The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-07-14
SECRETARY MELLON AND THE
SOLDIERS BONUS BILL.

There is a patriotism OF peace as
well as Of war. and one is just as es-
sential to the security Of our country
as the other. The soldiers and sail
ors of the world war have proved
their patriotism and their record is
now a part of the glorious history of
our country They now have an op-
portunity TO prove their patriotism in
peace. In urging the passage OF the
bonus bill. no one viii question that
they were actuated by a desire to
secure what they believed to be fair
treatment at the hands of the gov
eminent This will be conceded whe-
Their we agree with their contention
or not But the letter from Secre-
tary OF the Treasury Mellon to Sena-
tor Frelinghuysen, in which he dis
cusses the financial affairs of the
government and shows the disastrous
consequences that would follow the
passage of the bonus bill at this
time should give them pause; should
cause them to take the same patriot
ic view of the welfare of their coun-
try that controlled their action in
war. Secretary Mellon has made the
issue plain. Already the nation is
confronted with financial problems
that will tax its resources to the lin
it, and to add this bonus bill, which
involves the payment of from a bill
lion and half to five and a quarter
billion dollars, would bring nothing
less than disaster to the country
With this deplorable prospect so
clearly and convincingly described by
the secretary of the treasury, the
soldiers themselves should take the
lead in making known to congress |
their desire to abandon the measure
at least until such time that it can
be enacted without imposing a great
hardship upon the people and threat
ening the financial security of the
government In his letter to the New
Jersey senator Secretary Mellon
closes with this paragraph which
sums up the situation and which
should impress the world war veter-
ans with the duty and responsibility |
that rests upon them at this critical
period:
The country is under a sol
emn obligation to those who
fought its war. Our first con-
Germ, of course. should be to
make fun provision for the needs
of disabled veterans. To that OBJ
ject the country is pledged to give
without stint of its resources. 1t
would be unfortunate in the ex-
IRENE while we are still strug-
Cling with that problem, to dis
sipate our resources in a sweep
ing plan for cash payments to
able-b bodied ex-soldiers and sail
us. 4 Tic DtSl interests OF the
veterans can not in the last an
alysis be considered separate
and apart from the best interests
of the country as a whole. and
should be derelict in my duty to
the country and to the veterans
themselves if 1 failed to give this
warning of the inevitable fnan-
~
bill It's direct consequences are
inescapable and / have already
indicated what they would be. It j
would also involve grave dangers
of renewed initiation, increased g
commodity prices and unsettled C
business conditions. The result
would be serious injury and loss z
to the whole community, and in f
the long run even the veterans il
themselves would lose far more n
than they would gain. l can not Il
bring myself to believe that this
would be adjusted compensation Il
for service that was performed Ia
as the highest duty of citizen
ship and a sacrifice that can a
never be measured in terms of al
money" m
FEDERAL ROAD RII W