The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-16

common stock Tn addition to the reg ular semi-annual payments of 31a per cent, while capital stock of the Louis vile and Nashville was placed on a SC annual basis as compared with $5 previously paid.
 Atlantic Coast Line directors speci- fled that the extra dividend was to be paid out of incorporating income derived principally from returns on about $6O, 100000 Louisville and Nash vile stock. The increase in the 1atter's dividend virtually provides for payment of the parent roads extra.
 Indicated earnings in excess of IS per cent on Atlanta Coast Line com mon stock last year were among the best of the first class roads. :. ~ in the aggregate of nearly $35 for each inhabitant, and lays nearly $175 more on each family, to: be spread over a period of 20 years.t |.
 ..'No one supposes the effort will stop
 Cash. Bonus Rumors
 s'Already suggestions are. made for a cash bonus, in4 addition.p to be paid at once. Such action logically would be encouraged if this bill becomes law. Neither the rich nor the profiteers will meet this expense. All of this enor- nous amount has to be earned by the people of this country through their toll, It is taken from the returns of their production. They must earn it, they must pay it. The people of this coun- try ought not to be required by their government to bear any such additional burden. They are not deserving of any such treatment. Our business is not to impose upon them but to protect them.
 If, this bill be considered as inssir- ance, the opportunity for such pro- vision had already been provided. Near ly $S,O00. .OO0. 900 of war risk and gov ernment life insurance is now outstand- ing, and over $500, ,0O0, 900 has been paid on such policies. When this provision was made in 1917, it was on the, ex- plicit understanding of the Congress that such insurance was to relieve the government of subsequent eontrihu- tions.
 e'The then Secretary of the Treasury said in relation to the proposed insur- ance cost It ought to check any fur ther attempts at service persion legisla- tion by enabling man now to provide against impairment through old age, to- tai disability or death resulting from other causes, and to give all this protee- tion to those kindred who may be de- pendent upon him and who do not share in the government. compensation.
 Offered To All ~
 t'This opportunity was afforded all those who entered the service. 1t was distinctly understood. that it covered every obligation on the part of the gov ernment. The intent of this bill now to provide free insurance lacks both legal or moral requirement, and falls into the position of a plain gratuity.
 HConsidering this bill from the stand point of it's intrinsic merit, see no justification for it's enactment into lava We owe no bonus to able-bodied veter- ans of the World war. The first duty of every citizen is to the nation. The veterans of the World war performed this first duty. To confer upon them a cash consideration or, its equivalent for performing this first duty is nnjusti- fed. It is not, justified when consider ed in the interests of the whole people; is it not justified when considered along on it's own merits.
 '',TlIe gratitude of the nation to these veterans cannot be expressed in dollars and cents. No way exists by which we can either equalize the burdens or give adequate financial reward to those who served the nation in both civil and mili- tary capacities in time of war.
 Patriotism Not For Sale 1
 ''The respect and honor of their coun- try will rightfully be theirs forever more. But patriotism can neither be bought nor sold. It is not hire and sal ary.. It is notamaterial, but spiritual. It is one of the finest and highest of human virtues. To attempt to pay money for it is to offer it an unworthy indignity which cheapens, debases and destroys it. Those who would really honor patriotism should strive to match it with an equal courage, with an equal fidelity to the welfare of their country, anG an equal faith in the cause of righteousness.
 "I am not unmindful that this bill also embraces within it's provisions the disabled of our veterans and the de pendents of those who fell. To state that the disabled veterans and these de- pendents are entitled to this additional gratuity is to state that the nation is not meeting its obligation to them.
 ''The nation has spent more than two billion dollars in behalf of dis. abled veterans and dependents of those who died. It is now spending for com. pensati0n, training, insurance and hos. pitalixatiOn more than $4O0.OOO, GOO annually. Solicitude for the disabled veterans and the dependents of those who lost their lives is the ma. tion's solicitude. To minister to their every need is a sacred obligation which will be generously and gratefully met. The nation stands ready to expend any, amount needed for their proper care. But that is not the object of this bill.
 American entered the World war with a higher purpose than to secure material gain Not greed, but duty was the compelling motive. Our veterans as a whole responded to that motive. They are not asking as, A whole, they do not want as a whole, any money recompense. Those. who do seek money recompense, for the most part, of course, prefer an immediate cash payment. i
 Conflicts With Patriotism :. t
 We must either abandon our theory of patriotism or abandon this bill. Patriotism which is bought and paid for is not patriotism. Our country has maintained the principle that our government IS established for some thing higher and finer than to permit those who are charged with the re- sponsibility of office or any class whose favor they might seek, to get what they can out of it. Service to our country in time of war means sacrifice. It iS for that reason alone that we honor and. revere it. To attempt to make q money payment out of tlre earnings of the people to those who are physically well and financially able is to abandon one of our most cherished American ideals. The property of the people be- longs to the people. To take it from them by taxation cannot be justified