Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-09-30
Statement By Chairman wiIIism
-slr ~ A. OIdfIe1d. 49,

~ Oi0ltCAAs
chairman Butler, OF the Republican Ma
tional Committee. has issued another Of
his so-called fact pamphlets dealing with
the C. O. P. record. which is wide of the
truth as that he issued a teNyNeeks ago
under the tide Of Lifting the Burden Of
the Taxpayers, which was so generally
ridiculed." says statement issued by
Representative VIM, A. 0ld6eid. Chairman
Of the Democratic National Congressional
Committee. 1852 Y. .,-,r
&, Mr.. Buffers last pamphlet purpofts to
deal with the record of the Republican
party On legislation in behalf Of war VET.
Grams and their dependents. II implies
that only the G. OPP. politicians have ever
had regard or consideration for the Ma
TONS defenders and their widows and
children. Mr.. Buffers pamphlet is more
remarkable for what ii omits thaR for
anything it contains. For example. he
refers to Investigations of the bureau SCI
up for the Rehabilitation and cAreof World
War veterans. now known as the Veterans
Bureau, and concludes with this remarkable
misstatement: An the practices and meth
DDS thus indicted were due TO Democratic
Acknowledgement and we're persisted ipt by
Democratic officials 10 the face of repeated
protests from individual ex;seryice men as
well % organizations Of ex-seryice iaenf
Accordingly, he said. when the Repubiicah
party came into power, il set oot immedit
ately to correct these faults. nog
chairman Butler neglects to mention
that in March, 1919, Democratic Con-
grsss made an emergency appropriation
Of 100000 for the relief OF World War
veterans and that in December. 1919,
President Wilson asked Congress, Of which
the Republicans had come into control, for
an additional appropriation of SIS. 000.-
600 for the veterans agencies, but that
the Congress. through the manipulations
Of G. O. P. leaders. delayed any action for
sixteen months and then finally appro-
priated $iS.OOO,0OO. q
There wete stwo Investigations of the
service mems agencies. The first was Of
the War Risk Insurance Bureau. 1t re-
vealed some ineficiehsy and very made
quats hospital facilities. but there was no
evidence of dishonesty. The second H.
vestigation was Of the Veterans Bureau.
Of which Col. Charles R. Forbes had been.
made Director. Forbes was a Harding ap-I
pointee. This investigation was made by
q Senate committee after the Republican,
House had refused to join in the resolution
for its conduct. This investigation re-
veAled the most shameful record Of dis
honesty. corruption, conspiracy and efaft
ever perpetrated in a government depart
ment. As result Of the disclosures. Col
Forbes was sent to the penitentiary. Mr.
Butler omits any reference to these facts
In his pamphlet. although the Senate com
mittee's report said Of what had been
going on in the bureau that il resembles
more the work Of buccaneers and the loot
ing and scuttline Of ship than the mere
neglect Of trusted government officials
"Althueh seeking to leave the thought
with former soldiers that the G. O. P. is
their guardian angel, Mr.. Butler omits to
mention that two Republican Presidents
Harding and Coolidge. vetoed adjusted
compensation bills. intended to do some
measure OF service to the World War vet
Grams. and that the bonus bill finally was
passed over President CoOlidee's veto.
HE also omits TO mention that twice
the so-called Bursum pension bill, for the
relief Of veterans Of the Civil, Indian and
other wars. was vetoed by two Republican
Presidents. Harding and Coolidge, and that
hnaily the veterans had to accept a much
less satisfactory pension act, the one now
In effect.
"Mr. Butler also overlooks the fact tina,
during the Presidency of Woodrow Wilson
no less than dozen general pension acts
vastly increasing the benefits to civil and
other war veterans and their dependents
were passed, and that no pension lesisla.
tion whatever was ever vetoed by Presi.
dent Wilson. During President Wilson.
administration, the pensions granted the
nations defenders were more than doubled
and IL Mr.. Butler will examine the record
he will find that very much more lesisla
tion in the interest Of veterans and theil
widows and children has been passed
under Democratic than under Republican
administrations. although the Republican
party has been in power all save sixteer
years since the Civil War The veteran,
themselves know this to be a fact, Will,
everybody knows what the record Of tn,
Republican Presidents on the soldier bonu,
and the Bursum pension bills has been
nor Is the public memory so short-lived al
to have forgotten the shameful record O
the Veterans Bureau undur Forbes anc
Others during the Harding Coolidge ad
ministratlons. II Chairman Butler carec
to refresh his own memory on the subject
he could do SO by consulting some Of tn,
Federal Court records"
Zoning Hearing To Be Held.