New-York tribune., 1920-03-27
Compton Calls
Bonus Demand
Stain on Legion
N. Y. County Chairman in
Letter to All Post Heads
Says Expediency Has Been
Placed Above Principle
Asks for Referendum
Roosevelt, Fish and Hayes
Are Attacked as Acting
Against Their Convictions

George Brokaw Compton, New York
County chairman of the American Le-
gion, sent letter yesterday to the
a presidents Of all posts in his district,
5 saying that the demand for bonus on
: the part Of some of the legionaries has
placed the stain Of self-seeking or the
organization. He charged that certain
officials of the. legion who might have
spoken against this movement have con-
: sidered "expediency above vital prin-
ciple.'
In this connection he cites particu-
Z larly Theodore Roosevelt jr., Hamilton
Fish jr. and Wade H. Hayes, State Com
I, mander.
% Mr.. Champion expresses the belief
that most of the legion members have
2 not realized the significance OF their
demand.
Wants National Referendum
"Most men," he says, "can conscien-
tlously favor bonus in the same way
they could say they would be glad if
some wealthy person out of generous
impulse Of gratitude would offer them
a gift of $500. But many who favor a
bonus in this sense do not want to de-
mand it or to be represented as de-
manding it,"
At the merit meeting Of the county
committee of the Legion at the Hotel
up for Endorsement to the effect that
while the Legion feels that the govern
ment owes war veterans an obligation
it has not yet fulfilled-"yet it is the
strong sense of this committee that no
organized pressure should be brought
to bear upon Congress at this time by
the American Legion except in favor of
the wounded the widows and orphans
and such as are in actual need"
eff the county committee votes
against demanding bonus" Mr.. Comp
ton continues, "then we. ought to ask
that a national referendum on the
question be held upon ample notice
and that in the mean time the Legion
lobby be withdrawn from its friendly
attacks on Congress.
THE only way in which the Legion
can save itself from the reproach of
having demanded a flat bonus is by
nullifying the action Of the national
executive committee"
Fears pension Grab"
Mr.. Compton says further that if all
of the members of the Legion had been
volunteers "there might be more JUS
tce in demand for adjusted compen-
sation." He points out that the Civil
War Veterans, who did volunteer, re-
ceived no blanket pensions until after
1890.
"The American Legion is demand
ing before peace has been formally
concluded" he continues, what, if the
demand prevails, is likely to become
the first Of a series of pension grabs.
Equally pernicious is the bill now be-
fore the state Legislature to give
Civil Service preference to able-boded
veterans"
MIR. Compton charges that the recent
hearing before the Legislature was
called on SIX days notice and gave only
twenty-five of the sixty-two counties
in the state a chance to send repre-
sentatives. Discussion at this gathering
was general, he says. yet the state
commander, Wade H. Hayes, he e=scrts,
took this informal conference at which
no resolutions were passed as an in
dorsement of the bonus plan.
Roosevelt and Fish
He refers to Theodore Roosevelt IRIS
statement when the Legion was organ
ized. to the effect that it must not
",sandbag money. out of the United
States Treasury"
yet" he adds, "at the Legion con-
ference at Albany on March 2, after
eleven Assemblymen had spoken in
favor of bonuses and when a majority
of the Legion representatives appeared
to favor demanding bonus, Assembly,
man Roosevelt sat mute.
Have his convictions changed rad
ically since May, 1892"
Hamilton Fish jr. has stated that
personally he believes the Legion ought
not to demand bonuses. Yet as chair
man of the Legion's state b-commit-
tee on adjusted compensation he is
advocating such demand because he
thinks a majority of the Legion
favors it,"