The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-10

Agitation Becomes Anti-Capi-
talistic Crusade" was the head
over the story and the editorial
was entitled Bonus Leaders
Arouse Glass War"
No doubt the leaders re-
ferred to, will vigorously resent
the imputation that their ac-
tivities in behalf of adjusted
compensation can be construed
in this manner, and yet, the present
bonus crusade of the ex-veterans,
whether they like it or not is anti
capitalistic fundamentally.
Founded by Big Biz.
Here we have a very interesting
situation. The American Legion
which was founded by the big capt.
talists, and subsidized with their
money is now fought by the very ele-
ments that founded it. 1t is not per-
forming the function that it was in
tended for. Instead of devoting it.
self exclusively to anti-labor strike
breaking companies, which its leaders
undoubtedly want it to do it is COM
PEELED in order to hold its members to
fight the capitalists, and spit in its
parents face.
The Stars and Stripes, organ Of the
American ex-soldiers in an editorial
prior to the last convention of the
American Legion, said that the main
cause of the decline in membership
of the Legion is that it had no mis-
sion. That paper stated frankly that it
owes its origin to Big Business which
hope to use it to fight radicalism, but
when the radical menace somewhat
faded and the plutoerats breathed
easier they did not bother any longer
with the ex-servicemen. Manufactur-
ers paid the dues of their soldier en-
ployes in the year following the war,
but since then they showed no interest
whatever in their fate.
Finally Woke Up.
Naturally the soldiers felt this.
They realized that they were tools in
the hands of the master class of this
country, that their services were ap-
preciated so long as danger threat
ened the bosses but once that threat
was removed the men who did the
fighting and took the risks could go
and chase themselves.
A great falling away in the ranks
of the Legion took place and in order
to stop the ebb the Legion leaders
were obliged to grab some issue that
would hold the ex-soldiers. That of
compensation for the time they spent
fighting for $4,000 a week while the
bosses made millions, was the logical
one.
Now it happens that this is the last
thing the bosses liked. While it was
perfectly proper to hand over billions
to the railroad owners for the use of
the railroads which do not rightly be-
long to the railroad magnates in the
first place, it was branded an inimical
to the best interest of the country to
pay the soldiers a trifing sum in COM
pensation for their war service. It
would be placing price on patriot
ism, barked the poodle dogs of big
business. at would load down the
country with a FIVE billion dollar
obligation and imperil the country's
prosperity" Oh yes. 1t would COM
pei the big fellows to pay out in taxes
some Of the loot that they got away
with while their dupes were over
fighting. It would imperil the coun-
try's prosperity That means less
money for the rich who are ac-
customed to luxury and little more
for the poor wage slaves-heroes for
day-who are used to poverty and
can get along very well with what
they haven't got.
Bosses Get Busy.
So the business men-the big fell
lows-have organized an ex-Service
Mems Anti-Bonus League which is
financed by Secretary Of the Treasury
Mellon and others. Knowlton Durn-
ham is president Of the league. In a
statement headed "The Bonus and the
Bolshevik Fringe" Durham claims
that the bonus agitation is only a
mask for an anti-capitalist propa-
ganda which is becoming more mem
acing every day. Veterans openly
declare they are demanding a bonus
because they saw rich men filing their
Golfers during the war.
The Chicago Journal of Commerce
fiays the veterans mercilessly. Refer
ring to the attacks on Mellon its says
"Their opposition to the bonus,
Of course, is not based on their as
ISOLATION with Mr.. Mellon. If they
had never met Mr.. Mellon, they
would be against the bonus. And
|. that is true because they are bust
ness men. Everyone knows that
nearly all business men are against
the bonus.
"Thus II is clear that the attack
on Mr.. Melons business associates
is a part of the general attack on
business men for daring to give
money to help circulate the bust
ness arguments against the bonus
bill.
These leaders are deliberately
promoting class warfare in order to
silence the sane economic argu-