Show 4 l Why Neglect Them Washington has been evidencing deep interest in OFFICIAL wages paid railroad men coal miners and steel workers at attempting attempting at I tempting to balance these wages against the advanced cost of livit liv- liv it g. g We Ve suggest that when congress reconvenes it make mke a similar it Investigation along similar lines tines with an idea of bettering the conditions con con- d of some of our very best Americans notably the officers lit Irk the United States army Eleven years ago army officers were granted a salary a advance vance averaging 25 per cent That wa was the first raise they had received i 1 years Since 1908 when the 25 per cent raise was made elfe ef effective tive their salaries have remained stationary 3 Our government has been very solicitous in looking after the there w fare re of the organized railroad it likewise has shown t p interest in the welfare of the coal miners and the steel work- work f but it has ignored shamefully the rights of the men in the I. I If these army officers were were members of a labor union a f. f frent r nt story could be told But they are not and cannot be ber tJ r to They recognize but one allegiance and that is to the v of the United States For that reason the govern- govern l Pent should be particularly solicitous in their behalf But it has n nit H t been f There has been introduced in congress a bill giving to army officers a salary advance average 30 per cent and a similar advance adv advance ad ad- v vance vance nce to enlisted men of 50 per cent We Ve bespeak favorable action a for the bill bitt particularly as it affects the officers The enlisted man is probably less affected by the high cost cost of living Jiving than any other person in the country He has everything supplied to him including clothing quarters food and even tobacco The higher wage would only increase his spending allowance or permit permit permit per per- mit him to add to his savings and the higher wage may be necessary necessary necessary sary to bring enlistments up to the proper total The army officer however receives an allowance only for quarters light and heat He must buy his own food and his own clothes and he must at all times present a spick and span appeal appeal- ance Under conditions prevailing today the average officer cannot cannot cannot can can- not live as an officer should without going in debt He cannot remain in the service and properly provide for himself and his family He has got to get out of the service or face a constantly increasing series of embarrassments If he is a rich nian's mans son he can make a go of it St But we do not want to make the army a arIch arich arich rich mans man's plaything That would be to create a military plutocracy plutocracy plutocracy racy such as has existed in England and would rob the army of the democratic spirit that has made it an unconquerable fighting machine So So this plea is made to the representatives and senators at Washington Give the army men a dec decent n t. t wage Give them a salary upon which they c can n live in comparative decency Give the same consideration that has been accorded railroad em- em p fr yes es 1 We Ve must rely u upon upon on them ii in time of need As fair minded then ve we shouldn't cheat them in times of peace A |