Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-01-25
EDGERTON OPPOSES
BILL PROVIDING FOR
4 SOLDIERS BONUS
Tells Wilmington Manufacture
ers it Will be Launched at
Republican Caucus.
APPEALS FOR ITS DEFEAT


tional House Of Representatives, at
Washington, will caucus tomorrow
night and agree on Soldiers Bonus
bill, which the House will undoubtedly
pass, John Edgerton OF Lebanon,
Tenn. president OF the National Man
ufacturers and Employers Associa-
tion. told 10 members and guests of
the Wilmington Manufacturers and
Employers Association Mt its dinner
In the du Barry room OF the Hotel
du Pont last night
Mr.. Edgerton is also president OF
the National Industrial Council, presf-
dent Of the Tennessee Manufacturers
and Employers Association and presi-
dent of the Lebanon Wooden Mills
/ S'The Soldiers Bonus bill Is n purely
political proposition, and there is no
demand for 1t except from soldier poll
ticians," Mr.. Edgerton said. "A ma
| jority OF the american soldiers who
fought in France do not want n bonts.
The American Legion has warned
| members OF the House that they will
bes In political danger II the bill Is not
passed, and the House will pass II as
n concession to political eNpedieney.
i From an economic standpoint passing
the bill will be the worst thing pos
sible for the soldiers, because they
; will have to pay for It in months of
idleness. 1t will appropriate $780,
100000, which will be paid In annual
, installments OF $500, 900, 900. How will
the money be obtained? That has not
Z been definitely decided, but 1t is UNI
| -. l..
, asked to pay It. l do not see how they
? can do so. The result win be disas-
trous. Offering pay for patriotism will
insult true soldier. In all my travels
/ l have not met citizen who thinks
f the bill should be passed. The United
;. States army Is the whole nation, and
: taxing one section to pay another Sec
ton is ubiquitous. There Ia only one
way TO defeat the bill, and that Is by
convincing Congress passage of the
a bill will reverse the House majority
= All of our machinery has been started
= in opposition TO the bill by an appeal
a put on the wires tonight to get busy
5 Citizens have been asked to food Con-
e gress with kilograms saying industrial
n plants will close If the bill is passed
Wire your Senators and Representa-
. tive in Congress--do not send simpl,
e protest, but wlreta vigorous message
e telling them voting for the bin vii
a adversely affect their political future
l. Cornelius ID. Garrettson, prcsiden
: of the Wilmington Manufacturers ans
= Employers Association, who preside,
e at the dinner. stated that organizatio,
IL no ,not xx.ir nAla ny<af
e Senators and Representative not onl,
y by letter, but orally.
Mr.. Edgerton's theme was "Op
portunities and Responsibilities O
American Manufacturers" He sal
manufa cturers. notwithstanding ma
tional problems are almost entirel
: economic, send lawyers unacQuafnte
h with such problems to Congress- an
: generally pick the worst man. Manu-
!, facturers who go to the national CAPT
e tai are looked at with suspicion, an
: their motives are challenged. he stated
u They are suspected OF having som
connection with crooked, big business
He urged breaking down the barrie
that separates government and In
dustry. If manufacturers persisted
he thought most of the problem
II would vanish overnight. Most or tn
Y ills are due TO manufacturers neglec
he declared. Manufacturers subm
y problems TO persons least capable {
solving them.
Asserting there was nothing mar
velous In the situation OF the la:
four years or in the present situation
Mr.. Edgerton cited $450000, 900 ,o(
spent in the World War. the loss {
" 10 100000 human lives and the tran.
fer of 50,000,000 persons to other az
tivities and remarked that it is M
strange that the world has just starts
to recover from the catastrophe. Il
mentioned that the United States hs
an invested capital of 5000, 900 900, 90
fe an annual net income of s60,000,000
600, one-fourth. of the products of II
world, one-third of manufacturer
products, one-half OF the mineral proc
ucts, one-half of the fuel and one-ha
- of the gold supply and said the matte
should not be discouraged. All ayr
that there is better feeling now thu
u Is months ago, he stated. The wor
81 - has happened. he said, SO go 10 VOL
L with the belief that nothing more ser
IL Gus will occur.
r. Mr.. Edgerton thought transport;
ton is one OF the greatest problem
4. and predicted it will not be selv'
III soon. He stated there will be no pc
L sibility of solution until the opera
CO ing costs of the railroads are reduce
. Saying body In Chicago determin
G. costs and a body at Washington d
termines income, he held that the raj
x roads ara still largely regulated