Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-05-28
The ServiCemen's Side
House Recommtal of Military Pay Bill Seen as Blow
to Morale of the Armed Forces

TO Morale OF IN
Hardxhips Of nm onseess Family
II sA* LegsUs o. IRE star.
So the Army officers pay bla did not pass
/ the House Yet these very same men are
now trying to get free taxi service In wash
tngton by having shuttle buses run for them
Just an excuse. There are plenty OF taxts
available They already Get 20 cents Q mile
for travelling. What does the Array ofncer
/ get2 Seven dollars q day. and every time
he leaves town he has 10 pay extra out Of
his own pocket
We are old. Regular Army Of 20 years serv-
Ice. As q Lieutenant We looked forward 20
| living nicely on q Coloneis salary. which in
that day Was comparable 10 q Rressnans.
Ours has stayed the same but how high has
his gomez Plenty. and they still are asking
for more.
We can't afford TO send our children 10
college on the salary We make. The few
Generals wives who can afford fur coats
have outside incomes. probably inheritanees.
General in the Army has the same posi-
ton as the president OF 9 corporation. but
compare the salary Of q General with that
OF the president Of q corporation-a very
small pittance. And the General has many
more peoples interests at heart than the
president OF q corporation.
should think these Congressrnen would
be ashamed They are just greedy for them
selves.
Colonies WIFE.
Unorganixed Sad Sacks" Handicapped
To the Editor o! The Star:
With industry preparing for Q fourth or
nth round OF pay increase demands. with
congressman voting themselves a consider
able pay increase how can these very same
people deny the pay increase for the men
Of the Armed Forces?
II only the serylcemen would organize
line up their families and neighbors and
then yote-brother. can't you see some OF
those same Representatives going all out
for their dear friends. the servicemen? This
seems to be the only language they under
stand. Their $64 question is: How many
votes will it get me?"
In this case l hope the folks back home
who have sons or brothers or sweethearts
in the Armed Forces learn how their elected
representatives voted. To get even with the
brass. they denied 100000 men (plus
millions OF dependents) q pay increase which
practically everyone has received except the
poor unorganized. sad sacks of the Armed
Forces.
REGRET Us.
Disheartened by Neglect Of Congress
To tn. Editor o! The Star;
AS a naval officers wife I have been
trained to keep my feelings and my opinions
on controversial matters pertaining to the
services TO myself. However. now that the
military pay bill has been defeated ] feel
constrained. at long last. to speak my piece
and the half will not have been said either
My sense OF justice and fairness has been
deeply outraged and there must be hundreds
Of others like myself who feel the same
ranking bitterness.
The defeat Of this bill must gladden. and
rejoice the hearts of Communists and fellow
liberals For years and years, in every
conceivable way Communists have sought TO
undermine the authority and morale in the
services. They were notably successful in
the Army. The sudden rehabilitation Of the
armed forces with the attendant abandon.
ment of millions and millions Of dollars
worth OF mate.fel is an example Of one of the
ways this worked. as was also tie rioting OF
CTS o'ersess literally crying to go home. in
spite OF our loss Of prestige. face" and the
waste Of valuable assets The Navy and
Marine Corps had better success In handling
its morale problem. though the infection was
started.
As a servicewoman from . long line Of
Americans who have served honorably In the
Navy and in every war since the founding
Of this country and as the mother Of four
sons, one Of whom is . midshipman twho
entered in competition from the enlisted
ranks Of the Marine Corps because as Navy
people we did not have enough political In
fuence or the Affiliations necessary to obtain
an appointment. / feel that what We are
and what we stand for no longer are APP
preciated by our fellow citizens shall dis
courage my sons from following this career.
and beginning now ! shall make plans for
life outside the service for us all And in this
know I am not alone. The seeds of dis
content breed bitter fruit.
Since 1908 there has been no appreciable
increase in q naval oficers pay. Further
more, small prerogatives. considered parts OF
his compensation, continually have been
sniped at and taken away Even now this
Is going on in an effort to close the COM
missaries and ships service stores.
Frankly, If military men were better paid
In cold cash. they would not either need or
want these discounts and allowances: nor do
we enjoy having to sweat out ways and
means Of obtaining scholarships for the ed
ucation of our children In order for them to
have the advantages that we feel are due
them so as not to be different from the
children of our contemporaries who are not
In the military service. And 1t often Is
necessary for our families to assist us n
nancially with these problems. and TO house
and shelter us during many long separa-
tons. Servicewomen are resourceful and
clever at putting up brave fronts and max
ing good appearances. which is deceiving
as to the real state of affairs and now has
turned into q boomerang to cut US down.
After IS years of hard work loyal service.
and an unhlemished unpassed-oyer record.
what has man now to show for his career
TN tangible assets? Certainly very much less
than his contemporaries In similar capacity
outside the military life. Even Gen. Essen
hover. upon retiring. remarked publicly that