New-York tribune., 1920-03-03
Slight Opposition to Plan
for CompensationSwept
Aside at Albany Meeting
to Determine Action
Veterans Demand
That Delays End
If British Stand Strain
America Can, Is Reply
to Fears of Financiers

BIZ The 1'ribune's American Leoiom Editor
ALBANY, March 2.-war veterans of
New York State, in convention here, to-
day served notice on the national and
state governments that they expect
bonuses from both these sources, and
expect them without further delay.
The sentiment of the delegates as
sembled in the State Senate Chamber
was so overwhelmingly in favor of
bonuses that what slight opposition
cropped up easily was swept away.
More than three hundred delegates,
representing virtually every county in
New York, had appeared in response
to call issued by the committee on ad-
justed compensation of the state ex-
ecutive committee Of the Legion,
whose members sought the sentiment
Of the service men for incorporation
In recommendations to be submitted
to posts throughout the state.
Legion leaders were astonished at
the slight opposition developed during
the hearing. Almost all Of the effort
to bring about declaration against
the bonus was offered by scattered
few Of the delegates from greater New
York. Not voice lifted against the
bonus was that of delegate from ter
ritory north of Yonkers. Among the
most vigorous opponents Of flat bonus
award were George Brokaw Comp
Committee of the Legion; W. W.
Wickersham, former stats commander
and now Nassau County committeeman;
Frederick Olmsted, Nassau County ex-
Cannoneers Post, New York City; L.
c.. Thayer, 305th Field Artillery Post;
Morgan Reilly, Morningside Post;
Theodore Berdell, Of Garden City, Up
ton Post, and George Bromley, of
George Washington Post, Brooklyn.
Financial Strain Feared
Compton insisted that the financial
strain would be too great for the gov
ernment to bear, and criticised several
members of the state Assembly who
had previously pledged their support
to state bonus measure by warning
the delegates the Legislature would
pass the blame to the Legion in the
event of public reaction against the
veterans organization.
The speaker was jeered by the dele
gates when he read telegram from
r. c. Leffingwell, Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury, saying the condition
of the national exchcquer was such
that the awarding of war bonuses at
this time would be nothing less than
disastrous"
Several delegates from New York
City, notably Commander Schwab of
the Navy Post and E. j. Keely, vice
IL ,fxy
mittee, took the floor and insisted that
Chairman Compton only represented
an insignificant minority of the Legion
in New York County in his opposition
to the bonus. When Mr.. Compton was
questioned, he said the only indication
of sentiment he had received on the
bonus question was in communications
from twenty-four posts, sixteen OF
which favored the award and eight of
which opposed it.
Wickersham made plea for the
wounded and disabled veterans, con-
tending that the Legionnaires should
not even think of bonus until they
had seen that their stricken comrades
were we'll cared for.
"In every American Legion gather
ing" he said, "the rights Of these men
have been emphasized, but they have
not vet been cared for. These are the
men who should be cared for now.
Until we have done with one job we
have no right to talk for ourselves.
am not particularly arguing against the
bonus; l am arguing against the bonus
at the present time"
At this point Committeeman Olmsted
called attention to the fact that If the
Federal authorities could not care for
the disabled now they would be unable
to care for them with the additional
administrative burden of awarding
bonuses.
Veteran Calls for Bonus
Fred Gallivan, of Rochester, himself
a badly wounded veteran, won the
greatest applause Of the session when
/ he replied to Mr.. Wickersham and Mr.
Olmsted. He declared himself unquali-
tiedly in favor Of bonus from both
state and nation and said every mar
il his county felt the same way.
II am wounded myself" he said, "anc
not wounded who need the money as
badly as |. If we wait until they take
care of the wounded men to ask for {
bonus, at the rate they are travelling
now they will reach the bonus issue il
about twenty years"
E. F. Kelley, of Queens, in demanding
that the delegates declare themselve!
in favor Of the bonus, said:
"The very life and existence of tht
legion depend on the undivided from
we show in our action on such vita
questions. Our national Legislative
committee has drafted bonus measur,
with four optional awards for forme
service men and women. We must bacl
them in their recommendation and in
dorse that measure here to-day.
James Pastor, Of Woodhaven Post
replied to the Wickersham contention
that disabled men should be the onl,
consideration of the delegates.
"There is no post in my county" h
said Gearing better for their disable
men than we are. We have eighteel
such Legionnaires, and all OF them in
structed us to favor the bonus"
Chairman Hamilton Fish. of West
chester County, had great difficulty il
!, Francis N: Fallon, president dent Of tn
Captain Belvidere Brooks Post, of NeN
York, insisted that the proceedings Q
the meeting be reported verbatim. H
charged the state committee wit
'railroading" tactics, and provoked
sharp reply from State Commando
Wade H. Hayes, who assumed the eS
pense of hiring stenographer, so tina
the work could be done.
, Joseph Schwab, Of Navy Post, mad
bitter speech intimating that the anti
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