The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-15
PLAN TO
AID SOLDIERS BY
MANY METHODS
Schemes Are Either Bonuses
for Service Or Proposals by
Which Homes May Be Had
on Easy Terms.
BY CHAS. S. HAYDEN,
(Staff Correspondent.)

NotdT correspondent
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15.-Soldier set
tlement legislation threatens to STAN
congress and unless the eX-service
themselves do something to apply
the brakes there is no telling how far
the house and senate will go in their
desire to demonstrate, before the next
general election, how much they think
the country owes the soldier boys. APP
proximately $50 bills of this character
already have been introduced and hard
~ a day passes but that a new one is
dropped in the hopper by some member
who is determined to show his soldier
constituents where he stands on this
question.
These bills, for the most part, follow
two general lines. One calls for a cash
bonus for each month of service with
n colors, payable in bonds, while the
other would provide a 100 per cent loan
on a $4,000 or $4,000 homestead, at 31s
per cent interest, payable in 60 years.
II has been estimated that it would re-
quire $4,000, 600, 900 in bonds to give each
soldier $50 for each month Of service in
the army. While If the homestead plan
were adopted and all the soldiers
awaited themselves Of the offer, deemed
a very probable contingency, the total
amount required would approximate
$4,000, 900, 900.
Want Lanes Proposal.
Conservative members Of congress
frankly confess they are "up in the
air" on this subject and there is gem
uin regret now that Secretary Lanes
proposal, as originally made, calling for
800, 900, 900 to reclaim waste, c%utover
or arid lands for allotment to soldiers,
was not passed last winter. This sug-
gestion finally reached the house last
spring, being known as the Mondell bill,
but by that time it had grown to $780,
600, 900. Yet the Mondell bill is virtu-
ally dead now because the amount 1t
provides is deemed insufficient to show
how much congress values the soldier
vote.
The hope is expressed that the ex-
service men, at the meeting of the
American Legion in Minneapolis next
month, will take a firm stand against
such an enormous expenditure, Of pub
lie funds as contemplated under some
of these bills, 1t is admitted, however,
there is grave probability the Ameri-
can Legion, 10Y looked upon as spokes-
man for the ex-soldiers, will take nc
! such position. 1t is true that at the
meeting in st. Louis the legion Off
cially went on record as opposed tc
the bonus proposition. That was the
voice of the conservative leaders Of the
organization and this, probably, stu Is
their Wow.
Many Want Bonus.
Since the st. Louis meeting, however
thousands and thousands of men, who
have Just been discharged from the
army, have Joined the American Legion
and the sentiment among them in be
half Of a cash bonus, or some othel
form Of reward for faithful service, has
grown by leaps and bounds. These
former soldiers, all over the country
are bombarding their congressman will
1 1nftnrg npA FnAtffinna fnr tho CtInrnr
of some sort of bonus and II the leader
Of the American Legion do not defe
to this sentiment there is danger tina
either they will be ousted or that
radical organization will be formed
which will swallow the membership o
the American Legion.
Now while the soldiers apparently arr
the only ones outside Of congress t
urge the cash bonus plan there ar
other influences at work in behalf o
the homestead proposition. II such
plan were adopted under which a sol
$4,000 farm or city home, together wit
an additional 1920 to furnish or stoc
it, landowners and real estate agent
would Immediately have some 100000
prospective purchasers and 1t is deeme'
Inevitable that land values would rise
Thus the soldiers are not the only one
who would profit by such a bill an
besides, it is argued, that even II thi
would represent an outlay Of $4,000,
900, 900 that it would be returned, wit
interest, within a period Of 20 years.
Difference in Plans.
This proposition. as 1t now stands
has gone far afield from the one orig
inally suggested by Secretary Lane
Under that the soldiers work was I
be provided for. the eX-Service men !
clearing or retaining land. For thi
they were to be paid wages and, whe
the farms were all cleared and equip
ped, the soldiers were to be permitte
to acquire them on the partial paymen
plan. This contemplated the collectin
Of soldier-farmers in groups, n or tw
to each state. where they could or
ganize and enjoy the benefits of co
operative buying and selling as well q
have the advantage OF trained and ex
pert advice for the inexperienced ones,
This suggestion OF soldier colonies
however, has been lost sight OF in mos
Of the recent bills. Under these tn
ex-service men are to be allowed to blu
their farm or city home, another limo
walton, anywhere they want it, pro
viding its value is approved by fedora
agents. Then, too, the new plan doe
not call for any initial payment bu
permits a 100 per cent loan on tn
nronnrty authorized To he