Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-03-22

Government. So far as possible,
these projects will be located IN every
State, the State paying part OF the
purchase price Of private lands
bought for this purpose. Ex-servlce
men are to be employed en- the projects
as far as possible. The bill also pro-
vides for the sale Of farm units on
these projects when they are ready
for settlement, the sale price to in
cludc the purchase price OF the land,
plus the cost of improvements. The
terms to be part down and the balance
in 40 years at per cont interest. !.
The veteran can apply his adjusted
service pay as fist payment on
farm in such a project.
The value Of this option alone to
veteran, State and Nation is sufficient
to win approval for the entire bill. In
the first place, it goes about reclaim
ing hitherto unproductive farm lands,
beneitting individual states and the
nation. Then it provides work IN the
reclamation for iobless men. Again,
it attracts to the farm young men who
have the pioneer instinct. and enables
them to become productive citizens, on
easy terms. 1t is the most compre-
hensive reclamation project yet adj
vanced in the Congress, and has won
the support of numerous factions that
are interested in reclamation projects.
The reclamation would be under strict
supervision and in no sense real estate
ejaculation.
This is the bill the American Legion
has been backing, but the idea of
compensating veterans Of the late war
did not originate with the Legion.
The Legion was not Incorporated I'M
IT, September 16, 1919, and its first
national convention, held November
10, II and ~ of that year, and by that
time 55 bills already were pending IN
the House, designed to compensate eX-
service men for the economic handicap
they had suffered as a result of the
service they had rendered their
country.
Before the Minneapolis convention
a Legion committee called upon Mr..
Fordney, the chairman Of the House
Ways and Means Committee, and dis
cussed adjusted compensation. 1t was
the unanimous opinion of Legion Off
Gals at that time that action should
be deferred upon any of the pending
So measures until the eX-service men
had had a chance to express them
on the matter.
The subject was taken up at the
first Legion convention and the follow
ing resolution adopted:
Whereas, the question Of adjust
ment Of compensation, or extra pay
for service men and women, is now
pending before Congress has shown
acting thereon Congress has shown
the disposition to await the view of
this convention upon the subject;
therefore, be it
"Resolved, That while the Ameri-
can Legion was not founded for the
purpose of promoting legislation in its
selfish interest, yet it recognizes that
our Government has an obligation to
all service men and women to relieve
tn financial disadvantages incident to
their military service-an obligation
second only to that of caring for the
disabled and for the widows and or
phans of those who sacrificed their
lives, and one already acknowledged
by our allies-but the American Le-
gion feels that it can not ask for legis-
lation in it's selfish interest and leaves
with confidence to Congress the dis
charge of this obligation"
No further action was taken on the
measure until February, 1920, when
the national executive committee OF
the Legion demanded of Congress the
passage of a bill paying $50 compen-
sation for each month of service. In
March, 1920, the Beneficial legislation
committe eof the Legion met in Wash
incton and framed fourfold bill for
adjustment of compensation. The IN
surance option was not feature at
that time. The bill was endorsed by
the Legion national executive commit
ttp and introduced in the House by
Representative Fordney.
The bill passed the House by vote
of 289 to 90 and then went to the SEN
ate and was referred to the Finance
Committee. Congress was preparing
to adjourn, and the committee had no
chance to hold hearings on the bill or
to report it.
Congress reconvened December 2,
1920, and delayed action on the bill IN
the Senate until adjournment on
March i, 1921, when all bills died.
Recovering on April II, the bill was
reintroduced in the House and Senate.
Hearings were held at which the Le-
gion was strongly represented.
On July -, President Harding adj
dressed the senate, asking it to re-
commit the bill to the Finance Com.
mittec. This was done by vote OF
A. n 30 Tho Legion in all States