Evening star., 1932-11-28
BIZ KARL w. MILLER.


The most striking of all phases of
the record breaking economy drive
scheduled for this Winters session of
Congress is found in the attempt to
challenge the pension system, which,
for better or worse, has been part oe
this country's war policy almost from
the beginning of its history. Here is
promised a literal battle of a century.
1t was ia years ago that Congress
passed the first law giving service
pensions to war veterans who had suf-
fered no wounds or other disabilities
from their war service.
So firmly rooted is the p5nsion sys-
tenn in the soil and politics of America
that comparatively little notice was
taken when several years ago legiSla-
tion was adopted that had the effect Of
starting World War veterans on the
same pension high road already trav-
eled by veterans of previous wars from
the Revolution onward.
ALI Veterans Benefit.
The new legislation allowed compen-
sation to disabled veterans whose all
ments were not traceable in any respect
to the war. With this enactment the
World War veterans crossed Rubicon
the veterans of the Civil War did not
reach until rs years after the close Of
hostinties.
It was a significant moment. But
the sum involved for that first year
was small and, times being good, the
few taxpayers who spared it a second
thought contented themselves with CIV
ing thanks that no more was demanded
1t took the depression to focus public
attention on that large share of the
Federal tax burden that goes to pay
for past wars. This brought with it the
first critical examination of pension
policy in many years.
The public or at least a tax-conSciouS
segment of it, suddenly realized that the
World War had 4,500,000 men under
arms as compared with 1.000000 in the
Civil War or 100000 in the War with
Spain. 1t was realized most of these
World War veterans now had become
potential pension customers. The pic
ture stretching into the future was and
Is alarming.
Already two years after enactment of
the law, $4,000 World War veterans
have been entered on the pension rolls
for ailments not connected with var
service, and others are being added at
the rate of $4,000 a month. These
service pensions are costing the Govern
ment $1o4.0o0,000 a year. This is
scarcely $40 a month apiece. History
and the elementary rules of politics
testify with certainty that, unless
halt is called. future increase in the
number of pensioners will be accom-
panied by progressive increases in the
pension rate.
Feeble Reduction Effort.
A feeble effort to trim the cost of
veterans relief was made by the last
session of Congress in connection with
hxrx xrnfa t.r,
organizations made it abortive, but one
result was the appointment of Joint
Congressional Committee, which Is to
assemble before Congress convenes De-
cenlber to survey the whole question
of veterans benefits. 1t is supposed to
Iecomm mend to Congress a revision of
policy which, it is hoped, will be per-
manert.
While the main attack of those who
propose to storm the citadel of exist
ing veterans legislation is directed at
the principle of service pensions, other
World War benefits are included in its
scope. The United States Chamber of
Commerce is demanding reductions to-
taling S400, 900 900 a year, while cut
of more than S452 100000 is asked by
the National Economy League.
This last is new and active organi-
zation headed by Rear Admiral Richard
e. Byrd and sponsored by such national
figures as Calvin Coolidge and Alfred E.
Smith. It's asserted membership of
1,0O0.0 900 is cited as a measure of the
popular feeling on the subject of pen
sion reform. The American Legion it
self claims q membership of scarcely
1,000,000
Veterans to Fight.
The veterans organizations are pre-
pairing to fight the whole retrenchment
program, and their influence in Con-
gress heretofore has been well nigh
invincible. The Legion, which refuses
to indorse the legislation giving nom
service connected pensions when it was
adopted by Congress, now will hight to
the limit to prevent its repeal.
The enactment of this law was the
result OF a compromise that probably
deserves to go down in history as the
worlds worst bargain. BY the Winter
of 1929-30, evidence had accumulated
that existing rules governing service
connected compensation were too strin-
gent, numbers of World War vete- ans,
were breaking down in health and suf-
fering from chronic diseases which, un-
der a reasonable presumption, in most
cases could be attributed to the StraiA
and exposure of their war service.
The American Legion drew up and
presented a bill that would have given
compensation to those who had con-
tracted, UP to 1925, any one of group
of about 20 constitutional diseases. The
existing presumption date" then Us
now, vas 1923. The proposed bill would
have admitted about $4,000 additional
Veterans to compensation and would
have cost about S12,500,000 year.
The big mistake was made when
President Hoover, opposing any brosi-
ening of war compensation, frowneh on
the Legion measure and refused I, ac-
cept it as basis OF legislation. As a
result a much more liberal bill, setting
1880 as the presumption date and cost
ing an estimated $44,000,000 year, was
forced out of the Veterans Committee
by a rebellious Democratic minorityt
The House. in similar spirit of def.
ance, seized this measure and inflated
it with collateral amendments until, ac-
cording to one estimate, the cost would
have been S400,o00,000 year. In this
form it was passed by the House and,
without much modification, was ap-
proved also by the Senate.
Vetoed b. President.
The President promptly vetoed the
bill, but In Lne meantime veterans
organizations throughout the country
had begun to take an active hand in
the fight and it soon was realized some
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