Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-03-12

productive options,
The insurance feature Of the
bill originated in the senate and is
considered by many to be the
most valuable and most likely to
appeal to the average veteran.
Any man who is not actually in
want will make every effort to
avail himself of this offer. If he
served 100 days in this country
and 200 days in France, his cash
compensation would be $3.50. But
he could waive cash and get an
endowment policy of value of
$1,183.
More than a hundred thousand
disabled men have aVailed them
selves of the vocational training
offered by the government, seeing
in it chance to better their con-
dition in life. The educational fea-
ture Of the compensation bill is
expected to appeal to thousands
of veterans who are not physic-
ally disabled. They will be given
tuition at accredited schools and
will be paid $1.25 a day while
studying, until they have received
140 per cent Of the amount due
them in cash The man who had
$3.50 coming to him in cash could
go to school for 1872 days, being
paid $L25 a day during that
period.
The same man could apply the
$3.50 due him, which is lao per
cent of the cash $3.50. toward pur-
chase OF an approved farm or city
nF ell l,tp1,af
also could be applied toward pay
ments on a farm or home already
purchased, or to pay Tor improve
ments.
If the veteran desires to aid In
settling undeveloped lands. the
fifth option of the bill will enable
him to do so. Provision is made
for the establishment o. reclama-
ton projects, for the development
and Improvement of vacant land,
This may be government land or
land purchased Ey the government.
So far as possible, these projects
will be located in every state. the
state paying part of the purchase
price of private lands bought for
this purpose. EX-serJ ice men are
to be employed on the projects as
far as possible. The bill also pro-
vidcs for the sale of farm units on
these projects when they are ready
for settlement, the sale price to in
clude the purchase price of the
land, plus the cost of improve
ments. Che terms to be part down
and the balance in forty years at
5 per cent interest.
The veteran can apply his ad-
justed service pay as first pay
ment on a farm in such a project. /
The value of this option alone to |
veteran, state and nation, is suffi-
cient to win approval for the en-
tire bill. In the first place. it goes
about retaining hitherto unpro-
ductive farm lands, benefiting in
dividual states and the nation. |
Then it provides work in the rec
for jobless men. Again,
It attracts to the farm young men
who have the pioneer instinct and
enables them to become productive
ON easy terms. II is the
most comprehensive reclamation
project yet advanced in the con-
gress and has won the support OF
factions that are inter-
ested in reclamation projects. The
would be under strict
supervision and in no sense rea!
estate speculation.
This is the bill the American
legion has been backing, but the
dea of compromising veterans of
he late war did not originate with
he legion. The legion was not in
,orporated until September 1G, I
1919, and its first national conven-
ion held November 10. II and u
If that year, and by that time fifty
i've bills already were pending in
he house, designed to compensate
,x-service men for the economic ,
handicap they had suffered as a
esult Of the service they had rem !
Tered their country.
Before the Minneapolis conVen- |
ion legion committee called upon {
Ir. Fordney, the chairman of the s
Iouse ways end means committee, I
nd discussed adjusted compensa- i
ion. 1t was the unanimous opin- /
on of legion officials at that time /
hat action should be deferred !
non any of the pending fifty-tive 8
measures until the eX-serVice men {
ad had q chance to express them
elves on the matter.
The subject was taken un at the
irst legion convention and the toll I
owing resolution adopted:
"Whereas the question of ad-
listed compensation, or extra pay
or service men and women. is now
ending before congress. and be-
ore acting thereon congress has {
hown the disposition to await the
lew of this convention upon the T
lbject; therefore, be it y
"Resolycd, That while the Amer n
AN legion was not founded for Y
ne purpose of promoting legisla- s.
on in its selfish interest yet it h
ecognizes that our government has C
n obligation to all service men f,
nd women to relieve the financial n
disadvantages incident to their il
Military serviCe-an obligation Il
econd only to that Of caring for N
lie disabled and for the widows b
nd orphans and of those who sac b
ficed their lives, and one already al
by our allies-but
le American legion feels that it +
lnnot ask for legislation in its
elfish interest and leaves with T
)nfidence to congress the dis 81
large OF this obligation" A
No further action was taken on c.
lie measure until February. 1920, fl
hen the national executive COM c.
littee OF the legion demanded of t
)ngress a bill paying $50 compen-
ltion for each month of service.
l March, 1920, the beneficial leg OF
lation committee of the legion W