Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-02

devoted wUmen5 have noS forgotten the soldier in and out of t ie hospital. You have sought him out and found him sick-gasseo. tubercular- or with some brain trouble andSyou have found him and his dependents -ltoo, many times in distress and needs aIid helped him. You proved to many, though they are only a small part of .he. whole 5000, that the state had not forgotten them, and In 8 way that was compatible with self-re- spect And steadily you are doing away with abuses and. the idea held by q few healthy ex-soldiers that the state or the world owed them aIivinE because they once wore khaki. II The administra .ion of the flu. l by paid employees would have cost the state up- der customary methods at least $5O.- 900 to $6o.ooo, and politics would surely | creep in, bringing it into disrepute. The fl administration in your hands actually Il cost the state to date less than $5,eoo, less than one mans salary might be Compare this either in reAults or in expense with other adniilistrative bu- reaus of the state. I believe that few \ states. have been so unselish and efrl | ciently served. The personnel church. men,, phy sicians, lawyers, privates or of- fcers. are of such, character, at once | sympathetic and critical least someone | | take what another needs more, that they | | could not be employed if offered $200, 900 | l annually. But to serve the state and | | their comrades at personnal sacrifices l 1 you were as one and are ready for i that is in the creed of the Legion. Here Il and all over the land. the eLgion is lead Il ing in service, in Americanism standing for things that are vital and good for the country. Since the first of January, I have been before the Board of Control (. number Of times. Once at their i'eG lest. zc- companied by a number of you charged with handling the fund in various locah- ties, to answer criticisms from unnamed and invisible sources. We also attend ed the large hearing in tht house at the state capitol and also by request attend ed a hearing in executive session of the appropriations committee So good showing had the fund that it's benefits and desirability was admitted by even it's opponents, and in order that it might continue and increase the bonus bill was withdrawn. I have heard no criti, iSme of weight on the contrary, I believe Iou merit commendation at the hands Of the people and the legislature, and I would be as ready to say the contrary if the contrary were true.
 The number of cases undeservfng bu, helped Is such a small percentage Us not to detract seriously; as a matter of fact, the greatest safeguard Is the growing feeling of condemnatl )n among the soldiers themselves aEainst one who abuses the fund. It iy right, of course, I that the Board of Control and the leg islature should know by reports and our personal appearance before them, how we are administering, and of what sort we are; and we have respected this right.
 Our fund. and an additional s1oo 900, making S2oe,o00 in all or about $2.5o per Connecticut soldier, being exhaNt- ed, we explained the condition and asked for further funds in this emergency was created by continued months of un- employment. It is asserted that aid should not be given to the unemployed for that reason alone. For those whose resources whether savinrs, borrowing power, or power what, are gone and who are willing to work but can't find It., hunSer and sufferinA. and sickness are as keen as hu@gtr arising from any other source. And as long as we pur- d sue policy of not h>lping those who lie down on the fund, but seek to find places of employment as we do, the re- suit is good not had. for both the state and the individual To de cline to help a mar or his family ol 2 children because his need for helD arise: ss from enforced. unemployment seems tc = us heart1ess and ungrateful and not in 's tended by the law. We say to our com | 1 rades in distress, The state has no i- forgotten you;, it is standing by and | pr going to help bit" but we do not holt e that man must be paid for offerin. v his life for his state or country; that i ss a duty But a state or country ex CT pecting loyal service must not, be un iii grateful or unmindful of that service an at ! cannot afford to be if it expected loyalt CT in it's citizens. It owes something t es its soldier citizens, and you soldier he have given up the bonus which has bee its granted by many, states in order that
 Connecticut there might be a more us, es ful thing to state and soldier citizer lL Aand that useful fund does not co. on nearly as much as a bonus.
 ,l-, we have fought against commercial. fer ing this fund, that is, the handling ( on the fund by number of paid employe ise which policy would utterly change i ou character deterimentally and inject pol m- tics, but the fight is not won. The fai ure of the legislature to act to date. a - though 1t has caused hardship, is not. . believe because of indifference. The
 seems to be instead. determined effo
 accompanied by camouhage of criticis
 from obscure and nameless sources
 change this fund and to provide jobs f,
 political protegees. Proposed change
 were made without consultation with a
 thoriZed representatives of the so,die,
 
 everyones self respect is not aneea.
 task and 1t is evident that the Amer
 can Legion in this state could not CO
 tinue to handle the fund if politics ,is
 be woven into it's administration. IT
 Board of Control composes a sufricie
 and adequate supervision and it is
 judge of our methods of adnainistrati
 and the character of our personnel a,
 of results.
 A change as proposed in the law, ma
 ing the fund available only to dfsabf
 in war would make it compensation at
 wastetul duplicate of United Stat
 government legislation.
 If the fund is to be retained ss
 useful and helpful thing you and all
 friends must act at once and vigorous
 See your representatives and all frien
 of this cause in the legislature at on
 l believe if the legislature and tAa f
 izens know it's work, they will h. in
 vor of strengthening 1t and centinuinr 2
 not merely as grateful, if parti
 reparataon to soldiers. but in the int
 est of good citizenship and Aneric, ism. No sane man failed to see i
 enemies that are within our country
 day working steadily and insidiously
 disruptive ways. What felfy f. is
 to be reasonably appreciative of +h
 who are loyal and strengthen tt
 hands. The ex-soldiers are of the h
 bone and sfnew of the country. ST
 they be forgotten and neglected? z,