Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-03-03

me arms and equipment and com
manded me to fight. he went into
the war because there was no other
honorable thing to do. So did we.
Now that the war is over and we are
rid of the danger that confronted us
cannot, with honor, lend my aye"
to the chorus of voices that are en-
deavoring by all known means from
persuasion to threats, to send this
smiling and benevolent old gentle
man into bankruptcy court or the
hands of receiver | refuse to car
ry the burden of additional self-re-
proach by joining any hold-up gang,
regardless of the disguise that cloaks
heir purpose. The fact that John
Doe worked in a shipyard for $40
day is none of my business. John
Doe, if he is not entirely devoid of
sensibility, would be glad to trade
places with me today. The war has
left me far richer legacy than he
can ever hope for.
There is note Of sadness in this
'bonus" agitation. 1t is primarily
our effort-such an obvious effort
to "kid" ourselves into believing that
dole of cash will solve our pres
ent problem of idleness and the ac-
companying lack of the wherewithal
to eat and sleep comfortably. 1t
will help for a little while, a very
little while. But what then? We
will be more disinclined to get out
and hustle than ever, and the stage
having been set for the initial per-
Torrance of patriotism Has Its
Price," encore will follow encore and
the end will be as difficult to attain
as the end Of the rainbow. The mon
5trous pension system built up follow
ing the Civil War would not be in
the same class. The disbursements
for that purpose would be small
change compared to the possibilities
pregnant in this bonus legislation.
Not 5 per cent of the ex-scrvice
men believe that the bonus will do
any permanent good. Not per cent
of them would do anything with their
$500 or 5000 except squander it. The
argument that it would enable
man to buy farm or start up a bust
ness is as farcical as was the PROPOSE
ton to pay these men bonus in the
first place. Scant few among the
veterans inoculated with the. germ
of worllg6r of success, haven't Mad
their shoulder to the wheel for many
months. There is-and | say this
thoughtfully-a striking similarity
between the fighting man and the
working man. Neither of them is
in crying need of help. The good
fighting man." the real honest-to-
goodness fighter, has job now or
his fighting spirit will SOON land
him one. The genuine working
man is working today If he isn't
he will be tomorrow or the next day.
| No one need lose sleep over the al
| legged dilemma of true fighter or a
| true worker. The man you encoun-
ter on Broadway or Fitch avenue
with his collection can labeled Help
the Fighting Man" is counterfeit
| er pure and unadulterated. If he
were a fighting man with a fighters
heart he would be at work and not
asking aims.
| This is not my personal opinion
unsupported by that of other ex-serv-
ice men. | have discussed it with
great many, and the man is hard to
find who sincerely believes that the
proposed bonus Wal accomplish any
permanent good. Many are for it
because they, quite naturally, want
to get their hands on few hundred
dollars. They think it is a Joke, but
an exceedingly good and profitable
one. In principle they acquiesce in
the old adage that two wrongs do
not make right, and yet the most
persistent line of argument advanced
by the bonus advocates -who-win