Evening star., 1932-08-31
The Bonus Landslide.

attempted to rationaliZe the drive for
the bonus as studied effort to initiate
the currency in the belief that such in
fiation would aid recovery. Senator
Thomas Of Oklahoma. one Of the pro-
ponents of the bonus payment, has
from the first taken this point of view.
The method chosen for initiating the
currency, incidentally, would write of
at once an obligation to the ex-service
men assumed in the original bonus act,
but which does not mature for another
thirteen years.
But there is nothing that savors Of
considerate action on the abstruse sub
ject Of currency imitation in the pre-
cipitate Endorsements of the bonus pay
ment by the large number of State
conventions of the American Legion.
The movement has become landslide.
gathers force like landslide and will
doubtless spend its force like land
slide. The question now is the strength
of resistance to the movement to be
shown by Congress in December and
thereafter.
On August 20 it was noted in these
columns that some 724 out of an esti-
mated total of about 450 votes to be
cast at the Portland convention of the
Legion this month had been instructed
In favor of the immediate cash pay
ment of the bonus. Since then the
number has grown to more than a
thousand. 1t is a foregone conclusion
that, without phenomenal last-minute
change of sentiment, the Legion will
vote overwhelmingly for the bonus pay
ment.
The reported decision by administra-
ton officials to let nature take Its
course and to take no of1cial recogni-
ton OF the bonus tide, as President
Hoover so successfully did at Detroit
last year, Is undoubtedly wise. The
time has passed for hoping that the
Legion will dispassionately survey the
pros and cons Of this question. Ed
ward E. Spafford, former New York
State commander and former national
commander of the Legion, calmly pleaded
with the New York convention not to
forget the Legion's promise in Detroit
last year to withhold further demands
of this character. II beg you now to
stand by your word" he said, and his
appeal was showed under by an ava
lanche of votes. Gen. Organ, who led
New York soldiers against the Hinden-
burg line, made similar appeal and
was howled down with the rest. Out
In Sacramento, where the Veterans OF
Foreign Wars are holding their national
encampment, Representative Patman OF
Texas was cheered when he told the
men that we've got real battle on
our hands" and the name OF Archibald
Roosevelt, when mentioned in connec-
ton with the work of the National
Economy League-the sole aim Of which
Is to tighten the burden OF the tax
payers-was jeered.
In other words, the movement for the
bonus Is accelerated now by sort OF
emotionalism that takes no thought OF
the consequences, and flattens opposi-
ton like a steam roller run amuck. 1t
is idle to attempt to stop it by appeals
TO the good sense of the veterans.
Their own leaders have tried that in
vain. The way to prevent this is by
non partisan appeal to the American
people, who must pay the bill. There
is no doubt in anybody's mind Of the
position on this question consistently
held by President Hoover, former
President Coolidge and former President
Harding each of whom vetoed a
bonus bill Gov. Roosevelt has not
had occasion to declare himself on this
question, which again assumes the as
poets of an important national issue.
It is not believed that it is in keeping
with his character to wish to dodge that
issue. and it is assumed that at the
proper time he will outline his views
and give both the bonus-seeking vet
erans and the non-veteran voters an
opportunity to study them. The bonus
payment has never been a party issue.