The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1946-01-22
REFLECTS NO CREDIT

II Is not a pleasant spectacle, this pa
Jade of protesting American soldiers or
qanized into a demonstration in Manila to
a,,nress resentment over the failure of re-
nIacements to become available fast
enough in the United States to speed-up
their return.
Let us pass over the unsoldierly feat
ures of the affair, which can hardly 90
less than weaken the prestige of the Uni
ted States in the Philippines. This is untor-
tunate but more important is the inquiry
into the grievances of the soldiers who Or
ganized the protest and participated in the
parade.
AS we understand it the men were
peeved over the anqnouncement that their
return to the United States would have to
be delayed because adequate replace
ments were not available to relieve them.
This seems to be the truth largely due to
the demoralzed demand for the release of
soldiers which arose on the home front
after the war with Japan ended.
Everybody is familiar with the hue
and cry raised by families with men in the
service Immediate discharge was demand
ed. with the steady bOmbardment of Con-
gressmen by impatient voters. The result
was what might have ben expected. There
was great pressure put upon the military
leaders to get the men home, to demoblIlze
the army and not to send soldiers overseas.
1t worked to the advantage of the men in
the camps of this country and to the serious
disadvantage of fighting men who were
entitled to be relieved.
When the War Department set up
point system to govern the discharge OF
men from service there was every reason
to expect the orderly, and fair, discharge
of men overseas who had borne the brunt
of battle. The point score was set high
enough to retain the men necessary to
carry out our commitments abroad and to-
permit the return of veteran fighters. It
seemed to us that the War Department
scheme was fair and just and that it deser-
we'd the support of people who wanted to
see the right thing done.
There was great excitement on the
home front, however, as families figured
out that the point system would mean con-
tiued service for some service man who
happened to be little short of points,
largely because of little or no overseas or
battle service-credits. The interested rela-
tives Immediately began to work the old
political pressure game and congressman,
with an eye on the polls, began to lambast
the military brass hats and what happen
ed was what you would naturally expect.
The general result was that men VINO
have been overseas with considerable bat
tie credit, have had to stay abroad be-
cause no available requirements could be
sent over to take their pIcaes. This, in our
opinion, is a rank injustice to the men who
have fought the war. They should have
: been promptly sent home and they were
entitled to believe that men in the camps
Of this country would be dispatched to
their relief.
Even in concluding that men overseas,
with points sufficient to entitle them to
come home, have a just grievance we think
it unfortunate that there is any public.
mass demonstrations, like that reported
from Manila. 1t evidences a lowered NOR
ale, which may be somewhat inevitable
after the fighting ends, but which never
p theess is deplorable.