Evening star., 1949-06-04
Condemns Desire for Luxuries.

Condemns Desire for Luxuries
To the Editor OF The star
As q Reserve officer with several years O.
administrative experience with the pay avs
tenn Of the Armed Forces, am oewildered
by the bodness Of the current misrepresen-
tations made to the public In support OF
a pay raise bill.
1t Is true that few dozen or score OF top
service oficials are underpaid as judged
against comparable positions in civilian life.
1t Is equally true that most OF the thousands
Of other ofhcers In ranks up to general are
overpaid on basis OF comparable civilian
jobs and comparable Jobs IN government
civil service. '~s*-@f
In the prewar services colonies and gene
rails we're few and far between. An of,cer
was fortunate to retire as . colonel at the
age OF IS. To the best of my knowledge. Gen.
Macarthur was the only top war leader 70
begin the war as q general. Now. just try 10
find lieutenant! The services are drastically
overranked on q basis q. prewsr atApfards
years ago probably was lieutenant. Today he
is often a lieutenant colonel or colonel. and
possibly q brigadier general Since . lieu
tenant colonel draws approximately double
the pay and allowance OF n lieutenant. here
Is an increase in pay In the form of high
rank policy which Congress and the public
have not considered.
RESERVE OFFICER AND VET.
All Ofieers Blamed fer Faults Of Few.
To the Editor Of The Star
The bill which we have all been hoping.
dreaming, yes and praying for for 80 long
has been shelyed. and not because 1t wasn't
a good bill or one which wasn't needed.
but because many Of our Congressnen are
so small that they will take out their spite
against all of a given group when they have
real or imagined grievances against q lev
within that group. wonder II they have
any idea what that does TO the morale oil
those who are trying to be q credit TO the
service and have watched everything 90 up
except their income for so many years
AN OFFICERS WIFE.
Proposed Increase Not Adequate.
To ths Editor OF Ths Star
am moved to take rather violent excep-
ton to the letter concerning the defunct
bill for pay OF the armed services. signed
Err w. in The Star of May 20. He says this
bill would have provided the military services
with IAN increase commensurate with todays
index OF living" And again: 1t contained
fair, adequate and just provisions for basis
OF income
These are remarkable statements. Since
the last thorough-goins pay adjustment
in 1908, the cost Of living had increased
more than $50 per cent. and there has
been q tremendous increase In personal
income taxes.
/ think the civilian Hook Board" would
be glad to see the ofncers receive q fair
and lust income. But they didn't dare
suggest anything approaching It In their
recommendations TO Congress. They even
cut the recommendations OF the Joint SerT-
ice Pay Board Of some years previous by
IS per cent
Those who are In n position 10 enforce
their demands have doubled. trebied. and
ouadrupled their incomes since 1908.
VET OF THREE WARS.
Peer Leadership Coming Up.
To the Edeg Of The STAR
The recent vote In the House OF Representa-
tiyes which resulted In returning the sers-
Ice pay bill TO committee is the equivalent
of q vote for the continued progressive
deterioration of the three armed services
II the politicians feel that the type Of
young man whose ambition is confined TO
the tiny prospect Of perhaps soneday BE-
coming an admiral Or general at some
si0.75l a year including aIi allowances. Less
81 ,02s income tax this after at least ID
years Of faithful service In any part OF the
world is the kind Of person the American
people want as Q prospective ofacer for their
armed services. then that is the kind OF
young man who can be expected TO seek
admission 10 Annapolis and West Point
OLD SAILOR
MiIitssy Cannss Go On sssike.
To sAs E6ssAx sf TAs ssss;
When civilians want higher pay. they
STRIKE: but strike By the military In mutiny
and Illegal When civilians want special leg
islation passed. they hire lobbyists 10 put
pressure on the legislators. but military
men are forbidden recourse 10 political se-
ton.
II the country continues 10 discriminsM
against its most loyal class OF cisinens after
years Of unseifxh service. cur future
armed foeces win suffer.
l. Z. COLI