New-York tribune., 1920-02-23
The eAmericanLegion
Nelrs: Local, State, National
No Serious Factional Fight
Over Bonus Question, but
Controversy Is Being Car
ried On With Dignity
Many Letters Received on
Both Sides of Proposition
Show Sentiment i'm Legion
Ranks Evenly Divided

-, tanks Evenly Divided
There have been reports during the
last week Of serious factional differ.
ences in the American Legion, sup.
posed to have grown out of the clash
between members over the question OF
q bonus for service men and women
Such reports are unfounded.
careful survey Of the various posts
IN the metropolitan district by The
sTribune's American Legion editor re-
.veals the fact that while there is a
: difference of opinion on this vital issue.
those who take the affirmative side, as
we'll as those opposing it, are conduct
ing themselves with due decorum and
are striving to attain their respective
sobjectives without resorting to de-
nunciation Of any person or faction.
The truth of the matter is that q
majority of the posts in this vicinity
believe the national committee was per-
fectly right in demanding that Con
gress act within sixty days in deter
mining that ex-service men be given
their choice of any one of four re-
Enumeration plans. This majority be-
lieves veterans are entitled to bonus
because of the sacrifices they made and
because those who stayed behind pros
pered beyond belief during the war.
On the other hand, the minority, or
that faction opposed to a bonus for all
veterans, points out that the govern
hQa toto Of
disabled and destitute veterans, and |
until that is done the others should
not expect reward of any kind. These
opponents of the recommendation made
by the national committee believe the
Legion should stand by the pledges of
the national convention at Minneapolis
when it was agreed to leave the ques-
tion of bonus to Congress.
To this latter contention the pro-
bonus faction replies that the Legion
is different organization than it was
last fall--that the membership has
grown so that it includes more Of the
rank and file. The additional charge is
made that Congress has devoted no
time to legislation benefiting the vet
eran and must be jolted out of it's
reverie
Three letters representing the anti
bonus faction have been received by
The Tribune. They are typical Of the
thoughts of that element and possibly
will provide information for those who
ask bonus |
ut is with feelings of decided mis- {
giving that some of us see that the {
American Legion has fatty taken i
stand for enormous sums for addi- {
tional bcnuses," writes former lieu
tenant. The most fragrant kind Of
lobbying is being emplo. ed. To some
Of us who cheerfully did our bit the
stand of the American Legion is re-
voting and distasteful. !
Perhaps some men did make enor-
nous war profits; if SO, let them keep
what the excess profits tax leaves them
Perhaps even some slackers waxed and t
grew fat Let US leave them to what ,
peace of mind they can have when they :
know that they have deliberately passed !;
up mans job. .
"If the American Legion wants to do !
something for US let it advocate that y y
ex-service men be exempt from taxes, :
or partly exempt, for q year or two Il
That would help a bit where we need ),
1t. | quote Emerson: The reward of i
q thing well done is to have done it,"
Another letter on the question is
from former colonel. He says:
81 have noted with mingled feelings {
OF surprise and modification the ac- I
tion of the American Legion in urging |
the passage of a bill to give bonuses Q
to all the men and women who have I
served. l do not see how any healthy .
man, or woman, could stoop to such /
charity. The words sacrifice and I
patriotism have been overworked in I
this country and should be eliminated 7
Of the A. E. F. who had the precious 7
privilege of serving this country in
her hour Of need.
ut seems strange that the Legion
should be so agitated over back pay
when its support Of the bill for univer-
sal training is apparently perfunctory c
In my long and intimate acquaintance c
regular and supplementary army, | c
cannot believe that self-respectng {
soldier would accept the proposed S
bonus, which is to be bestowed on the a
hghting man and the entertainer
alike" i
A naval man, George Gardiner Fry =
jr1 of this city, writes g
II am opposed to cash bonus or
any other method of financial help to =
men who were in the service of their y =,
country unless suffering from wounds J,
received IN the line of duty. We did
our duty to the utmost in the service. =
iet us do it now by not demanding Il
from the country a bonus that will be :,
q burden to all the other people. Let
us show the slackers and others who
stayed out of the service that we
Fought not for bonus, but for our -
country and liberty" n
on the other side, The Tribune has \ \
received several letters from former n
enlisted men in which they are in e
sistent that bonus be given them to W
compensate them for their hard knocks :
ana subsequent adversely. 1t is
question that calls for stabilizinr
element The Legion certainly has in
ts membership sufficient number of
wise men to counteract any i'll feeling =
arising on the bonus issue, md TO
say the least, it would appear that
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