Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-24
How Many Veterans Are Needy9


ascertain the number of veterans Ct
the World War in this country today
who are actually in need. He is seek
ing this information in his considera-
ton Of the soldiers bonus loan bill
permitting all veterans of the World
War, whether In need or affluent
whether they are out of work or have
jobs, to borrow up to fifty per cent of
the face value of their adjusted COM
penSation certificates. The bill, passed
BY overwhelming votes of both houses
Of Congress, is before the President
for his approval or disapproval. On
Thursday. If not before, it will be re-
turned to the Congress by the Chief
Executive, accompanied by a veto
message.
The congressional committees which
handled the bonus loan bill might
properly have undertaken the survey
which is being made now by order of
the President. The reason for passing
this bonus legislation at this time has
been repeatedly stated. 1t is TO give
the war veterans a measure of relief
In these times Of depression and unem-
ployment. The suggestion was ad-
vanced that the benefits of the meas
ure be extended only to those veterans
who were in need. But this proposal
was turned down, with the exceedingly
thin excuse that to ask veteran If he
were in need would be embarrassing to
the veteran, would in effect "pauperize"
him. Unfortunately the desire of Con-
gress to curry favor with the whole body
Of war veterans, instead of making pro-
vision for the relief of the veterans now
in need, has been an impelling factor In
this legislation. At a time when the
Government Is hard up" when buSi-
ness has been depressed, and unemploy-
ment great, It Is now proposed in this
bill to set UP q special class of citi-
zens, able-bodied and with jobs in the
great majority Of cases, to receive GER
tain financial benefits from the Gov
ernment. Many of the war veterans
themselves, far more patriotic in their
Judgment Of the matter than many
members Of Congress, are opposed to
this legislation.
Figures received by the President IN
his survey Of the situation show, for
example, that IN . city where 10000
war veterans are located, 159 are in
real need. In another city, far re-
moved from the FIRST, where approx
nately 100000 reside, it is reported
that only 100 veterans are in need.
Senator Gillett of Massachusetts,, one
Of the few members Of the Senate who
raised his voice against the passage OF
the bonus loan bill. called attention to
the fact that the veterans Of the World
War who returned to their homes
sound in body are today in the prime
Of life and vigor, that of all groups in
the country they are the best fitted to
care for themselves and their families.
It would appear from the survey being
made for the President that Senator
cillett was justified in his statement.
The position Of Senators who opposed
the bonus bill, among them senator
Borah Of Idaho. has been that while
they were willing to put through legis-
lation designed TO aid the war veterans
In need, they did not believe it wise or
patriotic ut this time to permit "a gen.
eral raid on the Treasury" for men who
are not in need. The bonus certificates
are due and payable in l945, at time
when 1t may be hoped that the country
viii be better able to meet the pay
ments than now. The present legisla-
ton for bonus loans, supposedly for the
aid Of the veterans in distress, stripped
Of its camounage, is showing up more
and more as the sham it is. Better by
far TO pay the veterans in actual need
the whole face value of their certificates.