Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-06-07
ATTORNEY GENERAL PROMISES
THEY WILL BE INDICTED
AND PROSECUTED.
"BlG MEN, TO BE UNDER FIRE
Proceedings Against These Characters
VII Rave Considerable Eject on
the Legislation to Pay = Bonus to
Those VINO Fought.

from the Department OF Justice that
oil tie tassuse OI a bill for ala addi-
uOuai grand jury Tor the District OF Co
iuubid, cases which nave been pre-
pared against alleged wartime prob
teers Wiil be taken up Tor indictment
and Tor the prosecution OF Tie IL
uIcted.
For weeks charges were made free
~ tlat the Department OF Justice was
u lagsurd IA lis attempts Ia set AT the
prOnteers. The matter was taken up
Ia congress aud direct charges against
the department We're made by some
Republican representatives. and of
course the Democrats have been max
mg capitai out of the controversy.
a promise of prosecution and
statement II what has been done were
made 10y tie attorney general in a let
ter 10 the president. The direct word
is that sOIrse of the big ONES OF earth
will bee under the lire of the courts be-
fore much time has elapsed.
The fate of the Dill for bonus for
the former service men is perhaps In
some measure dependent upon what
happens 20 the proiiIeers or 10 the men
alleged TO be such. IL there had
been no profteering during the war.
there probably would have been 10
demand for bonus from veterans of
the World war; The majority In the
senate today is trying To figure out
some means of providing what Is
equivalent TO cash bonus and doing
IL in such a way that il will receive
the Presidential sanction. Ii develop
ments prove that men IN business life
most active In opposition 10 the bonus
prohted largely al the expense Of the
government during the war, II seems
likely that opposition 10 tie cash pay
ments To the veterans will melt away
like a snow on southern slope under
IA spring sun.
no Politics in the Bonus.
OF course the fact that some men
prohteered during the war; did their
government out of money and en-
riched themselves AT the expense of
the taxpayers does not in itself form
AN excuse for the calling upon the tax
payers to pay more money, but IL sup
plies the human reason for the de-
mand of the ex-service men that they
get bonus. aud Il also supplies rea-
son why the men asking for the bonus
get considerable sympathy from the
people tor their demand.
Members of the lower house who
voted In favor Of the bonus have told
your correspondent that they Co not
believe that vote for or against the
bonus will have any political effect
one way or the other. These members
said they thought men who voted
against the measure will get as much
voting benefit at the polls from Their
action as would come 10 men VINO
voted for the measure.
one OF these representatives, has
told me that he was moved 10 vote
for the bonus by the comparatively re-
cent action of certain great business
organizations Of the country which
came out In bitter opposition 70 the
uovment of anything to the former
service men.
This man said that n study OF the
parsopnel of the business Organiza-
lions showed him that large numher
of the memberships are held by men
who reaped financial harveSts from
Tho war. although he would not say
whether or not he thought all these
men actually were Intentional prom
teers. The representative added thal
onposition 10 the payment OF compara-
lively small sums of money 10 tue
men who served did not come win
good grace from men who did NOT
serve and who made large sums 81
money as a result of their business
activities during the war;
Many Charges by Both Parties.
The prohteering charges have been
nrovocative of all kinds of charges
against individuals and corporations In
nriyate life and against officials OF gov
eminent. Democrats and some RepuO-
lieens with them have charged that the
nresent administration has endeavored
,brourh its Department of Justice to
cover up some of the pronteerlng.
Many Republicans have declared. on
the contrary. that the Department Of
Justice has been az WORK uhe"''''l '''e
focts in the various cases. and that
when they are disclosed TO the public
view IL will be found that officials OF
the previous administration winked at
profiteering operations.
That there was prohteer.ng during
the war is known to every American.
Men who made fortunes out OF the
government contracts spent their &C
ouired riches in glazing living IN New
York city. and. in winter, at Florida
resorts and elsewhere. They haunted
their wealth. II Is said thar many
Of them since have gone broke NOT
being able 10 stand the prosperity
which suddenly came 10 them.
Bureau Transfer Controversy.
II is intended 70 transfer some
certain bureaus Of government ron
-. have