The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-09-20
HARDING PLACES
VETO ON SOLDIER
BONUS MEASURE
CONTINUED from Page one)

NSOntinuC0 from rage Oue)
Grams OF the World war and for other
purposes
with the avowed purpose of the
bill to give expression of a nations
gratitude to those who served in its
defense in the World war, / am in
accord, but to Its provisions I do not
subscribe. The United States never
VIII cease to be grateful, it cannot
and never will cease giving express
sion to that .gratitude.
In legislating for what is called
adjusted compensation, Congress
failed first of all to provide the rev
enue from which the bestowal Is to
be paid Moreover. it establishes the
very dangerous precedent of Great
ing n treasury covenant to paw,
which puts a burden variously es-
timated between four and five bill
lions, upon the American people, aot
to discharge an obligation, which
their government always must pay.
but to bestow a bonus which the so, :
diers themselves while serving in The
World war did not expect.
Admits Obligation
ut is not to be denied that the
nation has certain very binding OBJ
legations to those of its defenders
who made real sacrifices in the
World war and who left the armies
injured, disabled or diseased so that
they could not resume their places
in the normal activities of life. These
obligations are being gladly and gem
erously met. Perhaps here and there
are inefficiencies and injustices and
come distressing instances OF neg
leot. but they are all unintentional
and every energy Is being directed 20
their earliest possible correction.
In meeting this obligation there
Is no complaint about the heavy
cost In this current fiscal year we
are expanding $510.oo0.000 on hospi-
talization. and care of the sick
and wounded, on compensation and
vocational training for the disabled
and for insurance. The figures do
not include the more than S35, 000,-
600 in process of expenditures on
hospital construction.
Tho estimates for the years to
follow are approximately $470, 000,-
600 and the figures may need to be
made larger. Though the peak in
disqualification may nave passed,
there is a growth in rehabilitation
and the discharge in full of our OBJ
legations to the diseased, disabled or
dependent who have a right to the
governments care, with insurance
liability added, will probably reach
a total sum in excess of $25, 900, 900.
More than $4,000 veterans are now
enrolled In some of the 445 differ
ent courses in vocational training.
Fifty-four thousand or them are in
schools and colleges. more than 49,
900 are in industrial establishments
and n few more than 5000 are being
IN, hry
veterans bureau.
approximately 1900 have COM
pieted their courses and have en-
ployment In all cases where they
desire 1t, and $4,000 have deferred
for tho present time their acceptance
of training. The number eligible
under the law may reach close to
100000 and facilities will continue
to be afforded, unmindful of the nee
essary cost. until every obligation
Is fulfilled.
1.-TWO hundred and seventy-six
thousand patients have been hos
pitalized, more than quarter of a
million discharged and 25,s7s pa
tients are In our hospitals today.
-Four hundred and sixteen thou
sand awards OF compensation have
been made on account of death or
disability ana StoV,VVV,VVu nave poem
paid to disabled men or their de-
pendent relatives. Ono hundred and
seventy-five thousand disabled ex-
service men are now receiving COM
pensation along with medical or
hospital care where needed and
quarter of ambition checks go out
monthly in distributing the eight
million dollar payment on indispu-
table obligations
II reche the figures to remind the
Congress how generously and how
properly It has opened the treasury
doors to discharge the obligations of
the nation to those to whom 1t in
disputably owes compensation and
care. Though undying gratitude Is the
need of every one who served, 1t Is
not to be said that material be-
stowal Is an obligation to those who
emerged from the great conflict not
only unframed but physically. men
tally and spiritually richer for the
great experience. II an obligation
were to be admitted. It would be to
charge the adjusted compensation
bill with inadequacy and stinginess
wholly unbecoming our republic.
Such bestowal to be worth while.