The Washington times., 1922-10-03
.FOESOF BONUS
AIM TOCONTROL
LEGION OFFICES
Drive Begun to Place Admins
tration Friends in Command
of Veterans.
BY j. BART CAMPBELL,
international News Service.


A big drive by Administration sup
porters to kill the so-called soldiers
bonus issue by the election of a
new national commander opposed TO
adjusted compensation" ter cX-SerV'
ice men al the American Legion ma
tiOnal convention at New Orleans
TWO weeks hence was well under way
today.
IIanford MacNider, the present ma.
tional commander, and his aides in
the unsuccessful fight for the bonus
at the recent session of Congress, de
Clared that the issue would unques-
tionably be fought all over again"
at the New Orleans gathering.
Col Thomas w. Miller, alien prop
erty custodian, and world war vet
eran, who was renamed recently as
Delaware's representative on the
Legion's national committee. is eX-
pccted to figure ConspiCuOusly at
New Orleans among those urging
that the position of President Hard
ing in VetUing the soldiers bonus btii
be sustained by the convention.
Labor Is Factor.
In addressing the convention of 'hc
Delaware department of the LeSlNn
at Wilmington while the bill was s'llI
before Congress, Miller declared That
it had RESULTED in placing the "N-
service men of the country in a false
light before a great number of then
fellow citizens for whom they
fought"
Tb, ont; I,on,,O fornoC In tho NDW
Orleans convention are depending
for a great addition to their ranks
from the delegates from the South
ern States where opposition to the
bonus has developed because of what
is described as the proposed dis
tribution of a largcss among negro
cX-service men" The argument is
being advanced by anti-bOnus
speakers in the South that the pay
ment of a hOnuS to the negro eX
soldier would cause him to suspend
his labor in the cotton field and
tobacco plantation until his money
was all spent"
MaCNidrr and his associates said
they were going to New Orleans well
prepared for hot fight, and
there was no disposition on their
part to underestimate the Importance
or strength of the organization the
anti-bOnus forces have already built
IN within the American Legion in
anticipation of the approaching
convention. Leading bonus adVo'
Gates in and out of Congress ar" be-
ing urged to address the convention,
and Senator MCCumher, of North
Dakota. chairman of tn" S"nat"
Finance Committee, and Representa-.
tive Fordney, of Michigan. chair
man of the House Ways and Means
Committee. as joint authors OF the
bonus bill the President vetoed, hay"
been invited to speak there in behalf
of bonus legislation.
Stand Closely Watched.
The stand taken by tn" C"HV"n.
ton on the bonus question will he
closely watched by political leaders
and observers of both the lt"publl-
can and Democratic parties in an
ticipatiOn of the pOSSibl" effect II
may have on the November Con.
gressiUnal elections. Great impOr-
tanCc was attached by some S"na-
tors closely associated with the Ad.
ministratiOn 20 the kind of new ma.
tional commander the convention
will select as a result of tn" cX'
peCted battle between the pro-bonus
and anti.bonus delegates. 1t was
intimatcd plainly that il Mac
Nider and his aides failed to eject
a strong advocate of the SonuS ike
himself their defeat would no; be
unwelcomc to the Administration.
in whose side the present national
commander has been a veritable DO
litical thorn since he assumed active
charge of tho movement within the
American Legion to secure the
"nartn!"nt of "adiustrd Conm"nsa-
tion" legislation.