Evening star., 1922-09-20

| tic bShds lOalo"S
: To the House of Representatives:
Herewith is returned, without ap-
\ proyal H. r. 1924, a bill ito pro-
vide adjusted compensation for the
veterans of the world war. and for
other purposes"
n With the avowed purpose of the bill
to give expression of a nations graft
= tude to those who served in its de-
n fenses in the world war, l am in ac-
cord, but to its provisions ! do not
subscribe. The United States never
will cease to be grateful. 1T cannot
and never will cease giving express
sion to that gratitude.
In legislating for what is called ad
n justed compensation Congress fails,
first Of all, to provide the revenue
from which the bestowal is to be
+ paid. Moreover, it establishes the
very dangerous precedent of Great
ing a Treasury covenant to pay which
= puts burden, variously estimated
between four and five billions, upon
the American people, not to discharge
J an obligation, which the government
always must pay but to bestow a
bonus which the soldiers themselves,
| "bhC Sci WIS AL thS "oite "e-ip oiu
not expect
1t is not to be denied that the ma
n tion has certain very binding obliga-
:. tions to those Of it's defenders who
made real sacrifices in the world war,
and who left the armies injured, dis
n abled or diseased, SO that they could
not resume their places in the normal
= activities of life. These obligations
n are being gladly and generously met.
+. Perhaps there are here and there
!. inefficiencies and injustices, and some
distressing instances Of neglect, but
n they are all unintentional, and ev-
:. cry energy is being directed to their
= earliest possible correction. In
meeting this obligation there is no
I. complaint about the heavy cost. In
the current fiscal year we are ex-
u pending $510.o00.000 on hospitaliza-
n tion and care of sick and wounded,
:. on compensation and vocational
training for the disabled. and for in
surance. The figures do not include
n the more than s35,O00.000 In process
Of expenditure on hospital construc-
tion.
n The estimates for the year to follow
are approximately s470,00o,OOo. and the
figures may need to be made larger
Though the peak in disqualification may
n have passed, there is growth IN
domicilization. and the discharge In
n full of our obligations to tire diseased,
n disabled or dependent who have right
to the governments care, with insur-
ance-liability added, will probably
n reach a total sum in excess of s25,000,-
~ 100000.
II Vast Vocational Training.
q More than $4,000 veterans are now
n enrolled in some of the 445 different
- courses in vocational training. Fifty
four thousand of them are in schools or
= colleges. more than $4,000 are in N
n dustrial establishments. and a few more
THAN 5000 are being trained In schools
. operated by the Veterans Bureau.
n Approximately 10000 have completed
- their courses and have employment in
all cases where they desire it. and
s.. 900 have deferred for the present
~ time their acceptance OF training. The
number eligible under the law may
y roach close to 400 900. and facilities will
n continue to be afforded. unmindfui OF
= the necessary cost, until every obliga-
" tion is fulfilled.
1 Two hundred and seventy-six thou
- sand patients have been hospitaliZed.
more than a quarter of a million dis
II charged and 25,67S patients are in our
n hospitals today.
Four hundred and sixteen thousand
y awards of compensation have been
N made on account of death or disability,
- and $3.50, 100000 have been paid to dis
= abled men or their dependent relatives.
n One hundred and seventy-five thousand
=. disabled ex-service men are now re-
ceiying compensation along with medi-
y cal or hospital care where needed. and
a quarter of a million checks go out
monthly in distributing the eight-mil-
u lion-dollar payment on indisputable
obligations.
ii / recite the figures to remind the
Congress how generously and how
j properly it has opened the Treasury
- doors to discharge the obligations of
the nation to those to whom 1t indis-
y putabfy owes compensation and care;
II Though undying gratitude is the NEED
- of every one who served. 1t is not to
- be said that a material bestowal is
D an obligation to those who emerged
- from the great conflict not only un-
harmed, but physically. mentally and
spiritually richer for the great expe-
n rience. If an obligation were to be
admitted. II would he to charge the
u adjusted compensation bill with in
adequacy and stinsineSS wholly unbe-
looming our republic. $50
g. Such a bestowal. to be worth while,
= must be generous and without apology
= Clearly the bill returned herewith taxes
c,gnizance OF the inability OF the gov
n erninent wisely to bestow. and says, IN
substance I'VE do not have the cash'
n we do not believe in a tax levy 20 meet
the situa ton but here is our note; you
NAV have our credit for half its worth
This Is not compensation. but rather
nledee by the Congress, while the ex-
ecutiye branch of the government is
u left to provide for payments falling lr
4. eyerincrea sing amounts.
Definite Cost Not Fixed.
When the bill was under consideration
in the House / expressed the convictior
II that any grant Of bonus ought to pro.
vide the means of paying it, and l wa:
u unable to suggest any plan other thar
n that of a general sales tax. Such plar
was unacceptable to the Congress. ant
u the bill has been enacted without ever
n a suggested means of meeting the cost
Indeed the cost is not definitely known
n either for the immediate futufe or II
: the ultimate settlement.
Ty estimates DaSeO