Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-09
wicker DEFENDS PLAN
TO AID X-SERV|CE MEN
Crfticixes Chamber OF Commerce
for Action CondcmninE Pcnding
Legislation.
SAYS BODY HEARD ONE SIDE
Calls Attention to Various Optional
Features OF So-Callcd Bonus
Observation-Disclosures That Veteran
Bears Share Of Taxes.

ttoRsf executive committeeman OF ,h>
American Legion. AZ the Richmond
In condemninE. ae he charges. with
q out bearing bo:h sides OF ihc uu,s-
ton ,the legislation pending IN Con
sress for The eeneii; Of the eN-service
The chamSer.- MIR. Wicker said.
q "had before, |; only speakers, who
demned the bill without hearing
I frbm any official % the American
Legion. either State or national. ia
! vafable TO II.
Cash Boau. Oal! One Feature.
B Ut is evident the chamber sad in
tho pending legislation. while. as =
mtttef OF fac;, this IS only one OF
seSehfl opt.onAi features provided by
the AmcSican Legion bin. sad AL the
imendable and o; such constructive
nature tina; the benefits 20 be de-
4 rived therefEom by The entire coun-
i to: make ali The alleged detrimenis
OF the cash bonus feature fade into
insignificance."
under The American Legion plan. an
} eS-serytce man would he given his
\ Immediate choice OF farm land set;
tlemtut on lands already owned by
ndthing. home building aid. vocation
ALI training. or paid-up non assign
ahle2 Eovernmeat insurance. lie could
choose any OF these &, once bu, the
until one year after the passage OF
the bill and then only in quarterly
zone member of the Chamber o,
nights meeting" Mr.. Wicker said.
told me that he thought he was vot-
olq pension systems paying tho vet-
: erfns SO much money per year APP
y pareptE. he had never heard OF any
part Of the pending bill excer, the
~ Discourse. BnI In Detail.
The various features of the bill
wore discussed In deta by Mr.. Wick
eri OF the land settlement feature,
he said:
,Think OF what II could mean TO
lands that are now barren and use
less converted into producing farms
With quarter OF million OF young
msT working them, not az hired
hands. but ~ owners. and thus i'm
m9aenrably increasing the coun;ry's
ouipvt.of f..rm products at the very
time when the whole world Is crying
for moro farmers and more food"
}fundreds OF thousands OF young
mon. he said, would be started on the
road TO homecoming through the
ure Add the vocational training OPP
tion-&ould make 1t possible to train
for useful work several hundred
Thousand more veterans who ure now
unframed and unskilled.
The veteran" he said. lis no, blind
10 hthe high cost OF living and the
heavy burden OF taxes. He has TO
10 showed abundant regard for his
copntry's welfare during the war
and he was not out OF service very
ons until he made his virile stand
nal ional economy, but he does not
5elieve that all the economtzIn9
should be done at his expense. He
10; MONEY, ,or other aid could do that.
He merely asks for partial relief
from the economic disadvantages he
! s suffering from the war. Conse-
been taken care OF. and i, is then
proposed to do something to relieve
his hnsnc!a! distress and economic
advantages. he does not understand
why Congressman and Chambers OF
Commerce should suddenly brenk
orth in such violent protests.
Refers TO Appropriations.
- TCo9nngIeess appropriated nearly sa.-
loeeoeoee 10 make adjustments for
manufacturers. The government
guaranteed the earnings OF private
Ira aG pos Il remitted nearly. $1,000
soG,Uoo in interest TO the allied gov,
granted indefinite continuance OF
hetr wE- bonuses.
No Attacks Were Made on Theac.
And yet. these cost the govern
nent untold millions of dollars.
made the public A.;aNes i. heavier.
By stbeir inevitable increases in taxa
lion added extremely heavy burdens
70 1hose already carried by the pub
TIC: tnereiore, II seems to me mat
ii IS unfair for powerful nrgan!-
cation Ike the Chamber % Com
nefcc composed OF PATRIOTS.
wealthy. aud Intelligent men 10
Ingie- out for attach the benrfciaI
legislation for veterans. without
whose blood and service there might