The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1922-03-01
THE REDWOOD GAZETTE REDWOOD FALLS MINNESOTA

cialized Heroism and devotion are not measured
by dollars. Many good soldier must look upon
this attempt at adequate compensation" as re-
Election upon him. He gave his all-not for pay
or pride, but for his people and mankind 70 be
little that to set up a>doarstandard, IS to break
down his inner feeling of worthiness. And MS
countrvmen must ask themselves this question, II
the giving of this bagatelle for it is nothing more
to corrode the satisfaction Of the soldier, is to
commercialize what he did in the eyes of his peers
| in the civil life that now follows, will not the
abonus" merely pave the way for future demands
| made upon the basis of discrimination in kind OF
service rendered and upon the broad ground OF
| pensions compel the Treasury of other years to
make other attempts at adjusted compensation!
| And not alone is the soldier to be thought OF
in this day and hour. These four or five millions
of men, however true and fine and brave they
were, are but a small part of our population
Heavy are the debts that hang over us ALL Up
pressive are the taxes that now, though uneveniy
fall upon all. There is disordered business here
and everywhere. Representatives OF many peo-
pies, our own included are tensely occupied IN
making the income and outgo of governments bal
ance. The power to tax is the power to destroy.
Business halts and hesitates, knowing not what
lies in the near future. Investment in new enter
prises is at low ebb. The profits of business
that should be prosperous but is not, taken away
in taxes and poured into a void created by the
waste of war, can add naught to employment or
the payment of wages and salaries. At such
time new debt Of from two to five billions is
serious matter to the millions who now live and
must live by the sweat Of the brow.
1t is conceivable that much nation may
IT. - ID
out injustice to the greater number of civilians.
Secretary Mellon, in his recent letter to Chairman
Fordney of the House Ways and Means Commit
tee, renewed his previous protest, and pointed out
that bonus" would seriously disarrange our
governmental financing. The President in his
letter of this week does the same thing. Secre-
tary Mellon also declares that the proposal that
funds be obtained by using principal or interest
of the debt owing the United States by the Allied
Powers is impracticable, and "would enormously
complicate the international situation without in
the end removing the burden from the taxpayer"
Surely, everyone must see, the mere refunding |
of huge foreign debt, on long time with interest
deferred, if not by permission, then by force of
inability Of payment, has real relation to the ,
financing Of this project.
Let the matter be looked at calmly and judi |
cialy. The entrance of politics would be dis
grace The soldiery of a country must not be !
paid" and by that discharged from further
memory. The people who did not fight because
they were not concripted are not therefore the
slaves Of those who did. Peace is not furthered
by the existence through the generations of
pensioned class. Debts are not paid by heaping
upon them other debts Taxes are not made
equable and just by forcing them to seek devious
ways. Business is not helped by new complica-
tons and interferenees. Militarism is not BAN
ished by unduly bowling down to the soldier of
bound to be the civilian of to-day. f
Fear that is fruitful in cowardly and constructing
legislation will not conduce to tranquility and
prosperity A bonus must be paid for by toll,
and it may start evils unknown j.
Editors Note: The above article which ap-
peared in recent New York publication, is pu-
blished in it's entirety here at the suggestion of
a local Legionaire who in the overseas ser ,
vice. He states the article expresses his views
exactly and he is confident other members of
Melvin Daskam Post have the same understand
ing Of the bonus question