The New York herald., 1922-02-19

gram for continuing their fight. They
undoubtedly will present some plan TO
Mr.. Fordney-which means the House
Ways and Means Committee-eariy
next week. Up to date the most popu-
lar theorycis that the vexatious situa-
ton justifies resort to any means to
put through a bonus raid, whether it
carries a financial feature or not.
burden ON Fordney.
The fact of the matter is that there
scheme for doing so that will hold
water. Chairman F'ordney's promise
to raiders that a bonus bill will be re-
ported to a caucus of Republican Rep
resentatives within the next ten days
has put the burden of constructing an
acceptable measure squarely up to
him. He has become the leader of the
bonus fight in both houses, to all in
tents and purposes.
The worried and helpless Represen-
tatives who have committed them
selves to vote for bonus measure are
depending upon Mr.. Fordney to make
good. They. are perfectly willing to
give him all of the credit for leading
the way out of the fog Of uncertainties
and helplessness in which they find
themselves; also they are equally will
ing to place the blame for failure di-
rectly upon his shoulders.
The officials of the American Legion
did not make any attempt to-day to
answer the balance sheet published in
THE NEW YORK HERALD to-day show
ing TIE vast amount of money already
expended by the Government in caring
for the wounded and disabled soldiers
who actually served on foreign battle
fields. The statement. which was pre-
pared by the War Veterans Bureau,
showed that up to date the people of
the nation have expended $1,541,447,-
1872 in caring for men who are pkysi-
cally incapable of earning living.
More Aid for Disabled.
Vast and generous as has been the
provision made by the Government
for these men whose claims are un-
disputed it is more than likely that
supplementary appropriations will be
made on larger scale by the present
Congress. The charge of selfishness
made by the group of wounded vet
Grams wEo called on President Harding
the other day to protest against the
bonus has made deep impression on
the members of the two houses of
Congress.
The failure of the legion to keep its
promise to give preference to the ne
cessities of the sick and wounded VIC
Tins of the war has lad the effect of
inspiring the greatest sympathy for
the real victims of it. Regardless Of
the outcome Of the fight of the bonus
raid for the benefit of physically
capable men there is reason to believe
that generous provision will be made
for those whose pathetic needs have
been ignored by the professional
propagandists engaged in trying to
hold up the Government and the coun-
try on claims of questionable merit.
The sympathy OF the entire country
for the ailing and wounded soldiers
who are resolutely opposed to the
bonus raid has been one of the most
striking and unexpected DEVELOPMENTS
of the conflict now raging in Congress.
Pleas for the wounded.
Almost every protest received against
the bonus raid contains plea to make
the most generous provision for the
poor fellows confined to hospitals or
rendered physically incapable of caring
for themselves by the atrocities of Ger
man militarism. A bill carrying a sub
stantial amount for the further relief
of these heroes certainly will be passed
after the controversy over the bonus
raid has been settled.
Figures compiled by the Government
show that during the world war Ameri-
can soldiers were far better paid than
were those of any other country. Dur
ing the nineteen months period in
which the United States was engaged
in the European conflict the amounts
paid to the soldiers in the allied armies
were as follows:
The United States, $50 Great Brit
ain. $13S.70; New Zealand, s13s.70:
South Africa. s13S.70; Italy. sS3.06;
France, $27.55; Russia, s7.41; Canada
paid a monthly rate equivalent to that
OF the United States, and Australia
paid it's enlisted men Gall volunteers)
$3.50 a month.