Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-03-04
PUBLIC OPINION
BONUS FOR EX.sERvICE MEN

EDITOR EVENING w
The much discussed bonus ques-
ton brought forth a cartoon in one
of the big New York dailies. headed
do you remember away back when
the people stood on the sidewalks
and cheered the boys as they
marched away and SAID Ihese
lads have earned a debt OF erati-
tude we can never repay It's a
part of this same crowd who today
are raising the cry against "Ad'
iusted Compensation" and who
brand all those in favor of the bill
as sellers of their patriotism
Why? When the financier. cap
tain of industry. etc., sold thei SER
vices to the government for 81 per
year and incidentally let them.
selves and their friends in on all
the fat contracts let by the govern
ment did anyone accuse them oil
'selling their patriotism? Whei
the bankers and spectators raised
the cost of living and lowered the
value Of the liberty bond which a
sacrificing public bought to assist
their country in her time or need,
did anyone accuse them OF pronts
first and patriotism afterward!
The ex-service man or WOMAN does
Mt want to be classed with these
and yet we can still remember tne
patriots they were considered III
those days.
No ex-service man wants a "bo'
nus" nor would he accept one. nc
do so would place him on q par
with the civilian employe OF the
government, the shipyard worker
and munition worker who was palo
a .sbonus'' or a 'Sratuity" for do
ing his bit" in winning the war for
which the ex-gob or eX-dougnpoy
was paid 81 a day subject to deduc-
tions for allotments. insurance, UNI
forms. etc. What he does want ana
Justly SO is an adjustment OF com
p%ensation to help overcome tne
economic handicap he suffered ihci'
dent to his military or naval SER
vice. That is what the American
Legion's Adjusted Compensation biil
before Congress means ana that IL
what it's intended it te
mean. The misnomer of a bonus
was fastened to it by paid propa'
| gandists of the National Chamber
of Commerce war protiteers, mos
| of the press and by a few misguid'
| ed ex-servlce men who, unknowins'
| ly PGI
| used by those interests. 49,,
No sane person would sell MI
| privileges of wearing a service u
ton for all the money IN the treas
ury today, much less Tor the lev
| dollars allowed him under the Ad'
| iusted Compensation Act. But h'
| doesn't see why he should be penal
ICED for having worn the .. ~, o.
| Navy Blue, Every allied country
recognized the justice OF ADJUSTED
| compensation for ex-service mel
| and women and paid them liberia
| amounts in addition to unempioy'
ment pensions Of from $6S to 81
| per month. And that, mind yot
| with money borrowed from the taa
payers of the United States.
The government was quick TO rec
ognize it's indebtedness to certain
groups resulting from war losses
in transportation cancelled con
tracts and contracts merely Implied
The former contracts so far nave
cost the government several billioni
of dollars and the latter around
five hundred millions. II gave in'
railroads one billion dollars withiI
the past year and paid out TO TN
Ship Corporation over three plliiohi
of dollars since the signing OF th'
Armistice. At the same time ina
President Harding asked for q re
commitment of the Adjusted Com
~pensation bill he asked Congress u
appropriate one billion dollars fol
farmers aid. In other words, Tn
burden of after the war adjust
ment incurred or supposed 10 %
Incurred by industries railroads
farmers. etc. was distributed in tax
alton by the government and borne
upon the backs of all the people %
the country. Isn't II asking 'o'
much that the one class still unrec
ognized-the ex-service men ant
commensurate be compeileu y
carry their handicap alone? True. !
NAV be argued that the RAILROADS
and farmers are the backbone OF TN
nation but what better investmen
could the country make than by set
ting upon his feet financially IN
man who today is struggling unoel
conditions brought about by MS Sc
vice to his country. Few people uI'
derstand that the Adjusted Compeh
sation bill carries with It anythinl
other than a cas- payment fron
PERSONAL observation not twenty
five per cent of those entitled u
Ienefts under the bill would ask 10
this option. Most of the money woui'
be invested in homes, farms or II
Vocational training and woui'
eventually return to the country "a
n whole in a better and more con
tented people and a weaithier ma
ton.
Much has been said of the care 0
the disabled as first claim upon tn
nation. This has been and AWAY
will be the first thought OF tn
American Legion. Don't forget tina
every law written into the statut'
A. ..otnofion Of fhasI