The New York herald., 1922-06-29

tunate companions in arms. In doing
so he said:
Now. Mr.. President, just read in
the morning papers that certain
association of disabled veterans met
at Philadelphia and denounced the
soldiers bonus upon the idea that the
disabled soldier had not been provided
for. Whoever is in charge of that
convention is i'll informed. This Con-
gress has been most generous to the
disabled soldiers.
$50 far as / can recall not a single
appeal has been made In his behalf
that fell upon deaf ears or hardened
heart. There has been prompt re-
sponse to every appeal made for the
disabled veteran and If he Is not now
receiving the most generous. kind and
scientific treatment then the law
which we have passed has not been
faithfully carried out by those to
whom it was entrusted. 1t Is not our
fault if the disabled soldiers are not
being cared for in a manner which is
more liberal than ever was planned
before in the history of the United
States"
Senator Ashurst (Dem., Ariz.). an
other bonus advocate, broke in to call
Mr.. Watson's attention to the fact
that $36,6o0,000 had been recently ap-
propriated by Congress for new build
ings for disabled soldiers.
Confirmation Of the statements of
the two bonus advocates was pro-
vided this afternoon by the Govern
ment Veterans Bureau and the Amer
lean Red Cross. Figures obtained
from the Veterans Bureau show that
since the armistice more than $780,
100000 has been expended by the Gov
ernment in caring for the disabled
victims of the world war. the annual
amount dispersed for this purpose ex-
ceeds that Of any other single item in
the Federal budget.
The complaint made by organiza-
tions of disabled veterans has not been
directed so much to Government agen-
cies entrusted with the care of the
disabled as against the politicians in
the American Legion who have been
urging the provision of a bonus to
ablebodied men in violation of the
pledge of Legion conventions to give
preference to the claims of the help
less.
Delegations Of cripped victims Of
German atrocity have hobbled to the
White House on two occasions to pro-
test to the President against awarding
cash bonus to men who returned from
the service physically capable of TAX
f,,o Of
less veterans have repeatedly called
the attention of Senators and Repre-
sentatives who are intent upon pass
ing bonus legislation to a speech of
President Harding before the Veterans
Of the Fifth Division.
In his address to those veterans the
President said:
The man who came back wounded
and impaired in ability to carry on
the vocation of his life deserves the
fullest aid in our power to give and
propose to use all the influence that
have to see that he gets it. 1 am
who came out of the war unimpaired.
They have the compensation of
supreme service and experience"
This is precisely the position of
more than thirty Senators opposed to
the bonus for able bodied men who
served in the world war. These Sena-
tors have supported every measure
designed to improve the condition of
those rendered helpless. In the SEN
ate debates which are likly to occur
when the next move is made TO bring
up the bonus fpll recital of the pro-
vision made by the Government for
the disabled will be presented.