New-York tribune., 1920-02-16
National Com mittee
Votes for $50 Monthly
Bonus, Contrary to
Convention. Sentiment
Rejection of Military
Training by Congress
Causes Officials to Lose
Faith i'm Lawmakers

Once more the bonus question, an
Issue which in the early days of the
; American Legion threatened to retard
eeriously the progress Of the orgnniza-
tion, has bobbed up for redebating.
The bonus was disposed Of quickly in
Minneapolis at the first convention, it
is true, but as brief as the discussion
of the question was at that time, it
was more bitter than any other ex-
change between the delegates. Finally
it was settled by decision to "leave
the matter of fixing remuneration for
the fighting man to the good judgment
g. Congress"
Now the national committeeman have
met at the Indianapolis National Head
quarters and passed a resolution re-
canting their first decision and advo-
eating a fat bonus of $50 month for
each month of service The reason
ascribed for this change of attitude is
that in its failure to indorse the
Legion's universal military training rec
ommendation, the Democratic caucus
disclosed that it is not disposed to &C.
cept the Legi6n's viewpoint on the great
questions>argued at Minneapolis.
In other words, the national commit
tee intimates that it has no faith in
Congress on this question. All of
which should be of more than passing
interest to Legionnaires of the New
York state department, because it was
the New York delegation which was In
the main responsible for the anti-bonus
Recommendation made at Minneapolis.
For several minutes the New York
delegation sat in the convention hall
and heard themselves denounced by the
most fiery orators the convention pro-
duced. Yet they remained sseadfast,
refusing, as they put it, to "place
price tag on patriotism and duty"
Finally their recommendation carried
the day and the responsibility or fair
dealing with the former soldier, sailor,
marine or nurse was placed squarely in
the hands of the national legislative
bodies. Why the national committee
should feel that Congress will not ham
die the bonus issue favorably just be-
cause the Democratic caucus refused to
yield on universal training has not been
made known, but the representatives Of
the Legion apparently are determined
to see the new bonus plan through.
However, in all the debate, the New
York County organization will hold to
its former course. The original Mime
apolis resolution was virtually drafted
by Robert McC. Marsh, of the New York
state executive committee, who yester-
day received a protest against the ma
tional committees action from Lucian
S. Breckenridge, secretary of the execu-
tive committee of New York County
Mr. Breckenridge said:
GAS you know, the New York County
organization, then with ninety-one posts
and represented by l,100 delegates, at
its convention on October last tabled
q bonus resolution and has consistently
opposed fat bonus, first at the state
convention and later at the Minneapolis
national convention. 1t has taken the
position that the disabled should be
provided for generously and that the
abiebodied really in need of financial
selves in business should be helped by
1org-term loans, or otherwise. but that
the ability of the government to help