Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1907 — WANT HALF PAY. [ARTICLE]

WANT HALF PAY.

Volunteer Army and Navy Officers to Urge Their Claims in Congress. Backed by precedents established after the Revolutionary War, surviving volunteer officers of the army and navy of the Civil War are to demand of Congress the enactment of a law providing for their benefit a volunteer retired list with half pay for life. In the last Congress a bill was introduced providing for such a list, but restricting it to volunteer army oKicers. It did not pass, largely because of the cry of discrimination that was raised by naval volunteers and their friends. It is now proposed by a committee of volunteer naval officers to have prepared a measure that shall be satisfactory to the navy and marine corps.Circulars have been sent out to all surviving volunteer naval officers in the United States calling upon them to take an active part in the interest of the measure. These circulars review the history o' legislation for the benefit of volunteer veteran officers from the close of the Revolutionary War to the adjournment of the Fiftyninth Congress, and it is. charged that there has always been a systematic attempt to eliminate the naval volunteers from the benefits of such laws.