The New York herald., 1922-08-25


MIR. President this is not merely a
question of paying these gallant boys
They served their country well, and
know they are ready to serve their coun-
try well In the years to come. They are
the men who are now becoming the
sustaining pillars of the country's
strength. not in war. but in peace; not
In arms, but in the civil fabric of our
Government and its great principles.
They are the men who must shape the
course of the nation in years TO come.
They are the men who must be respon-
sible in the future for the safety ana
happiness of the nation.
IF we contract this Indebtedness un-
der the pending bill. which Is estimated
by some to amount to $4,000, 100000
and by others to amount to $1,000. .000.-
900, 1t is not merely as the years go by
the burden of this indebtedness OF those
men who served as soldiers and to
whom we are to give the money now.
They will have to pay 1t in the years to
come, with interest piled on interest as
the years go by. So far as I am con-
the years go by. So far as ! am con-
cerned. II l voted for a bonus bill at all
l should prefer to vote for one which
would let this generation pay the tax
rather than put 1T on the soldiers in the
future. as this bill now pending does.
II think in ordinary fairness II we are
going to pay these men we should let the
men who have earned the money to-day
or during the war pay it instead of
sending 1t on into the years to come for
those who are prosperous among our sol
dier men to pay 1t out of our future
prosperity.
THAT. however. is not the main point
that l wish to impress on those who are
kind enough to listen to my great objec,
tion to this bill. The first principle we
must have in mind in serving our coun-
try and our Government Is our country S
safety for the future.
what does the future hold? / hope
there may never be another war have
used every effort / could when the OPP
portunity presented itself to insure the
guarantee Of peace in order that we may
put wars behind u.s. make them difficult
of attainment avoid them for long6 r
periods of time. Successful war to-day
must be carried on with men. with In
dustrial organs and with credit. Nc
Government can carry in its Golfers suffi-
cient gold to fight war.
To-day, Mr.. President, we owe over
s22, 900, 100000 and it is proposed by
this bill to increase that Indebtedness
by $4,000. 600 900 or $1,000, 200, 900
more. l think $1,000, 900, 900 is nearer
the mark than $4,000, ,000,0 At any
rate, 1t is proposed to increase the
present Indebtedness by passing this bill
and making the aggregate nearer $30,-
600. .000, 900 than $4,000. .000.0 900. What
effect will that have on the national
defense? 1t may be said that the
American people are patriotic, that they
will again respond to their country's
call.
Had Untapped Reserves.
"It must be borne in mind that when
the American people went into their
pockets and bought bonds to the extent
of S25, 900, ,000.0 600 they had the untapped
reserves at hand-their earnings for the
decades that were past. / do not mean
a few rich men here and there, because
il they had given their all 1t would not
have amounted to much In the great
reservoir Of credit we had at our COM
mand.
"The world war was not fought with
the dollars of the millionaires, 1t was
fought with the dollars of the great
masses of the American people. the
people who gave their hundreds and their
thousands to carry their country's flag
to victory.
Does any man imagine that II we
had owed an indebtedness of between
S25. 900, 0O0, 900 and $50. .000, 900, 900 when
we declared war against Germany in
April, 1917. we could have raised the
money to built fleet to carry our sol
diers across the sea. to build. the guns.
- . n,xt 70 II
the money without thought and without
counting the cost in order to accom-
plish the miracle of the age by putting
100000 men in France, 5000 miles
from home, within the space of n little
over a year? 1t would not have been
possible If 1t had not been that the credit
of our country was virgin credit and not
turdened with vast Indebtedness.
Il say the hour has come for the
nations safety, the safety of the flu
ture. when men who hold responsible
ity in public life must bear in mind that
ii is not merely a question of taxation
when we expend money. but question
of preserving the safety OF our nation.
You may say that this does not apply
only to a soldiers compensation BILL but
applies to other matters. 1t applies
equally to all other expenditures as well
as this bill.
This bill Is providing for an indebt-
edness far greater than all others put
together, an Indebtedness that will grow.
If these soldier men of ours realize the
position which this bill will put them
in In a decade from now, when they
come to the commanding rank in life. |
do not believe that they themselves
would approve of the bill which has for
its purpose to pay from $4,000. 100000 TO
1000, 900, 900 to men who came home
whole and without injury. ] do not be-
lieve they would approve of 1t.
"They came back home wearing the
crown of a great Republic. They have
rendered a service, Mr.. President. that
you and 1 might be glad to lay down
the honors the American people have
granted us to say that we had served
on the battlefields of France, the highest
honor that can come to any man."
The brief speech of Senator Wads-
worth. who followed Mr.. Underwood. was
devoted entirely to commenting on a
statement made by Senator McCumoer
in opening the debate over the bonus
bill yesterday. The North Dakota SEN
ator specuated on the probable attitude
OF bonus beneficiaries in the event of a
further call for their services to the
country.
Senator wadsworth Speaks.
His statement provoked Senator Wads-
worth TO say:
What is the only inference that may
be drawn from that portion of the ad-