Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-29
Service Men
Need SALARY
On Discharge
Runyon Urges Continued
Pay il Lieu Of Bonus
BY DAMON RUNYON

IT WAS years after the first
World War before the service
men of THAT period were able TO
collect their readjuStment pay,
commonly known as the bonus.
As the bonus. the long politi-
cal fight and the disturbance in
Washington because of the pres
cnce there OF the bonus seekers
is still reasonably fresh in public
memory.
Thousands of former soldiers
of Pershing's great army and
their families suffered privation
and want while the government
backed and filled about the pay
ment of just debt.
1t is conceivable that many
even died in poverty that would
have been allevated had they
received their money in time
A large number of the men
who fought in the Spanish
American War we're alSe victims
of government procrastination.
They were entitled TO travel pay
that was withheld from them for
years, and it is quite likely that
the soldiers and sailors who are
now serving the colors will suf-
fer from the same governmental
forgetfulness as their prede-
ceSsors after the war unless my
IDEA of continuing their pay for
a year following their discharge
is adopted.
TT TOOK months for Congress
10 get around TO raising the
pay of the service men. 1t may
take the statesmen longer TO
see the advantages of my plan.
But l have reason to believe
that public sentiment favorable
to the suggestion is growing
and public sentiment is all that
is required TO cause Congress
TO see the light on any subject.
TT is a sure thing that the men
in this war will eventually
demand bonus. While the re-
cent increase puts their pay far
above that Of the soldiers and
sailors of the First World War,
or any other war in which the
United States has been engaged,
it cannot forestall the additional
readjustment they will ask.
They will finally muster suffi-
Gent political strength to get it.
too. A solid service vote of the
heft this one will be after the
war is b o u n q TO command
respect from politicians.
However, l think the men
would be glad to accept con-
tinuance of pay for year after
discharge in lieu of any subse-
quent compensation which would
be long delayed because the time
when former soldiers and sailors
need ready money is immedi-
ately on leaving the service.
They need il then to rehabili-
tate their careers, 10 get them
selves adjusted to civil life.
TIIEY need il then because the>
Il civilians who did not go TO
war but pumped themselves
into jobs vacated by service men
or feathered their nests off war
enterprises of one kind and an
other. resent the fellows in
frayed uniforms and are eager
TO Shunt them aside.
A former soldier or sailor out
of money and with no job TO
look forward TO. is mighty
forlorn individual.
OF course | know that some
discharged men would not do a
tap of work during the time
their pay continued and maybe
not then, but they would be the
kind who would not seek work
in any event and it would be
libel TO suggest that this type is
common in the service.
1t would be equally libelouS
10 suggest that my plan would
create id lcrs as hundreds of
thousands of the men now in the
army and navy were making
higher wages than The service
pay and making II through their
own industry and they will not
be content in civil life on any
thing less.
| presume il would bc neccS-
Sary to fix one m cunt Of
continuance pay, TO give IL
name of my own, for all service
! men rather than continue the
pay according TO the scale by
| rank.
l think il should bc higher
than the lowest amount now
paid the men. II should he a
figure, in my opinion. that would
make the pay for the year not
less than the largest bonus al
lottcd the veterans OF the First
World War. which was 81 500.