davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Insult
to
Veterans

April 7 edition, wherein Sidney
Howard, noted playwright, was
reported to have stated, amer
lean soldiers were we'll paid for
their part in the war
Such a remark is an insult to
any man capable of earning more
than 81 a day.
Why do you not advocate a
retroactive tax on all money
garnered during the war, that
exceeded the pay of the soldiers?
How in the name of sense do you
arrive at the absurd conclusion
that serving in the army is a
patriotic duty, when a great
many of those remaining at home
in safety are permitted to gouge
the country for all it will stand
resulting in the un-American
condition of numerous families &C
cumulating wealth to the extent
that offSprings who have not
earned a penny, never will spend
the interest, whereas millions are
dependent upon charity, and
thousands of ex-soldiers COM
PEELED to rely upon soup lines for
sustenance?
A large majority of ex-soldiers
are not affiliated with the Amer
lean Legion, therefore neither the
national headquarters nor in
dividual posts of this organiza-
ton have a right to speak for the
ex-soldiers outside of their ranks.
I served sixteen months in
France and as yet have not had
to cash my bonus, nor have I been
examined for compensation. I'm
fortunately this can be said for
altogether too few ex-soldiers.
What has become of the agita-
ton of 1919 to pass a law to con-
script wealth as we'll as soldiers?
OF course, this will never be
enacted, as history proves greed
for profit is the underlying cause
of all wars. JOE N. CLINE.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Suffered,
Asks Only
Justice

1
personal views Asks Only
on the bonus Justice
situation, feel
that I, as
subscriber of your good paper
and a veteran, am entitled to
small space in this affair.
am veteran and served over
seas in actual service, was subject
to the treatment of the ordinary
doughboy, who saw actual service
and that treatment was sleeping
in mud and water when an OPP
portunity came to sleep.
Dug into holes where water coll
lected and slept like varmints.
liked through mud and water
with pack and rifle, ETC., weighing
lit pounds by actual weight.
Forced to wear English issue
shoes which were made for either
foot and fit neither and by so do
ing my toes had to overlap each
other and the toe nails were half
black from blood blisters under
them, yet I liked just the same.
Never had my clothes off, except
to bathe, for eight months. Was
sick and confined with no care
except what my buddies gave me,
and thanks to them. It was a
brothers care as far as they knew
how.
I've hiked without food and
fought for as much as four days
without food, then only turnips
and water, no salt or pepper. All
this for SIPS a day. And now
they call that good pay. You
can't say that included food and
medical care, for we didn't have
that all the time and not in suff1-
Gent quantity at any time.
Ten times that pay wouldn't
have. been enough for most Of
these people who are "squawking'
and most Of them wouldn't have
gone at any price. We were good
enough to fight for these yellow
backs, but now we are not fit even
to enjoy the pursuit of happiness
which we are supposed to have.
Did we get preference, of Jobs
when we came back? No. And
now if you were an ex-soldier you
don't even stand a f1fty-flfty show.
The taxpayer isn't opposing the
bonus. Big corporations and Wall
Street oppose it, but the man IL
really hurts is the small taxpayer
and he isn't opposed to it for he
understands better the condition
of the needy and disabled soldier.
I have paid more back in taxes
of various kinds than the govern
ment ever paid me in salary. After
all my opinion is as good as Mr.,
Powell's. Likely he's only a man,
too. SO let's have the bonus.
Now.
A. P. o. 77s
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
War Wage
Held Long
Overdue


as held by hundreds of veterans
with whom I have come in con-
tact.
We are the common class, the
uneducated "buck private class
Of veterans. I believe that it is
wrong to bleed the treasury of
the United States at this, criti-
cal time. Had the money we de-
served been paid at the proper
time, it would have long been for
gotten.
How many men worked for 81
day during the war, outside
the service? Very few, if I know
anything about it. Now, because
We are demanding our long over
due wages" every one seems to
be up in the air about it. How
many of your politicians took a
pay cut down to 81 a day during
or since the war?
Yes, there were a few men on
the dollar year list, men finan-
cially able, not men of the ranks.
who depended upon their daily
wages.
What did the government do in
regard to the railroad men? Gave
them their bonus of back paw IN
tull when the country was in as
critical state as it is now.
Wyh not put a deficit on the
governments books and erect a
wonderful monument to the he
roes of the world, the same as the
state did? What good is that mar
Vicious and beautiful World war
memorial to the men and their
families who are starving? The
very men it was erected for are
going hungry, with no homes, no
clothing, and in destitute circum-
stances. They can't eat limestone
and marble. They feel as though
what they did for you and every
one has gone unappreciated. In
their uneducated and uncouth
ways can they appreciate work
OF art? Mol It's like a slap in
the face.
say, let Uncle Sam pay the
bonus in full. It's back wages
for us. It isn't compulsory for
your patriotic politicians, nor your
business men with jobs to accept
this bonus, but every mothers son
who is hungry will say he thinks
he deserves it.
Cut some of your high-saIaried
officials down to a dollar a day
long enough to meet this deficit
and listen to them rave.
Who is Talcott Powell? Is he
employed Or one of the hungry
unemployed?
A FORMER BUCK PRIVATE.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16

clothes are so shabby can't even
look for that kind Of work, so I've
got to take anything I can get
where clothes don't count, but so
do the other unemployed.
If the government paid the
bonus, the good landlord would
get his back rent and so be able
to pay his taxes, too. The cloth
ing and shoe merchants would
sell some of their goods, 50 that
would help some, but OF course if
it's, more important to feed the
poor in China, why?
I'm a waiter, and, while I'm
waiting, I'm also thinking.
THINKING WAITER
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Pay NoW,
Not After
He Is Dead

men were writing in on why they
wanted the bonus paid.
I am an eX-service man. I
served eighteen months overseas
and was in all the heavy fight
ing. My health has been ruined
and am out of work, without
funds and heavily in debt. There
are six in my family and only a
trustee basket for food that I
work two days each week to get.
If the bonus were paid, we could
pay our rent, get clothes and
groceries, and pay off our many
debts. Many a person who does
not know where the next meal is
coming from would thank God if
he had the bonus now when he
needs it, not after he is dead and
gone.
We gave the best days of oar
life when our country needed us
and gave them gladly, and we
sacrificed our health. Why not
give us what is due us, now that
we need help? We surely would
appreciate it.
I'm all for the cash bonus pay
ment now.
LEROY INGRAM.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16

He tried to get them treated. Did
he? No! I only wish Talcott
Powell should suffer one hour
with trench mouth and I guaran-
tee you he will retract that state
ment. This is only one case. There
are more cases Of different dis
eases.
think the time to help the
largest part Of the boys who
served is to pay the rest OF their
money before they pass beyond.
They were the ones who fought
and it should have been paid a
long time ago. The government
never can pay in money for what
a lot Of the boys went through.
ONE WHO KNOWS.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Pleads for
Working
Man

COIllpCllo q u " IL
and disqualification from the rich
class. Now give little front
page space for the views, along
the same line, from the poor class.
l am of the working class of
ex-service men, striving to rear a
family on meager salary, and
can represent the sentiment and
feelings of this type of ex-service
men. The views printed recently
on the front page of your paper
have made my blood go to ITO
degrees, because they have been
backed by the men who are not
in the class of the majority of
ex-Service men, but are men who
do not need the bonus money,
who can pay for the hoSpitaliza-
ton they need and who have
been turned down for compensa-
ton or do not need it.
They are afraid they might
have to pay a dollar more for
taxes if this bonus should go
through and. in reality, the work
ing class would shoulder the
burden.
I wish I were in a position to
talk to these men personally, so
I could express the views of the
other Sioe. This type of men
can not see the other side of this
question and are striving to push
the working man down instead of
helping him out.
If this depression is to come to
an end, it will have to be done
by the working man, because
business depends on the man who
spends the money, and not on
the one who tries to corner all
the money on the market.
In the army the working man
dug the trenches and did the
dirty work. while the moneyed
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Who Won
This War
forU u. s.?

q ~ j u y = ~ bAAC
claims of war contractors, and of
railroads for losses they claimed
as incidental to wartime opera
ton as an agency of national
defense? And do you know, my
dear editor, that the government
paid it's half million civilian en-
ployes a bonus of $240 a year?
Then, too, thousands of able
bodied civilians employed by the
government got IS to $12 a day.
The profiteers robbed the gov
eminent as we'll as the people.
Twenty-three hundred new mil
lionaires we're created and every
body prospered at home, while
the soldiers got 81 a day.
Do you think they got a square
deal? Nothing was to be denied
them. Nothing was too good for
them. They were heroes then,
but now what? Some beggars.
would like to know who won the
war - the editors or Talcott
Powell?
Every one is for this bonus ex-
cept some slackers who did not
have the quits to fight for our
country in her time of need. The
soldiers won the war and saved
this country for Americans.
The people know this and are
for the soldiers and the bonus.
Tell the truth about this bonus
bill and give us a break.
L. w. WOLFE.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
He Waits
and Also
Thinks


Look them over doctors, attorneys,
artists, newspaper publishers, and
professors, men who have plenty
and don't know what it is to be
hungry. I'll say 95 per cent of
the ex-Service men want and need
their money now as never before.
AS for the treasury Of the rich
est nation on earth, it can loan
billions to the railroads to pay the
interest on debts, but charges us
AZ per cent interest on our own
money. and I've paid as high as z
per cent. If we don't get the rest
before 1945, we won't have any
coming, as the interest will eat up
the balance.
Canada paid her soldiers from
1000 to 81 800 each and they had
it long ago. I work two days for
the trustee each week for basket
of groceries, but that doesn't pay
my rent or put clothes on my
back.
They say the trustees are get
ting short Of money and soon will
have to stop the baskets. I've been
3 waiter before. but now my
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Try This
Diet on
Family


I'll bet he was one of those bows
who stayed home and made his
jack while the making was good.
1 am a veterans wife. We have
three boys. I wonder how Mr..
Lawyer would like to sit down
to beans and jowl bacon three
times a day, day after day, and
see his children go to school in
rags and on that kind of food. and
his wife never have a change of
dresses or hose or any thread to
sew with. To do without every
thing that makes life half worth
living.
We think he has lots of "guts."
Let him give up his automobile.
his radio, electric lights, steam
heat and get a job with the county
two days week, and eat Hoover
ham and beans. Maybe that would
make him see the bonus in a diff
ferent light. I don't have a stamp
so am sending this letter with a
friend.
FIVE WHO NEED THE BONUS.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Pay Us
What We
Deserve

entitled to their bonus.
It is an established fact that
high finance has been responsible
for all wars, but it didn't leak
out until away back at the Battle
Of Waterloo, when Rothschild
stole away in the dead Of night
and told the English people that
Wellington had been defeated and
bought up all their stocks and
bonds at a txifie.
We boys didn't cause the war,
nor did We even ask for a bo-
nus. Our congress gave it to us
and have been playing football
with it ever since. And since it
has been given, why don't they
pay what they gave?
Congress paid $500, 000,0 900 to
the packers. It gave the railroads
s2.500. 10000 n handed ont
=
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16

EDITOR TIMEs-1t is amusing to note the stations in
- life held by those who have voiced opposition to the
so-caed soldiers bonus bill" before congress- In
every instance these remonsrances have ply
sans very type Of men who have
conscience when extracting greenback
purse Of a destitute family
check would show that these
far back the lines prog
The assertion made starting our Presi-
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Entitled
to Bonus,
TheySoy


ice man who wants and needs his
bonus is entitled to it.
We will bet our lives that the
ones who don't need it will be the
ones to apply for 1t first. We
fought for our God and our coun~
try and won to make it safe for
our dear ones and citizens of this
free country to live in. So now
is the time to help the service man
and not Starve him and his family.
If the government can not pay
this bonus, why should it charge
us Az per cent when it borrows
the money for ~ per cent. In
1915 how much will there be left
for the ex-service man to collect?
If the government has plenty of
money to loan foreign countries,
why doesn't the government help
its own needy? If William Wolff
Smith receives $187.50 retirement
pay and $1,000 a year as a general
counsel for the veterans admin
iStration, we feel that the unfor-
tunate buddie should have q
chance. BERT AND GEORGE.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Put the
Blame on
Doctors

help noticing two or three lines
the second time about men go
ing into the service with certain
ailments.
I am not speaking for myself.
was volunteer and went
through the strenuous exanina-
ton of the regular army, and gave
my services for SIS month,
and whatever congress does on
the bonus question I will have no
grievances.
Now these men who were
drafted into the service with
certain ailments, several that I
know, how can they be blamedP
Why not blame the doctors who
passed them, and took them into
the service when they we're not
physically fit?
EDWIN B. HOLMES.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Need Is
Cited by
Wife


at the stand you are taking, hold
ing up for the moneyed man. I
wonder if you have the nerve to
print this answer to lawyer:
I wonder If you are one of the
brave boys who stayed at home,
had soft job, and made big
money while the towards took a
chance Of being q target for tbs
enemy bullets. Left mothers,
wives, children and all, not know
ing whether they would come back
or not, and we thought it would
be glory to make the country
safe for men like you.
My husband has not worked for
two years and the bonus would be
Godsend to us, but there are so
many like you I am afraid we
won't get 1t. But If you thought
there was any danger Of another
war, you would be out shaking
hands and patting the "so-called
patriots" on the back.
I am the mother Of i've and
have 10 live on $3.50 q week-not
money, but groceries given for
made work. VETERANS WIFE.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Benefits
Are Paid
byU. S.

OF his required period as a gov
eminent employe.
And any ex-service man with
an honorable discharge, after his
emergency period has terminated,
is just as entitled to hospitaliza-
ton.
Who are you supposed 10 be,
taking up such questions?
Hoping to see your answers
through your paper, also let us
know when the price Of same will
come back to l cent, like 1t used
to be?
ANOTHER EX-sERVICE MAN.
Delphi, Ind.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
They
Keep Big
Profits


that the vet ProGSs
Grams are grab
berS and are
showing less patriotism now than
during the war. We were paid
five and one-twenty-fourth cents
and hour above our living ex-
penSe.
Making allowance to all civil
lans the rate the government had
Tor each man in the service and
the same rate Of pay, now ask
them to refund all the excessive
wages they made over that.
You know their patriotism
won't quite come up to the sacri-
flce the service man made. There
Is a big difference between five
and one-twenty-fourth cents clear
profit per, to anywhere from 80
cents to dollar profit an hour.
Next take the manufacturer.
who also demanded a huge profit,
TO show his patriotism. Ask him
to refund some of the profits of
which he robbed the government
and also the people. Give HIM.
say, 81 an hour over operating and
living expense. Will he do thai?
NO You and and every one
else knows that.
Why? Because the rich are
about to die from a small income
TAX our government asks of them.
They would rather the country
go bankrupt. They won't do
that for our government. but our
government made a refund of
income tax after the stock market
crash.
And now they have given the
banks a golden egg to borrow
so they may keep their ,heads
above water, while the service
man was underpaid, according to
what was paid civilians.
Now, if our government we'll
could afford to pay the huge
profits and excessive wages with
out going bankrupt, refund in
come taxes, loan golden eggs to
banks, pay out millions trying to
enforce the prohibition law, anu
On top of that, with our free
heartedneSs, donate the wonder
ful revenues which would help
Our treasury, to the bootleggers.
then I say we were the most I'M
derpaid and lost more than any
one else.
/, for one, resent Talcott Pow
els poems he is writing under
the heading, Veterans Are Beg
ging the Country for a Dole"
1 wonder what Mr.. Powell did
during the war, and. what was
his rate of pay, and if he got his
old job back, and as an old man
or new man. ANONYMOUS.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
HitsRich
Opponent
of Bonus


country and I never got the news
from the willard Straight Post
at New York until the morning
of April 8. 1 would like for some
good post to write me and tell me
what the American Legion is.
This fellow, was shaVetal,
and we had lots of that kind Of
men in the service. He must have
a couple of hundred in the bank
and thinks he is a millionaire.
If the Legion wants its COM
rades to stay with it, it should
court martial him and lead him
to the whipping post. The war
was a one-sided affair The poor
we're in and the rich were out.
That is who is fighting our bonus.
Now l feel that what bonus
have coming is mine, and am
entitled to it for the service L
did for the United States.
I can't forget Representative
Patman Dem, Tex He has
been a man from beginning to
ending, as has Maurice Stemfer,
New York. These two realize
what war is, and I think they
are men who want to live and let
live.
Hoover and some of the rest
make me think of prayer my
father has told me of. God bless
me and my wife, my son John and
his wife, us four and no more"
To my comrades, one and all;
No matter what the politics, vote
for the man who votes for us,
for you can see what Willard
Straight post is doing for you
now. Don't forget Hoover, for he
said he would veto the bill if it
passed.
Hoover times, jowl and beans.
WORLD WAR VETERAN.
MartinSViIlp
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Pittonce
Earned
Honestly

bonus. If he has the "guts" he
speaks of he would have signed
his name. In the first place, all
men were not drafted, as several
of us enlisted, including yours
truly.
Second, we left our jobs, with
good money, to go, while probably
A Lawyer" was just a shouting
American and flag waver.
We also earned our few bucks"
a month honestly for risking our
hides to protect his kind. But
can he say the same?
1t doesn't take quits" to fight
against the ex-service men for
what is honestly due them. No,
boy, that takes money!
Anything pertaining to the good
of the service men goes in the
middle of the newspaper, but try
ing to get Theodore Luesse out of
Jail goes on the front page.
Tell A Lawyer" to sign his name
and then maybe some of his So
called patriots can tell him
personally what they can not in
print. GEORGE D. REESE.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16
Lost His
Sight in
Service

allowance, l am
very sorry that it had to be The
Indianapolis Times which takes
that attitude toward the veterans.
I always have been an admirer
of The Times and it's principles.
I enlisted at the outbreak Of the
World war, served two years, lost
the sight of my left eye and in
cured other disabilities which I
could not prove by my medical
record. Therefore, I made claim
under the new law and was grant,
ed So per cent.
am an active member Of the
American Legion and Veterans OF
Foreign Wars. The way I feel
toward your paper now, do not
want it in my home and believe
other veterans will take the same
attitude. I have small lunch
room and have fought hard
through this depression.
Seems like I have read or been
told that the government lets
banks and other big business have
money, but I am just little ex-
soldier. I can't have any money
to hold my business, which proba-
bly, your own paper promised me
back in 10 when I was hungry,
cold, and wallowing in the mud
in France.
WILLIAM BRAMBLETT.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16

money right and left, so why
shouldn't it pay an honest debt
which it gave us?
In April, 1917, congress passed
the draft. Hundreds of thousands
enlisted rather than be drafted.
Thousands were drafted and sent
to cantonments, to be made into
machines of death. Other men
were arrested for making sedi-
tious remarks, others were brand
ed slackerS. They stayed at home
and they are the ones who have
the positions and seniority of en-
ployment today. have had men
my junior say they were too young
to enlist, or that they had de-
pendents.
Now, Mr.. Big Shot correspon-
dent, 7 will assume from the
stand that you are taking that
you are going to be well paid for
your articles. You are taking
the same stand that the Stacker
took and the one who claimed he
was too young. The only ones
that don't want to.
You couldn't see all that drilling
in southern camp from 6 until
6 in the Sweltering heat for about
three or four months. onlv to be
grabbed up and hustled to train,
sent to a port of embarkation, and
showed into the dirty hold Of
ship. Then into an English rest
camp No. 2, and a bath, drip
bath. After the bath, we were led
over to mess, and a mess it was.
All ever ate in two days while
there was boiled potatoes. Then
training camp, coolies, lombard
ments day and night, gas and
machine gun fire for days. We
lived as rats; but did we COM
plain? Not in the least.
Now, since capital is responsible
for the war and congress gave las
the money, there is only one thing
to do. Pay the debt.
FRANK M. HARKINS.
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16

Talcott Powell
Please be adj
vised that any
gov ern m G n t
worker does get
retirement ben
Gifts at. the and
The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-04-16

Editor Times
i am a con-
slant reader Of
The Times and
re ad in the
April Is edition
that eX-SerVice