The Washington herald., 1922-03-21
Wounded Vet Protests.
To the Editor. The Washington Herald:

To the Editor, Inc Warrington heraIu.
The best news I think that has
reached Walter Reed Hospital in
many a day is the announcement in
your paper that President Harding
has made up his mind that legisla-
ton affecting the world wars dis
abled shall have prior consideration
to the bonus.
I am one Of five I know of-and
there are many others-in this hos
pitaI who have taken OFF our Ameri-
can Legion emblem and started
again to wear our regular discharge
button OF silver as silent protest
against the way those now in au-
thof'ity are using all the influence
in their hands TO let relief Of the
disabled stand and throw their
whole power behind the scheme to
grab hundreds OF millions for. all
former service men no matter
whether they are better or worse
off as result Of being in the serv-
ice. We wore the legion pin In the
past and we expect to wear II again
when there is a house cleaning and
the national commander. the legis-
lative committee and their hench-
men learn to follow the instructions
they were given by convention after
convention to sec that the disabled
veterans be given priority in all ef-
forts to receive justice from Con-
gress. / am not against the bonus
and never havo been but l believe
in keeping the faith to the country
and the gospel has been to at
tend to the disabled first instead OF
rushing about the country in the
face Of the strongest sort OF oppo-
sition to get the cash bonus and lst
the disabled wait-if they don't die
for what they are in need of. 4
A short time ago a group OF Grip
pies from Walter Reed pleaded with
the President to give us relief and
the motion was seconded by COM
mittee from Mount Alto. Since
then. judging by letters reaching
patients in this hospital. the same
sentiment is sweeping the whole
country. You can't pick up a paper
without seeing straightforward
arguments for delay in a bonus pay
ment but you can read until your
eyes ache before reading a state
ment from a real American who
thinks aid for the disabled should
De delayed q Ody.
Let the legion change its forma-
ton before its too late. or course
there are probably thousands who
paid IS dues for a year in the hope
that the could land $500 in a bonus
out if the legion is hoping to build
solidly on this timber-God held the
legion!
There is hardly a fair minded dis
abled man in the country. I would
say, who does not appreciate what
the legion has done in the past TO
help him. But is all OF this TO be
ruined by a complete change Of front
by a new regime taking charge. for
getting national conventions man
dates and letting legislation for the
disabled mark time while the bonus
Is jammed through at the worst
time in the country's history.
II the legion would work as sin
cerely to give a reasonable and
equitable ruling on a permanent dis
ability so those OF US who have been
in the hospital for a year or two
could realize on our compensation
and insurance and would throw its
force against the pardoninG OF that
breed who were potential traitors by
trying to stab us in the back when
We were at the front, II would dc
much to re-establish itself where II
was about a year ago-America's
most representative organization.
I therefore opine that In tA;npor-
arily stopping the bonus until the
administration of the Veterans Blu
,reau. the disqualification and voca-
tional education are improved and
more liberal legislation is passed for
the disabled. the President is doing
more for the legion than the bonus
has done harm.
With 100000 former service men
walking the streets ,of the country
jobless. scores OF extra clerks being
worked by Senators and Representa-
tives to keep down thousands OF COM
plants of mefficiency against the ad-
ministration OF the Veterans Bureau
insane and tuburcular patients herded
into unsuitable hospitals. and gov
ernment insurance policies being
stricter for what should and would be
considered permanently disabled BY
n commercial company, MacNider and
Company would do far more to
glorify their administration by look
ing in other paths for activities
rather than trying for bonus at his
time. r.-
Harding, leader. and Mellon. Sec
retary of the Treasury. for the Re-
publicans. and Underwood. leader
and Glass, former Secretary OF the
Treasury. for the Democrats, have
spoken against the bonus in such
manner that II removes the dis
cussion from partisanship. As a