The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-06-25
EVILS OF THE BONUS
To the Editor of the N. Y. Times;

ed as TO it's future and it's possibili- !
ties for good Some who had seen
multitudes of dastardly acts perpetrat-
ed under a flourish of patriotism,
were unkind enough to suggest that
love Of country-well advertised-had
too often been found to be synony-
nous with love of the ou- rvs cur
rency. BHt these scOffers were few
in number Probably no great organ
ization ever started with more of
good will on the part of the public
and with greater measure of cheerful
hope for its future. Everybody real I
lied, of course, that there were great
political possibilities inherent in such.
an organization, but it was reasonably
hoped that they would be subordinat
ed to the altruistic ends that the so
Ciety prOfessed, or, at most. employed
benefcially and not harmfuliy. In
view especially of the lavish way in
which the government had paid and
cared for its soldiers abroad on
scale heretofore unknown in the his,
tory Of warfare-the envy and despair
Cf all our allies-few anticipated that
all of its energies were 10 be at once
concentrated In the most colossal
raid ever attempted upon the treasury
Of the United States. Yet such has
been the fact. Since the present SEES.
sion OF congress began it's officers
have been In almost continuous ses
sion at Warrington demanding in the
name Of the Legion bonus legislation
to cost the people of the United
States anywhere from two to six bill
lions of dollars. and threatening with
political extinction any congressman
who dare to do their duty in opposing
the grab.
II is time that somebody said out
loud what everybody is thinking and
many are Whispering that if this at
tempt really has the support of the
Legion and of it's enormous member
ship, present and prospective, then
the Legion bids fair to be a greater
menace 10 American institutions than
the Germans ever were. It's officers
I do not yet say the Legion-propose
to take billions of dollars i'm largess
cut of a treasury which is bankrupt
and TO load still further burdens upon
the taXbrokeu backs Ct the people OF
the United States-and all this, if We
may trust the newspaper dispatches i
with n cynical disregard for the own
ers of those breaking backs For we
are told thta these officers displayed
great impa'iencs" when congress
men asked them where the money
was 20 be found for the colossal dona
ton. and intimated that was cues
ton of detail with which they could
not be evpectefd 70 concern them
selves. but which was up to con
gress."
II tbat wera oll that were cup t.
congress-" congress would be indeed
fortunate. But alas, it is not Quite
apart from the impOrtunate and inso
lent demands made upon it i'm the
name oi tie American Legion by
those Who claim authority to speak
in its behalf. congress is confronted
with the most colossal and impera
tive necessities that any congress has
ever had TO face. We know that. tC .
Just carry this debt along. without
reducing it one penny, business stag +
gers. Aile the people groan under .
almost incredible taxation and a
scale - prices caused thereby that ,
is simp' y appalling. In fact we stand I
by req, "a Of il. or the brink of colos /
sal eca' 0mic disaster
This @isaster can be escaped in but ,
one wav-by the most rigid economy 7
and the most stern determination tC !
spend not one cent. 10 enter upon not
one pr ect that is r0t Strictly and
absolutely essential That we shall /
even then escane fron calamity is al (
together unlikely, but it furnishes the /
only possible hope of safety. Upon +
this So ne Of anxious peril for the re
public inter- certain Gentlemen in uni I
form. a. liudiag rs trembling on the
brink n 3uancial precipice. With
many loud, patriotic oath propose /
20 pUs Us over
Was YER tire name of patriotism
rrCStit "a 20 b8ser uses? no these +
men q Nv represent the soldiers OF /!
tho repnblic? I viii not believe that
they d. They were elected TO Office
on no bonus platform SO far as the /
public hnows. no whisper OF bonuses /
had ever been uttered when they
sought and secured office. Anxious
20 butt up their organization they
have simply assumed that the mos:
effective means would he on appeal &c
cupiditv They have banked on the .
cohesive power OF public plumber
What possible excuse is there for
80 Az the proposed bene6ciaries o.
this legislation disabled? The de
ahled ave already otherwise provided
for or n scale OF ample generosity
such as the world never saw. Are
thew in need? The proposed bonus Is
o. be paid 20 every one without re
spect ~ his needs Are they patriot
10 Some of them many of them. nc
doubt we're But the service law was
,F h.