Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1924-01-23

wages of the Argonne can never be
paid in dollars and cents.
The war is over. This country is
travelling now the road of recon-
struction and retrenchment. The
path of patriotism lies parallel there
to- We are still paying for the war
and the errors of war times, and
shall continue to do for many years
to come. The burden of taxation is
enormous, and it falls heaviest on
those least able to pay
Secretary Mellon promises some
relief in tax reduction, but he says
there can be no tax reduction If a
bonus law is enacted He says
further that there can be no material
reduction in taxes for generation,
if bonus is paid We do not
analyze his figures. Others and ADLER
men are doing that, trying to find
some way to pay the bonus and
still reduce taxes So far they
have failed. In spite of all
assaults, the issue still stands as
stated by Secretary Mellon-taX re-
duction OR bonus. President Cool
idge also stands behind that issue.
One more point in Lieut.. Woods
letter deserves attention. He sug-
gests that the position of an alleged
distant league of unascertained
numerical strength should not
weigh against the practically UNI
animous opinion of local ex-service
men. The platform of the Ex-Ser-
vice Mems Anti-Bonus League was
quoted by us merely as showing that
all service men were not demanding
the bonus. AS to its alleged eX-
istence. we will say for our cor
respondents information that the
Ex-Service Mems Anti-Bonus League
has active organizations in fourteen
states, with a membership, accord
ing to last reports, of over 10000 in
$50 different communities. Its
slogan is, For the disabled, every
thing; for the able-bodied, nothing. -
As to the practically unanimous
opinion of local ex-service men,
lust word. There are. we are re-
liably informed, 100 ex-service men
within the immediate jurisdiction of
Frank E. Whitmore post A. L., OF
Ellsworth. OF these, about thirty
five are members of the post OF the
thirty-five members, less than one
half-fifteen, we believe, to be
eXact-were -N the meeting that
adopted the bonus resolutions print
ed in The American last week. Is
that the practically unanimous
opinion" of the local eX-service men?
Let us close by quoting from let
ter sent by one eX-service man to his
Congressman: THE boys with whom
l flew over the lines" he writes.
those who are living and those who
gave their lives, in flaming torch,
to their country, would damn the
man who sought to tip them for their
loyalty"
Since the above was written, we
have received another communica-
ton from the author of the reso-
buttons adopted by Frank b. Whit
more post. We publish it in full, and
are pleased to do so, as it is the
clearest and ablest presentation of
the pro-bonus service mans position
that we have ever seen. We allow
the editorial above to stand as the
answer to both communications
Both sides of the issue are thus pre-
scented to the readers of The Ameri-
can.
We wish it understood that we
have no quarrel with any service
man, here or elsewhere. We honor
them and the service they rendered
too highly for that But we honestly
believe that they are making a mis-
take in demanding the bonus, and
that the country should not be asked
at this time to assume this further
burden.