Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-18
iii Effect of Bonus
On Business Denied
10 the Editor OF The Star:

40 the EultOr OF Inc star.
Pertaining to the question of cashing
the eX-soldiers' bonus at the present
time, l am interested to know why an
increase in the purchasing power OF
100000 or more veterans is going to
prevent the recovery of business as
stated by several of the witnesses at
the hearings on bonus legislation re-
Gently conducted in the Finance COM
mittee of the Senate and the House
Ways and Means Committee.
The gentlemen who predicted the
recovery of business will be retarded
by the passage Of the cash bonus meas
ure are representatives of some Of the
leading financial and business interests
in the country, and their Judgment on
pending legislation always commands
considerable attention in Congress.
A special session of Congress in 1929
was called for the purpose of enacting
certain measures to stimulate indus
tries and to benefit the farmers. When
this legislation was being studied some
of the same representatives of business,
who are now arguing against the propo-
sition to cash the veterans bonus, COM
municated with Congress to the effect
that they were in favor Of legislation
passed by Congress in 1929 because, in
their estimation, the w0rkingman and
his Job would be protected and the
farmer would be guaranteed fair pSice
for his products.
In the light Of the terrible effects
Of the present crisis on city dwellerS
and farmers alike it will be seen how
misleading was the advice offered to
Congress by financial and business rep
rrsrnfa+ivps at the special session in
1929. How much dependence can Con-
rress place in evidence coming from
the same source?
The director Of the Veterans Bureau,
Gen. Hines, testified at the hearings;
the director also opposed the cash pay
ment plan, stating that 100000 or 300
COO men were unemployed and Congress
ought to find employment for these
men.
Cen. Hines will find by looking at
the files Of the Veterans Bureau that
400 coo disabled CT the last war are get
ting compensation or disqualification.
That 100000 disabled claimants are
waiting on pending claims. Most Of
these men, due IN their incapacitleS.
were unemployed or worked at irregular
intervals before the depression hit the
country. ard since no count Of the num-
bcr Of veterans actually affected by the
chronic unemployment situation exist
ing at present has been taken, I do not
see how Gen. Hines figures on the num-
Der OF the unemployed veterans can be
substantiated.
The case for the cash payment on the
bonus at this time is briefly that the
eX-service men regard the bonus as a
part of their wages for the financial as
well as physical sacrifices they made
during the war. They felt the people
Of the Nation wanted TO express their
gratitude in this for-l and they were
led to believe that an increase in their
pay for wartime service would be made
by Congress. The former men realized,
too, that according to the present terms
Of the bonus that this reward is put out
Of the reach Of the wounded and dis
eased survivors of the late war, a dis
elimination that the advocates of pay
ing the bonus in small leans and final
settlement in 1915 should note.
The business depression threw mil
lions of people out CT their Jobs that
included an exceptionally large number
Of ex-service men. Most Of these men
had no funds to fall back upon to see
them through a long period of unenl-
ployment and the realization that most
OF these men are desperately in need
OF the cash at the present time should
bring home to Congress the great neces-
Slty Of speeding legislation to permit all
war veterans to cash in full their bonus
ceftlhcates. JOHN JONES.