Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-03-09

ceived his board and clothes. And
neither item was anything to brag
about, as rule.
Finally, the war was over. In due
time, the much-desired discharge was
in the service mans hand and he be-
gan to "take inventory" Some of
the boys got their old jobs back; many
of them didn't. Quite often, women
had been used to fill the places left
vacant by the cell to the colors. These
women were filling the needs of COM
mercial life, and they stayed where
they were. And so it went.
Now what about the other fellow:
In industrial life, high wages were
dished out right and left, and bonus
es to speed up production were COM
mon. The railroads were run by the
government, the investors being guar
anteed profit by "raid on the
treasury" if necessary. Commercial
firms doing business with Uncle Sam
worked on the "cost plus" system, or
drew record prices for their wares.
And today the larger the business
institution, the greater the roar
against 'bonus."
"The country is hard up" say the
opponents of the 'bonus bill" Sure,
and lack of man-power in that old
war would have made it worse. A
very few months continued military
operations, with the expense Of keep
ing four million troups under arms,
added to the time we were actually
in the war would have left a debt
on this nation that would far out
shadow the possible cost Of the 'bon-
u.s." Yet, no man will say that we
were not prepared to continue the
fight another year, if necessary. So
it isn't fact that "it can't be done"
Rather, it is fact that many say:
tive don't want it DONE" And the
fact is that the administration in
Washington leads that procession.
Let us look back a few months.
When the bonus bill was first dis
cussed, our own Sen. McCumber was
very much anti. Suddenly, he became
a great bonus advocate. But about
that time, it TRANSFERRED that the
president had sure-fre plan of put
ting the bill to sleep without actually
killing tit was returned to a COM
mittee pigeon-hole at the presidents
request. Then, with the thing safely
put away for the time, Sen. McCum-
Der began issuing interview after in
terview to the service men not to
worry, the bill would be passed lit
tie later. But the blamed bill didn't
stay asleep worth cent. Now, it is
a more bitter bone of contention than
ever-and Sen. McCumber is busily
"watchfully waiting" And SO it is
with the whole congress. Popular
sentiment demands action. Industrial
interests demand the bill be killed OF
put to sleep. News dispatches one
day say it's cinch; the next day
all hopes are dead. And so it goes
! Now, it appears that the bill is to
be passed, minus the payment of.
money feature. Personally, that suist
us fine anyway. In any case, if Civ.
en- the opportunity, we propose to &C.
cept the insurance provision. But
to others, present needs are the pres.
sing ones. And they will be out ir
the cold.
l And, now, to sum up the whole
matter, it must be admitted that fl
nancial conditions are upset. But il
does not follow that the passage Of
the Legion bill would make conditions
worse, Sec. Mellon Notwithstanding
Our national debt is comparativel,
small, and tax-exempt securities are
in greater demand today than ever
The financial recklessness of congress.
| is national scandal. The only tim,
they seem to feel like protecting tn,
treasury from being looted" is whel
those kids who bore the brant of tn,
fight look for ADJUSTED compensa
ton.
/ In the meantime, many newspaper.
throughout the land are featuring
letters from contributors telling abou
the demands of the dollar PATRIOTS
Ethe "looters Of the treasury" etc.
etc., ad. lib.