The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-08-11
payment of the bonus would mean IN

payment of the bonus would mean In
the way of increased living costs ano
increased taxes. Naturally opposition
to the bonus is one of the most thank
less positions which a government ON
cial can take. 1t makes little differ
cnce how the majority Of the senators
and representatives may feel about
the legislation, for knowing that they
will run the risk Of the charge of In
gratitude to the veterans if they op'
pose the passage of the bill, most OF
them show Outwardly at least kindly
disposition toward the legislation.
Trying to Pass the Buck.
What the outcome will be it is as
yet Of course impossible to say, but
the senate has shown a marked dispo.
sition to support the legislation almost
unanimously, and therefore, so to
speak, the buck has been passed to the
house Of representatives. Each house
unquestiOnaDly wished that the other
would take the burden Of refusing to
sanction the measure. Each house is
timorOus about taking a course of op.
position to the legislation.
There Is a lot to be said for the
bonus. Not man will get the money
who did not serve his country for
phltry pay while hundreds of thou.
sands Of other men were waxing fat
IN pocket in the peaceful pursuits of
trade. The contrast between the con-
dition of the men who worked in ship.
yards and in the arms factories at big
wages and that of the men who
worked for $333 a month in the trenches
is the one strong inspiring cause Of
support Of the bonus bill by veterans
of the service who happen to hold po-
sitions in the various veteran organ
izati0ns.
If there had been no slackers and
no $2O.a.day workers in the great war,
nothing today would be heard of the
bonus. The government in a way is
reaping what it sowed. If the serv-
ice Of some men prominent in public
life, including many general officers
Of the army, had been followed, bonus
LEGISLATION would not be here to dis.
turb conditions.
Why Was Not Labor Drafted7
AT the time when the United States
entered the war there were men who
pleaded that not only should soldiers
be drafted, but that all labor of what.
ever kind should be drafted. The plea
was that virtually every man, woman
and child In the United States should
be brought by law into the service of
the government.
If this had been done the men and
women who remained in the field Of
peace would have had not only their
work directly but their pay fixed by
the government of the United States.
The man engaged in peaceful war
work was essentially laborer for
the government, and why the govern.
ment should not have control over him
as well as over the man who was
fighting In the field, no official who
looks at the logic of the situation can
understand.
This view Of the case Is now gen.
orally taken In Washington, and it
can be taken foe granted that out
of the lessons learned from the great
war the United States never will get
into like fix again If unhappily it
has to issue another call to arms. The
draft was democratic and successful.
In another war, If the feeling Of to-
day shall prevail, no worker Of any
kind will escape the draft, and if any
Of workers in the field Of
labor shall attempt to strike while
their brethren are fighting there prob.
ably will be something coming to them.
Higher officials here say that Uncle
Sam has learned one lasting lesson.
1t Is understood that If Congress
finally shall decline to pass the bonus
legislation at this session q renewed
drive will be made to make 1t GER
tain from now on that no disabled vet.
eran shall continue to suffer for a
lack of care and cash.
Coo|idges Reside In Hotel.
Vice-President and Mrs. Calvin
Coolidge have taken up their residence
1t a Washington hotel, thus following
the precedent established by former
Vice-President and Mrs. Thomas r.
Marshall.
Prior to the time that Mr.. Marshall
on the vice-presidency a great
many years had passed since vice
president of the United States was
not householder, temporarily at
east, in the capital. Democratic in
stitutions make it possible for the
people to elect to office men whose
bank accounts are small. Neither
MARSHALL nor Coolidge is a rich man:
N fact, both are far outside Of the
1eld which the rich occupy.
The government does not pay It's
'ice-presldents much money, and
while perhaps one should refrain from
70 saying, the truth is that at least
'wo vice-presidents of the United
states have not felt themselves able
to bear the burden of the
lpkeep of great households in Wash
ngton, living in which necessarily
would mean heavy expenditures.
1t must not be understood, however.
nat the Yice.nraSidpnt of thu Initial