Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1920-07-30

The American LSSIOu ndu NV
passed it's first birthday when it was
called on to solve one of the biggest
problems it probably will be called
to face in many years.
It was as if an infant were sud
denly put to it to decide what his
life-work should be.
1t was a delicate and puzzling
question, too, differing in this from
the majority of American Legion
issues, which are clear-cut and out
standing. We are banded together
for God and Country to uphold and
defend the Constitution of the Unit
ed States of America. Surely mat
tiers Of policy should be easy of de-
termination with this broad founda-
ton to build upon.
But this question was not so easy.
Similar situations have arisen in
the past to puzzle the most intelli-
gent and sincere of men. The Con-
stitution of the United States is a
broad and noble charter. But this
nation battled with matter of
ethics for so years until the solu-
ton could be postponed no longer,
and Lincoln made the decision with
his words: This country cannot
exist half slave and half free"
Easy enough-now. We second
guessers, with half a century of
demonstration behind us, can be
complacent that Lincoln chose the
right way But it was not so easy
for Lincoln. The 80 years of dem
onstration were ahead of and not
behind him.
So, the American Legion was only
few months old when this bonus
question" cape up for a decision.
Here we were, pledged to be the
nations defenders. Our ideals were
the Hottest; we were bound by the
hottest of pledges. Then, with our
hearts still thrilled by the sanctity
decide whether it was our duty to
ask our country for something.
The matter stood like this: Four
and a half million men and women
had served the United States in the
World war. Were they entitled to
any compensation or assistance in
reestablishing themselves in addition
to what they already had received i?
Let us grant, for a moment, they
were, and are entitled to extra COM
pensation. Indeed, few persons deny
the justice of the claim. Then,
what should the compensation be?
How much? How based on service ?
In what form payable? When pay
able?
Grant again that these questions
can be equitably answered by per-
sons expert in the solving of such
economic problems and always bear
In mind that the country at large
must not suffer in the solution. Now
we come to the American Legion
problem, our problem: Should we
ask the country for this compensa-
ton? That was the question that
laced the Legion and it's leaders
while the Legion still was-and is
in its infancy
1t would have been no problem at
all If congress had paid the acknowl-
edged debt to the ex-service man
without his asking for it. But it so
frequently happens that payment OF
Just debts must be sought. You can
count it over on your fingers and
prove to your own satisfaction that
a man owes you something, but you
nave to make him see it, as well, and
Keep bringing it to his attention.
Congress, acting for the nation,
was slow in acknowledging the debt
and showed little disposition to pay
it. 1t looked as if the matter would
be allowed to slide until the debt be-
came outlawed. Quickly enough
people have forgotten the war and
the men and women who served.
So, the American Legion was
called on to decide, at once, whether
it should do the proving to congress
that it owed something to former
service men and women and to per-
suade congress to pay. I believe you
will agree that this was the most
important question that the Legion
and its leaders ever will be called on
to answer. 1t was so big it was
staggering. Should we apparently
discard our ideals, just when we had
visioned them, and hold out mercen-
airy palms for money?
The easier way out would have
been for the Legion and its leaders