Evening star., 1924-08-24
YOUR BONUS
Questions That Bother You
Will Be Answered in
This Column.
AddreAss Room TT, News De-
partment, The EveDing star.
WashingtCh, ID. g.

Q. I am not entitled to the bonus
because my first husband is dead and
1 have remarked. But my child is
entitled. and 1 have filed an applica-
tion for the benefits to be paid to my
child. The father OF my first hus-
band Is also filing an application for
the benefits. on account OF my child.
I am the legal guardian of the de-
pendent entitled to the benefits, and
I want to know II there Is any action
/ might take further to protect the
interests of my child?-MRS. Il.
A. AS you are the legal guardian
of the child, your application Will
receive preference over any others
Which may be filed. The fact that
your father-in-law is fling an appli-
cation for the benefits Will nave no
bearing upon the action on your
claim. Yours Is the only valid claim
for the benefits, and there is nothing
else you can do or need to do to pro-
tect your interests.
@. Will the total amount OF in
debtness on account of the adjust ed
service certificates to be issued to
veterans be carried as part OF the
public debt Of tho United States?
Several weeks ago you said that the
Government had an outstanding in
debtness of over $1,000. .O0O.O0O on ac-
count Of term insurance payments
due beneficiaries OF deceased veterans
of the World War. Is this sum car
ried on the books Of the Treasury
Department as part Of the national
debt of the country?
A. The face value of the total
amount OF adjusted service certifi-
Gates to be issued to veterans Will
not be carried on the books OF the
(.nvArnrNAnt
debt. Neither Is the sum due on ac-
count OF War Risk Insurance car
ried on the books as part OF the pub
lic debt. Both amounts due are met
by yearly appropriations, and while
a part Of the total amount for which
tho nation is obligated, the sums
mentioned are not part OF the out
standing indebtedness OF the United
States.
@. 1 am a veteran OF the Spanish
American War and the World war.
have heard 1t said that adjusted
compensation graveyard bonus)
will prevent the payment OF pensions
for 20 years or more. Is there any
basis OF truth in such a statement!
1 am one Of many who believe that
1t would be cheaper and of greater
benefit to pay the veterans a cash
bonus or pension. Does the his
tory Of the passage of the adjusted
compensation act indicate that 1t was
designed to prevent or forestall PEN
sion legislation? This question may
be a little out Of the ordinary and
will therefore appreciate more the
answer you give 1t in your column.
Two WARS.
A. To judge by the statement OF
the various proponents OF the legisia-
tion providing an adjustment OF com
pensation for veterans of the World
War, 1t was the hope that this law
would postpone for 20 years or more
the payment Of pensions. 1t was un-
doubtly the hope and desire OF many
Of the members Of Congress that
this law would actually prevent
future enactment of any general pen
sion egislation. What the final re-
suit will be. no one can presume &c
say with any degree of authority
Congress has complete jurisdiction
on matters of this kind. 1t was the
design Of or desire of Congress to
compensate the veterans for the serV-
ice they had rendered. The question
of pensions does not enter into thal
transaction, only insofar as individ-
uals try to read the motive behind
the actual work OF the Congress
Every veteran knows as much abou,
the future action of Congress on the
matter of general pension iegisla'
tion as 1 do. And that means tha'
any ones guess is as good as mine
AS to the relative merits OF compen-
sation as compared with pensions ol
q cash bonus this column does mol
presume to judge, being entirely de-
voted to the service it may be able to
render upon the problems OF vet
erans as they exist today.