Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-05
McCUMBER AS A FILM STAR
IN A NEW SENATE TRAGEDY
Trickery and Emotiona'lsm, Rather
Than Reason, Ruling the Cam.
paiqn for the Soldier Bonus

pai9n ror the So'dter Bonus
THERE may have been in the unlamented
L past of national politics a drearier and
more shameless system of maneuvcring than
that to which Senator McCumber has re-
sorted to crowd the Soldier Bonus Bill
through the Senate today. If there was We
cannot remember II.
From McCumber and his pals in Congress
all reason seems to have fed with all sense
OF humor and political decency. The
squalor OF their present situation has seldom
been matched in Washington. For 1t must
always be remembered that the Senator from
North Dakota and his bund are fighting not
so much for the welfare of ex service men
as for themselves. There is everything to
indicate that they believe thoroughly in the
political value of persistent demonstrations
in favor of the bonus.
So It is to strengthen McCumber and his
friends that the floor Of the Senate il to be
turned into stage upon which the bonus
supporters may march and roar with a
background of American flags and an hon
orary escort assigned by the officers of the
American Legion.
Now. there are pretty good reasons to he.
lievc that the Senate as whole is stub
b"rniy prepared To talk the Bonus Bill to
death and 1t is difficult to imagine that Nc
'uhlper himself Is unaware of what Is hap
pening. The spectacular departure from
Senate routine planned and rchearsed BY
the McCumbrr group is obviously for the
benefit of the movie camera men, The pic
tures will be broadcast in doubtful con
gressional districts. And it is for this that
ex-service men have been persuaded to
abandon the rules of good taste and appear
IN uniform on the Senate floor so that a
y,n1i stain
the tactics of the backwoods stump into
seats of government.
What will the rank and file Of World War
veterans. who are not yet converted TO the
bonus idea. say of this use of the Legion $
prestige: What will be the ultimate effect
"f This unprecedented demonstration upon
Commander MacNider's organization?
ines" queries are diverting enough. But
me most important question raised by Me-
'nmber's sudden spectacular debut as n film
star is this: Is emotion rather than reason
to govern this country forever?
Met lumber knows as we'll as anybody that
m" deliherat"d opinion of the Senate and
IN" President is antagonistc to the bonus
plan In its present form. So he is willing
I" fight logi" with cnotionalism in the
Senate and among service men and the
electors at home.
Repeatedly and. we believe. rightly It has
been insisted in these columns thar n ma :
jority Of the veterans Of the World War
is not behind the bonus project. There was
little sentiment for the bonus in the Amer
lean Legion until some of the groups at
the mead OF the organization went seeking
motive that could be depended on 10 keep
III" Legion intnct and enlarge il as n ma J..
tional force likely to be very potent unit
in politics.
such bonus sentiment as is now apparent
in the Legion was for the most part arti
hcially created. The demand did not come
originally from the ranks. II came from,
IN" top. And II came al time when the
directors of the I.egion's policy were seeking
large new membership and endeavoring 10
stimulate fresh interest in the old
Yet, if Senator MrCumber reads tho
newspapers he ought to know by this time
the bonus as political cry will get no ons
serT Tar, largely because war veterans are
| nor yet content 10 be grouped as voting
bloc separate from the rest Of the country
and in some ways antagonistic TO it, Mr.
Burke in Pennsylvania was an outsnokor
| bonus advocate. lie was beaten nv Nr
| Pepper. an outspoken opponent In In.
| diana Mr.. Beverldge ran against Senate,
Harry New. who expected to be re- elected
| by IN" soldier vote because he nromlsed I,
get the bonus through at any cost. Th.
soldier vote helped TO defeat him and TO cleo
Beveridge.
what. then, Is Senator Met lumber irwin,
to do with Legion escort on the floor n
the Senate and hags lifted over his hea,
and moving picture cameras whrrinc. wber
the country has right to expect tcmperote q
ness, courage and cool and patient reason
ing? Does he hope to stampede the Senat
and force the burden of an unpleasant dur
upon President Harding, who would amos
certainly veto Bonus Bill that does no
embody any plan to obtain the necessar
three or four billion dollars of extra rev
enue? Hardly, because the Senate will no
be stampeded.
Mr.. McCumber wants to get in the nic
lures. Seemingly. he is willing to kid tn
ex soldiers-f he is not kidding himself.
is this suggestion of reckless insncerity tbo
makes his scheme for a demonstration n
the Senate floor thing to inspire awe an
wonderment and fresh doubts about III
quality Of the minds that rule In Congress,