Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01
FEW NEW BONUS
BORROWERS HERE
Only z Per Cent of 5,123
Applicants Are Initial,
Officials Report.
fcontinued Prom First Pageo

CONTINUED From First Pageo
but now I'm going to ride a while, If it
/ takes my last cent"
The other man regarded the auto
mobile from bumper to bumper.
well" he replied obviously, Il rode
over from California-rode the RODS,
back there. Maybe, though, thereM be
enough left over for secondhand
buggy"
came down the line, handing out list
of sales prices for new and old ears.
The men took them almost without
exception, scanned the reading matter
and stowsd them away in their pockets
Several other automobile statesmen
were talking to groups of ex-Service
men as they struggled from the Vete-
rams Bureau. their errand finished. In
less than an hour two more went down
the line giving away advertisements.
Further up the street an agent for
q steamship company was distributing
literature which had to do with pleasure
cruises on the Caribbean, with the lure
of distant ports and the moderation
of transportation rates.
These, too, found a ready reception,
but mostly they were thrown down
after a brief, If obviously wistful, in
spection. The men, however, kept the
automobile advertising matter.
Signs Of Urgent Necessity.
Undoubtedly there was urgent neces-
sity among the men in line.
There were taxi drivers who had left
their cabs nearby, laborers who OBJ
viously were employed on construction
jobs here and q sprinkling of white
collar men who seemed fairly prosperous
but for the most part the ex-service
men, white and colored, were unem-
ployed.
They were the men who from neces-
sity or impotence chose to present
their applications in person rather than
risk a delay by mailing them in. Many
explained that they had come on TO
washington to await the loan and were
in dire want without resources 10 tlde
them over the 10 days or so which they
must wait for their checks.
The Veterans Bureau gave precedent
to a few claims after the Red Cross or
some other social agency testified to
the need of the particular veteran, but
the great body of the applications will
be put through in the order in which
they are received.
Mountaineer Receives Check.
One veteran, a Tennessee noun
taineer, explained that his wife and six
children were waiting almost on the
verge of starvation for him to return
with service money. His story was
verified and he received his check with
out delay.
Many veterans gave similar stories.
but were required to wait their turn
when they could not be verified.
A surprising development In the day
was the mysterious dwindling OF the
line after the morning rush. BY late
afternoon only few stragglers dropped
in to apply for loans. Ohicials went
forward, nevertheless TO make plans LOT
handling loans for months 70 come.
The bureau yesterday computed loans
and mailed out checks to 1925 veterans
in this vicinity.
Throughout the country, 1t was esti-
mated that 10000 checks had been
mailed, aggregating IN value about
$10,O00,000.
Ijams Studies Situation.
The dwindling Of the line yesterday
afternoon was being studied last night
by Col. George E. Ijams, director Of the
Veterans Bureau.
at is hard to say whether this
crowd yesterday morning was the first
fash of interest, and has now SUBJ
sided" he said. What will happen
Monday morning is something which
officials cannot forecast, but the first
mornings crowd was handled with
speed.
At the present time, Col. Ijams said,
it was impossible to tell what the de-
mand will be and whether it will be
necessary to take on additional per-
sonnet in the Offices to handle the rush.
If the demand increases, more people
VIII have to be added, through the civil
service register, he explained, but II 1t
remains stationary, or falls on, the
bureau might not need the temporary
employees it now has. The temporary
force which was added for handling
the special disability compensation
work has been continued to take care
of the new bonus activity.
A total of 800 or 900 people can be
added If needed, he explained.
Advises Against Letters.
Don't write follow-up letters" Col.
Ijams advises veterans. Such letters,
he explains, viii only hold up a case,
as it will be necessary to pull the case
out of its place in the pile in order
to answer a follow-up letter and this
would delay its consideration.
At the present time, Col. Iiams ex-
planned, there are about 3,3OO,OOO al
iusted service certificates outstand-
ing, on which the so per cent increased
loan value granted by Congress aggre'
gates the stupendous total of S1.700,-
600 900. 1t Is hardly expected. how
ever. that all veterans will take adj
vantage of the loan offer.
1--WE anticipated larger crowd" said
Col. Ijams. He is curious to hear now
from the other SO regional officers
throughout the country to learn
whether they also had such a sharp
falling off on Saturday afternoon as
took place here.
Regional Officers Rushed.
A rushing business on loans, how
ever, was being done by regional. OH
GERS throughout the country earlier in
the day. Col Ijams learned through
telegraphic dispatches.