Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-28
Congressional Aid
Asked for Veterans
TO the Kditor Of The star:

To the EDITOR Of The star:
II Congress really wants to help the
needy, there Is q way open and known
to them. 1t Is neither charity, dole
or . loan. It is the payment Of an
honest debt that has been admitted by
the Government It Is the immediate
passage Of the bill now pending for the
payment Immediately to veterans Of the
World War of the fun value of their adj
justed service certificates. They helped
their country when they were most
needed. Why shouldn't their country
help them when they most need II?
Some OF our political financiers looked
into q crystal and saw that in l945 all
veterans would be able to use their
money to better advantage than at any
other time. A flne traveSty OF justice
Eaati Suppose the country had to walt
20 years for men to fight her battles.
As soon Is any attempt u made to
bring the bill before Congress there Is q
cry of deflcttl Deficit comes from the
Treasury. II there be q deficit, personal
ACKNOWLEDGMENT Is to blame. A glance
at the figures In regard to our national
war debt will serve TO support this.
If the policy as outlined by Congress
in 1919 had been followed, 1t would
have resulted in the payment of 50, OOO.-
100000 during the past 10 years. In
stead $4,000, 100000 has been paid,
81, O00, 900 900 more than Congress said
should have been paid. Why was some
Of this surplus not set aside for just
such emergencies as have now arisen?
This amount would E:Vc + ID the vet
Grams the amount Of their certificates
almost twice.
A further payment of $4es 500 ,9O5 is
expected to be made on the principal
of the public debt during the coming
| year. This amount should be diverted
| to the relief Of the patient veterans in
stead Of applying 1t 10 q debt that Is
81 ,O00, 000, 600 ahead Of what Congress
required.
This, added to the reserve fund of
| $748 .222, IT'S in the Treasury for the re-
firing Of the certificates when due, would
leave q very small remainder OF the
$500 5000 required to pay the GER
| tificates.
aAs the Government Is now borrowing
money at 1T Per cent annual interest,
| it would be good business to borrow the
remaining money at such low interest
and pay of this debt. The Government
would soon save this amount in over
head, as 1t requires large Office force
to handle the applications for loans on
the certificates. The Government only
charges the veterans per cent for the
use Of their own money!
WHY WdAt u1IIA 4oEO W pun IAAdt
money into circulation? BY that time
most of the veterans will have borrowed
to the limit In small amounts, and the
Government will have received more in
interest than the veteran received on
the principal of his certificates. 1t does
not take a f1nancier to know that a
lump sum is Of more benefit than o lot
of small installments.
If now Is the time to buy, let the
veteran have his money to take advan-
! ,tage Of lower prices, Let him have it
TO help provide a home for his family
and not withhold It from him until he
| Is the inmate of a veterans home.
We loaned foreign countries billions
Of dollars, out Of which they paid their
soldiers cash bonuses, and yet some
people cannot understand where we will
get the money TO pay our own.
Enough has been sacrificed for praise
land glory. Let the Government show
| tangible evidence Of its appreciation Of
! the veterans.
ANDREW HAMILTON.