature movie. And they do.
I can't help feeling that special
delivery stamp even or loge seat
at the movies is not too good for
fellow who carries gun and is
willing to use it for my protection.
What the soldier wants Of the
ones I have talked to and had let
tiers from offer a true guide is
enough money to enjoy the pleas
ures that the average citizen does.
He wants to be able to go into town
two or three times a week, buy q
few things for himself, stand for a
round of beers or two, without hav-
ing eternally to root in his pockets
for a few pennies.
That doesn't seem too greedy q
desire.
This country seems to have enough
money to pass out billions to hall
the nations on the face of the earth.
Surely it must have enough to pay
its own soldiers decent wages.
1t seems to me that our first lins
of defense deserves first considera-
tion.
Distributed by McNaught Syndicate. Inc)