The New York herald., 1922-02-18
LEGION TO INSIST
ON CASH FEATURE
j. T. Taylor, Legislative
Agent, Declares debt
Must Be Paid
Special Dispatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Wash1upfcn Feb

New York Herald Bureau
Washington ID. c.. Feb. II.
Elimination of the cash bonus from
the general soldier bonus. or adjusted
compensation" bill. as proposed by Sen
ator Calder On. Y.) and other Senators.
VIII be opposed by the American Legion,
John Thomas Taylor, vice-cha,rman Of
the legion's legislative committee, said
to-day.
Senator Calder favors passage of the
bill so far as it provides for paid up
insurance. land allotments and other
benefits for ex-service men. But he
would eliminate the cash bonus by
amendment.
THE legion is for the bill as it stands
including the cash bonus. The legion
has always been for it. The legion
wrote it. The legion sees no reason to
| change its attitude" said Mr.. Taylor
to-day. 1.-The argument that the pay
ment of cash bonus will in the long
run have an evil economic effect upon
the country and particularly upon the
eX-service men is ridiculous.
Nine hundred thousand service men
are unemployed. Many are almost pen
niless. cash bonus will put them on
their feet and give them a chance to
start afresh. 1t will be n benefit in
stead of an evil for the country.
Payment OF cash bonus by the
Government viii have tendency TO re-
vve business. 1T will result in more
buying and selling. The opportunity
will be given to ex-service men to get
back their courage and get on their feet
to win in the battle to establish them
selves in the same circumstances they
were before the war upset their lives.
THE adjusted compensation bill is
debt the country owes the men who
made the sacrifices to save it when IL
was in danger. 1t is only right that
the Government should see to it that
each one of these men be returned
to the same condition he was in before
the war. No man should be penalized
because he served his country while
others remained at home and mace
money.
"It is not the province of the Ameri-
| can Legion to tell Congress or the Gov
ernment how the money for the bonus
shall be obtained. When the Govern
mept made settlements of war contracts
which IL had Cancelled and on which
the holders had done absolutely no work
nor been to any expense, did these re-
cipients of Government funds undertake
to explain how the money should be OBJ
tanned. The answer, of course, is no.
The war contractors put in their bills.
The Government paid them No ques-
ton was raised. 1t Is no concern of tho
Legion nor Of the eX-service men where
the Government gets the money.
"It is clear however. that the Gov
ernment owes debt to the ex-service
man. Tt is q debt that should and
must be paid
'rThe Legion refuses to be drawn into
a controversy which is a side issue as
to how the money shall be raised and
what kind,of taxes shall be laid to cover
it. This is intended only to camouflase
| the issue.
"The American Legion wrote the Ad-
justed Compensation bill in reply to a
| request from the national legislators.
| They asked for suggestions as to what
| should be done to insure Justice to ex-
| service men. The Adjusted Compensa-
| ton bill was intended as the answer to
that request for SUGGESTIONS