Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-02
HOW MANY SERVICE MEN WANT
THE MUcH.TALKED-OF BONUS?
Senator Peppers Attitude Suggests That
a Legion Referendum Might Help
to Guide Congress

CENATOR PEPPER may expect variety
~ of picturesque reactions to his frank
statement in opposition to the soldier
bonus program that is now taking form in
Congress- He Is the first conservative
Republican of prominence in the Senate to
speak without restraint and in terms Of
definite antagonism Of q scheme which most
people in Washington discuss in whispers
if they discuss 1t at all.
In the Senate and in tho House the
Senator's anti-bonus pronounccmcnt caused
something Of a sensation. Neither the
Senate nor tho House believes that the
bonus plan now under consideration would
be good thing for former service mon or
for the country. Yet the House has voted
for the scheme. and it is seriously to he
doubted whether Senators who swing the
balance Of power would have the courage
to express their true opinions with their
votes.
Meanwhile. no ono IN Congress knows
q safe way through which the immense
sums necessary to n general bonus may be
obtained. In some quarters of political
Washington there is hope that the money
may be- had through returns from war loans
made to the 'nllicd Governments by the
United States. But EuroN plainly isn't
able TO meet its most pressing financial OBJ
legations without extraordinary stress and
an entirely new program or self denial.
We might issue ultimatums TO the Old
World for the sake of paying bonuses and
thus risk new wars in order TO make some
gifts Of money TO the men who fought in the
war recently ended. Would that help any
body:
1t is argued. too. that funds for the SOL
dier bonus might be obtained by new
methods Of direct or indirect taxation. But
the necessary billions would inevitably be
added to the burdens 6f industry. and the
money would come inevitably out of fhc
pockets of people who already are strug-
Cling with the problems of advanced living
costs.
More Immediately interesting than eco
nomic speculation is the hypnotic state in
duccd in Congress and in Washington
generally by the propaganda organized to
"hammer the bonus plaA through Is
Congress being fooled again? Is it seeing
visions? Is there in or out of tho American
Legion any real and widespread desire for
money reward for services done In
Europe?
It is hard to say what referendum
among former service men would disclose.
Certainly it Is difficult to find former
soldier in good health who will admit
wish to cmbarrass and stampede the Gov
crnmcnt with a demand for gift of few
hundred dollars.
There is in the Legion perfectly rca-
sonable and admirable determination to see
justice and q little moro done for sick and
wounded soldiers. But there is good ground
for a belief that the cry for the bonus Is
not raised by the men themselves. but by
certain groups within the Legion who
clearly desire 10 find common cause with
which 60 hold the former service mcm
tightly together as manageable and highly
influential organization.
An inquiry into the bonus question. If II
were intclllgentIy directed in Congress
might we'll begin with a survey and analysis
of the forces that are being united to formu-
late the Legion's present policies.
From many groups within the general
organization there has been complaint
against ciques who were supposed to be
in control of the Legion and intent on using
it for purposes not in accord with the
views and temper of the men themselves
There was ut one time m obvious effort
somewhere higher up to max" sort Of
national morals police Of formCr soldier
groups and 70 use the name Of tho Legion
70 intimidatc labor. IT, failed because
members ot the Legion resented II.
Now It appears that mn effort is afoot to
organize veterans Of tho World War rs a
political bloc. And there arc times when
it seems that the bonus agitation represents
nothing but an effort of >hrcwd organizers
to keep themselves in power and gain con-
trol Of Legion affairs.