The New York herald., 1922-09-21


surrendered and permitted a vote.
The battle over it was short, sharp and
decisive. Headed off at every turn, the
bonus Senators who labored zealously
10 convert three OF the opponents of
the measure until the last minute re-
luctantly agreed TO a roll CALL while a
large group Of ex-service men looked
down from crowded galleries on the
! slaughter of their hopes for Govern
ment gratuities.
The politicians in the American Le-
Gion did not surrender until their Sem
atorial supporters bluntly told them
that the fight was lost, Hundreds of
messages from citizens favoring and
opposing the bonus were received dur
ing the debate, but did not affect the
result already forecast by the final
poll taken by representatives on both
sides OF the argument.
Senators opposing the bonus prob
ably received more kilograms indors-
ing their course than those favoring it,
II became known at the Capitol during
the short debate over the bonus that
more messages had been received at
the White House approving of the
Presidents action in vetoing the bonus
bill than had ever come before in the
history of the Government.
Reeds Attack on President.
The bonus bill repassed over the
Presidents veto by the House reached
the Senate while Senator Reed (Dem.,
MOI was discussing the Presidents
T,Nff .lNt, coll lty
the message had not been officially
presented to the Senate. Under the
rules prevailing in that body this did
not bar discussion of it.
The Missouri Senator made a long
and partisan TRADE against the Re-
publican President and his party ma
jority in Congress. He charged the
President with inconsistency and de-
scribed Mr.. Harding's veto message
as humorous"
This attack prompted John Sharp
Williams, the picturesque statesman
from Mississippi, to read a lesson IN
patriotism to the Senate politicians in
tent on passing the bonus bill The
Mississippi Senator was in splendid
form and his fifteen minute speech
was an oratorical gem CT the first
water. With inimtable drollery he
satirized the attempts of the bonus
Supporters to "glorify soldiers" by
making profiteers out of them.
senator wiIliams's Speech.
"Mr. President" Senator Williams
said, IF it were true-and il is not
that the bonus bill was for the benefit
OF those who looked into the mouths
of the cannon and who walked UP the
sleeps against the German artillery
and infantry there would be some rea-
son in the attempt at eloquence made
speech of the Senator from Missouri,
but it is not true.
This is bill to give a bonus TO
something like four millions of men
over one-half of whom never faced a
shot, over one-half Of whom never
went across the seas, one-fourth of
whom never served outside or a milf
tary camp. about one-tenth OF whom
men aud women. were serving with
shoulder straps in Washington depart
ments and never got anywhere to i'll
lust1ate their courage.
Tor the man that marches forward
facing the cannon's mouth. whether
for glory or for self-respect or for his
country's welfare, everybody has a
high respect. Why did they not con-
faced fire, the men who in Flanders
fields or Frances fields offered their
breasts to gunshots?
why did they take in all the clerks
around Washington and all the men
In the encampments who never did
anything except subject themselves to
new process of being washed every
morning and living a more sanitary
life than they were accustomed to?
Why did YOU put them all in?
Armed for Big steal.
"why you put them all in because
you knew YOU could not carry off the
steal without putting them ali in. You
knew that ii you confined ii TO the one
million Of men who went TO France,
and a little bit over a million, YOU
would not have gotten much consider
alton from the politician.
"Afr. President. the last address we
heard was from a Senator who a few
days ago referred to sentiment con-
temptuously. There is no poetry in
the soul Of a man who can refer to
human sentiment contemptuously To
say that man lis sentimental is to pay
him the highest compliment that one
man can pay another, or that a pure
woman can pay brave man.
The other day referred TO the
fact that the only thing that was not
rotten and could not rot was human
sentiment belong TO a breed of men
who for 400 years have been dying On
the wrong side. Some Of them fought
like fools for the Stuarts in England
some of them died under Tyrone's
Roman Catholic insurrcction in Irc-
land. Some Of them followed the
Stars and Bars until they fell in gloom.
although not in disgrace at Appo-
mattox.
I'VE do not recognize that sentiment
is TO be referred to contemptuously.
IL 1t were to be so referred TO. the man
who died for the Stuarts was simply
an internal fool. and the man who fol-
lowed Robert II. Lee 10 Appomattox
did not have much sense; but all the
same he had heroism. he had courage.
and he had communion with the i'm
mortal gods, because they were in his
heart, and the very spirit OF Jesus
Christ was working before him, be-
cause jesus Christ fought for the