New-York tribune., 1922-02-16
Bonus Hypocrisy

Great is tho soiicitude at Wash
ington fpr the veterans. Hearts
bleed with sympathy arc 50 filled
with noble pity that ihey axe ready
to disregard the temperate advice Of
the President and to Jam through a
bonus bill over his veto.
Bosh 30 wonder al increasing
number Of service men turn away
from the spectacle with disgust
Tie safe and sane young men who
went across The seas are not green
enough 10 le fooled by such bun
combe. They don't hike being pre-
sontcd to the country as mendicants.
Their sense Of sclf-rcspect is af-
fronte5. They don't believe in the
sincerity of their self appointed
champions.
The professed friendship for the
soldiers in the main is hypocritcal.
How can this be known? How can
so heavy q charge be justified? The
evidence is not doubtful. In the de
bate it is easy to sec one outstanding
fact. This is that the bonus shout
crs, when their constituents arc
asked to pay a part Of the bill, in
vsriably shout loudly that they viii
not.
What is to be thought Of groups
whose members on ono side OF
their faces arc tcarfully concerned
over the plight of the soldiers and
on the other are angrily indignant
over giving a penny? No one who
would not contribute is friend Of
the soldiers. He merely masqucr-
adcs as ono. His acts do not square
with his words.
The American public is responsive
20 the claims OF sentiment and JUS
ticc. 1t recognizes that when the
boys went away others took their
Jobs at high wages. SO the voters.
when they have had chance, have
voted for the principle of adjusting
compensation.
That nothing has been done is
largely because the command Of
movements to this end has been
grabbed by those who would nav
nothing themselves. An integral
part Of the problem is that claim
against all Of us shall be met by all
of US. What nonsense it is to try
70 correct one injustice by commit
ting another, The Legion should
look further than getting a bonus
act-should link the.act with some
definite scheme of taxation. such as
a sales tax, that means general con-
tributlon.
When the country went into the
war 1t was agreed there should be no
repetition Of the scandals of the old
pension system "Never again." it
was declared. In 1913, fifty years
after the close of the Civil War. the
pcnsion bill was s174 600 600. q sum
iarger than ever before distributed
m one year This largess commonly
injured its recipients. Enough was
given to keep body and soul together.
but ambition and sclf-reliance were
sapped. The sons Of the old vet
eran fathers knew how the "old
man hung around waiting for pen
SION day. When the son went to the
war ne was resolved he would not be
similarly pauperized. An ADEQUATE
insurance system, he said. would he
better and enough.
If 1t has turned out because Of
The change in the dollars PURCHASING
power, that the insurance provided
Is not sufficient, then why not. as Mr.
Hoover has pointed out. furnish adj
di'lonal insurance the acceptance of
which Will be quit-clainl against
further demands? This will make #
certain no cripples are to suffer and
that dependents will be cared for
and will remove non-emplovment
But 1t will not pauperize
Will scatter payments through the
years and bring 10 an end the side
stepping hypocrisy which now so
ilsgraces Washington and is so max
ng joke of patriotism.