The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-04
THE BONUS ACTION

Editor, Topeka State Journal:
1 am enclosing carbon copy of a
letter which have sent TO President
Harding on the so-called bonus
question. I believe this represents the
sentiment of the majority of ex-serv-
ice men and would appreciate if you
could see your way to printing it,
without my name, as an expression of
attitude from the rank and file of
ex-service men.
Yours truly,
EARL R. REINOEHL,
1907 Fillmore st.
Topeka, Kan. Sept. 27, 1922.
The President, White House.
Sir: As an American 1 read with con-
your reasons for vetoing the adjusted com
pensation bill. You state that you are in
full accord with the purpose of the bill.
You also state that "a pence bestowaI on
of public funds" Flow do you reconcile
these. two statemsntss- Mr.. President. Are
peryersion of public funds
You state that to distribute 1-6 of the
total sum Of the public debt among less
establish the precedent of distributing the
public funds whenever the proposal and
the number affected make it seem 20
litically appealing to do So" Your atti-
tude, Mr. President, in accusing the great
body of ex-service men of begging and
politically whining for a gratuitous bogus
is surely not n true index of your int&li-
gence and patriotism.
Your statement that the ex-service man
already has received all the compensation
that is due him is either an unintentionaI
mistake or else conclusion reached with
out the exercise of just and calm reason
ing. You should be fully aware, M.
President, that the pay of the service men
was economically far below all other work
ers during the war. The mere fact that
the men served for $50 a month and as
you say expected nothing more is no
criteriGns that these mems time was worth
no more. Your attitude would establish
the precedent that in future men do ex-
actly what capital always had done-thdt
is, do nothing for country until assured by
contract that handsome profit would be
forthcoming.
Mr.. President, the ex-service men are
not asking for bonus" Your persistent
use Of this word, it would seem has been
with the deliberate intent of creating ami
mostly toward the whole plan Of adjusted
compensation. Your insinuation that the
ex-service men are demanding a bonus
above what is justly due them from so
ciety for their time and service spent for
their country is an insult to their pa
triotism. You state that tho undying graft
tude is the need Of every one who served,
1t is not to be said that a material bestowal
is an obligation to those who emerged
from the great conflict not only unframed
but physically, mentally and spiritually
richer for the great experience" You did
not speak, Mr.. President, of the gain
these men made economically. This ad-
justed compensation bill as you well know,
is a feeble attempt to partly recompense
these men for their economic loss Your
ically. mentally and spiritually is open to
question and is manifestly a subject that
any one who was not in the service is I'M
are entirely irrelevent: The question is
simply this-is the government, which SO
generously backed the inflated war prices
of every member of society outside of those
in the army, navy or marine corps, willing
to see the men who served in the armed