Norwich bulletin., 1920-09-01
PUTNAM


 What proved to be tempest in a tea the Anselm Mayotte post of the Ameri- can Legion which was held Monday night in the rooms of the Putnam Cham Der of Commerce. Dr. Edward F. Per ry. commander of the post, presided at the session, at which some real live ar guing was heard, and several spirited discussions were carried on. As usual, the bonus was at the root of the mat ter, and was responsible for the some what antagonistic attitudes held by some of the ex-soldiers present. On the street corners of Putnam for the past few days there have been heard rumb- lings of discontent from legion members but it had not been possible to deter mine the cause of the apparent ill feeling. It came out at Monday nights meeting after the delegates from the Putnam post to the state convention had given their reports. Attorney Archibald Macdonald. Jr.. reported at some length on the business that was transacted at Bridgeport, and related the part that the Putnam delegation had taken at that time In speaking of the resolutions that had been brought before the dele gates, and the action that was taken upon them MT. Macdonald mentioned the fact that the Putnam votes, three in
 
 tion which aimed to have the state of a bonus of s100. He further stated that the Putnam delegates at the con vention voted against the so-called | Adams resolution which was designed to secure for veterans of the worl,l war a ] paid up endowment Insurance policy. the size of the policy to depend upon the 1 length of service.
 1 It was at this point that the discus sion began. One member of the post evidently voicing the, sentiments of many 1 legion men in Putnam asked how it was go to Bridgeport and vote against a bo- nus when they knew that the Putnam post at a meeting several months age | went on record as favorng the bonus 1 He did not think the delegates had the right to do this. and intimated that he i believed that they had taken things into | their hands without due regard for the wishes of those in Putnam whom they 1 were supposed to he representinC Sev eral other members present voiced theil opinions. which much the same as 1 those of the original spokesman.
 After some brief but spirited discus sion. the core of the difficulty became apparent to the delegates from the Put nam post. who believed themselves tC 1 have acted both wisely and properly al Jthe state gathering. The matter was cleared up by MT. Macdonald who stated 1 that the bonus that the Putnam dee 1 gate opposed was the state bonus anG not the national bonus. which is known l as the four-fold plan. This national bo nus has been endorsed by the state or ganization of the legion by the nationa organiza ton. and by the Putnam post The Putnam delegates do not oppose 1 this What they did vo+e against. ac cording to MT Macdonald was a reso lution asking the state of Connecticut tt 1 give money to the former soldiers.
 Dr. Perry. the commander, made tho delegations action on this clear when h' 1 said: "The legion officials are support ing the four-fold bonus plan. Those res aside from that entirely. They were 1T addition to the national bonus. Int delegates at the convention from all ovel Connecticut. and representing all post! , in this state, believed that the mos good could be secuged by going after 1 one thing and sticking to that. and no bothering at all with other kinds of bo
 nuses. The state of Connecticut has already given the legion two and a hal million dollars. the income from whicf is ia be used for needy soldiers. It wa: stated at the convention that if the con vention attempted to get a bonus in ad dition to this fund. they would probably l turn opinion against them Q such aI | extent that they would not only lose the bonus. but the state fund as well. Blu | by concentrating effort on the nationa