The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-03-05
$500 LUMP SUM
IS ASKED FOR
BY President Sperry of Pri-
vate Soldiers and Sail
ors' League
TO ALL WHO SERVED
IN ARMY OR NAVY
Calls Other Plans Skimp-
ing, Misery Additional
Compensation Bills"

| Washington, ID. C., March 5Pay-
ment of lump sum of $500 to each
person who served in the e-army or nav
al forces of the United States was
urged before the House ways and
means committee to-day by Marvin
Gales Sperry, national president of the
Private Soldiers and Sailors Legion.
He opposed proposals of representa-
tives of other soldier organizations for
adjusted compensation varying from
$50 to $50 for every month OF service
and said the services of 100000 young
Americans never could be paid for by
"the skimping, miserly additional com
pensation l I, bills pending before Con-
THE $500 grant," he told the COM
mittee, would not be paid for time at
so much day or month, but as help
ing hand from the government to aid
in restoring former service men and
women TO positions in civil life from
which they were called, without bar
gain or contract, without money and
without price, to serve in time Of need
"Haggling over payment by the day
or month ia contrary to the wishes of
the American people.
Determinations in regard TO periods
of service, he added, would only create
confusion, delays, favortism and breed
jealousies and bad, feelings.
The witness declared that the fund
ing of 400,000,00O annual interest due
TO foreign obligations proved that the
government was not weak financially
ara could give financial relief to all
former service men"
Rows Between Veterans Organizations.
Differences between organizations OF !
former service men were aired hy |
Sperry, who charged that J. II. Halper, |
member of the legislative committee |
of the Rank and File Veterans asse. |
citation, was socialist and communist /
and had tried to turn over the Pri- /
vate Soldiers and Sailors legion to the |
communist party of New York.
Letters from the Soldiers and Sail |
ors' Protection association of New
York City, asking the amalgamation
of all soldier bodies, were read by the
witness, who said this organization was
raided and its literature dumped into
the streets.
what proof have you that Halper
is socialst?" asked Chairman Ford.
ney.
''He admitted it to me before wit
nesses," Sperry replied
Only three signers are needed to OBJ
tain Incorporation papers permitting
the formation of soldier organization
with the privilege Of soliciting contri-
buttons in every state, Sperry said in
answer to a question by Representa-.
tive Treadway, Massachusetts,, as to
how Sperry's organization had been in
That's a curious provision" Repre-
sentative Treadway said
Savenbein, chairman of the Rank
md File Veterans association, told the
committee that a composite bill, in
'luding land grants. vocational train
ng and financial aid, suggested by the
American Legion, would keep the COM
nittee ralking two or three years"
Former service man would be salts
led with a bonus Of 81 day, with
minimum Of $3.50, he said
Twenty million dollars must be
aised to pay future needs Of former
cA fA'C AiCils ANtpt CrEHAAtiFt tNAttAiAllt .
Democrat, North Dakota. said.
''The American Legion didn't favor
bonus at their national convention,
ut now they are fathering it, he
aid
''The legion fathers everything, aft
r some other organization does the G
FORK and accomplishes results" Saven-
Elm said. q
The witness said his organization
'as allied with organized labor 'be-
iuse the members are of The working
lass"