The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-12-08
Legion
Care of Disabled Means Millions to
Business in Minnesota


Business in Minnesota
Hundreds of thousands of dollars
that are now coming annually in
to Minnesota will be withheld from
the channels of business, and in
stead, the burden of higher local
and state taxes will occur if or
ganiZed groups succeed in stopping
various benefits now existing under
law for disabled veterans, according
to Louis A. Johnson, national COM
mander of the American Legion.
In statement just issued, the
national commander said in part
as follows: 1.-The Chamber of Com
merce of the United States, through
its Legitimate, or illegitimaten
stepdaughter, Mel as the Ameri-
can Legion has come to know tina
National Economy League, are
seeking through misrepresentation
to unduly alarm the country re-
garding the cost of caring for dis
abled veterans. Admiral Byrd is
the spear-head for Mel in touring
the country. He is the distinguish
ed son of a distinguished family
and while I have naught to say
against him personally, believe
that unwittingly and unintentional-
ly he is the stalking horse for that
comparatively small group whose
profits in one year (192S) were S.
300 100000.
1.-THE opposition of this group to
the care of the disabled has been
traced to the fact that out of their
huge profits they pay large share
of the federal income tax, and if
the care of the disabled is curtail-
ed their taxes can be reduced be-
cause the burden can then be shift
ted to the little fellow or local tax
payer, few of whom pay or know
very much about any federal in
come tax. In the year of our
greatest prosperity, 1928, this group
of opponents paid total federal in
come tax of $908,OO0,000 leaving
them an average net income of
$4,000 each out Of their more than
six billion dollars profits.
IF their scheme should succeed,
it is easy enough to understand that
Minnesota would Immediately have
several thousand disabled veterans
thrown upon the mercy of the loo
al communities. Many of these dis
support, and instead of spending
federal payments for groceries,
medicine, clothing, etc., would be
objects of charity.
Therefore, the channels of trade
in the communities of Minnesota
would lose that income now coming
to them; and in addition, the
local taxes for the upkeep of 10
cal hospitals, county farm and 9TH
err institutions would increase. This
does not take into consideration
the human misery involved, nor the
fact that it is cheaper in the end
to cure these men and to restore
them to self-support. How much
wiser to cure rather than curse
1.-THE payments by the federal
government for Minnesota, and the
number of Minnesota veterans re-
ceiving them for the IL months
ending June 30, 1892, follow: ;
Disability compensation 9,775
veterans, amount $5,843,355; disabil-
ity allowance, 1905, amount $685.
7O5; death compensation, 1,S47,
$685., 16O; emergency officers retire
ment pay, 126, $227, s72; military
and naval insurance (term), 4,123,
$3,5149,1. adjusted service and de-
pendent pay, s3o,619; adjusted SER
vice certificates, matured by death,
$417, 1893; pensions, 7,037, $3,782, 480;
Veterans remaining in hospital, j.
020; administration, 5000, 1856; hos
pital and domicihary facilities and
services. $17,525; total disburse-
ments $17,554,3 23."
mel" Would Create Bad Situation
Should presumption of service
connection and free government
hospital treatment for world wal
veterans be repealed by congress as
advocated by the National Econ
omy League, an appalling situation
would result, Lewis e. Lehman
Minnesota commander of the Amer
lean Legion, said in a recent adj