Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-02-17

NEW YORK, Feb. Ex-senator Jones
of New Mexico on the floor Of Congress
said ''75, 900 ex-service men in New York
are now patronizing the charitable soup
houses there"
Andrieus Aristieus Jones, before he en-
tered the United States Senate served q
term as mayor Of his home town, Las
Vegas, New Mexico, where he was q prac-
tictng attorney. He later was a United
States district attorney in the sage brush
country. But when he talks Of eondl-
lions in New York City-well, his state
ment Is so astounding that it challenged
attention, and personal inquiry.
In West Twenty Sixth street. & few
doors from Tenth avenue, is q six-story
building, formerly a distillery which is
one Of three temporary shelters opened
three months ago by the city Of New
York and operated by the Salvation
Army. This principal shelter is in charge
Of Capt. Joseph E. Daubert, who was in
France for the Salvation Army with the
18th Division.
1--WE cater to ex-servtce men here,
he said, "and have set aside the third
floor for them with ex-Sergt James Nc
Loughlin Of the Goth Division in charge
Since Nov. II this shelter has afforded
relief to 1879 men, one-fourth OF whom
our records show were ex-service men
The average ex-service man either bedded
or mealed Is $50 nightly"
Maj. e. O. Underwood Of the Salvation
Army, who was in France, having charge
of the Salvation Army workers with the
A. E. F., is chairman Of Mayor Hylan's
committee on housing and relief. He
said all ex-service men were being fed
and bedded until they get on their feet
no restriction being placed on the time
they use the facilities Of the city. One
Of his assistants placed the total number
of ex-service men receiving assistance
from the city since early in November
at three temporary shelters at $500 and
the nightly average about 250.
The citys temporary shelter at South
Ferry is under the auspices Of the Sea
mems Institute, while the third shelter
occupying the Amity> street police sta
ton in Brooklyn, is in charge Of Capt.
James Bartlett who also was in France
for the Salvation Army with the Ameri-
can forces, Independent of the city the
Salvation Army has its own shelters,
with an aggregate capacity for loo
homeless, where the ex-service percent
age has been running about Is per cent
Then there are the Rescue Missions
in the Bowery and Chinatown. and sew
eral churches that feed and house wan
derers for a night Their total is con-
siderably under the homeless cared for
by the city and Salvation Army. Sitting
down the work Of relief. it is a safe esti-
mate that 1000 hungry eI-service men
is much nearer the truth than the $4,000
talked about on the floor Of Congress.
The facts are indeed surprising when
secured by contact with real conditions.
Senator Jones doubtless obtained his
figures from some ardent bonus" bill
advocate who picked them out Of the
air.
The bonus" is upon the tip Of every
tongue in New York City, being argued
in clubs, on bus tops, IN the subways and
in offices. Everywhere there is rising
anger at the proposal Of politicians 10
load the billions it will cost upon the
country. In many minds there is con
fusion between the proposed bonus"
to able-bodied men, the majority Of
whom were drafted, and the pensioning
Of disabled soldiers. I personally know
five ex-service men who told me that
they would not accept a bonus" for the
reason that they came out Of the war
uninjured and were proud Of the op-
po1Lunty tnaI come 10 them OF serving
their country. The last survivor Of the
American War Of the Revolution was
Daniel F. Bakeman, who died April 5,
1883, aged 100 years and months, with
out having received bonus" None Of
his comrades of Bunkerhll, Valley
Forge, Battle Of Harlem, and the Siege
Of Yorktown, ever applied for bonuses
for their services in helping make a
place Of refuge for the ancestors of the
present generation Of ''bonus-hunters."