The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-06-06
Foreign Representatives
SMALL, SPENCER, BREWER
Uncorporated
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
The Bonus Marchers

The Bonus Marchers
Officials at Washington are puzzled
as to what to do about the bonus
marchers who are flocking into that
city from all parts of the country and
the marchers, if the truth were known,
probably are puzzled as to what they
should do now they have arrived.
The whole spectacle is just another
indictment of the manner in which
we American citizens are running this
greatest country In the world but,
even more, is it an indictment OF the
expensive and fuzzy minded manner
in which the whole question of veter-
ans treatment has been handled by
congress.
When the American Legion national
convention went on record opposing
cash payment Of the bonus, following
President Hoover's plea year ago, the
country assumed that the matter was
settled. at least until the period OF
economic stress had passed. But re-
cent events indicate that the conven-
ton did not speak the mind Of the
veteran.
The reason is not difficult to ascer-
tain.
The veterans were, for the most
part, willing to demonstrate their pa
triotism and forbear to assault the
treasury until it became clear that this
attitude was hardly universal. When
the congress, under urging by the adj
ministration, passed the reconstruc-
ton finance corporation measure, the
cash bonus demand flared anew and
with increased force. It gave the bo-
nus agitators a new and potent argu-
ment that discrimination was being
shown; that so-called big business was
being favored and that the war vet
eran was the victim.
Rightly or wrongly, large number
OF American citizens feel that way
and the number is by no means linn
tied to those who would benefit d.
rectly. Many who never lifted rifle
or served day during the war fee
that way about it. The government
loan to the Missouri Pacific railroad
so It could pay off its financial back
ers In Wall Street, didn't improve the
temper Of the veterans any.
Add to this the fact that many O
them have nothing else to do and NJ
place else to 60, and We have thu
bonus demand and the march OF
Washington as a natural result.
In addition to a thousand mino
errors, congress has made at leas
two major divergences from sound pol
icy. The first was the natural con
comitant of complex political situa
ton. Here were roughly 100000
votes which, because Of common ex
perience and viewpoint, might we'll b
united on certain subjects. Every
where congressional candidates pan
dered to the So-called veterans vot
as though it were a thing apart.
has been easy, in recent years, to q
the idea that the veterans were eitht
above or below the average standar
of citizenship, rather than ordinal
citizens with a fine record Of servi'
to the nation.
The second major failure was Il
welding to the demands OF the "pr'
fessional' veterans. These are the me
who have capitalized their war servi'
to such extent that they have mat
it produce . living for the last 10 yea
or more and probably will make
last until they die.
It was these men who applied tt
political heat to congress which r
suited Ia the broadest veterans di
ability bill any nation has ever know
Originally provision was made on
for those whose disabilities were Co
nected with their service, but lat
the law was expanded until veter
who wrenched his back in lifti
contest at the county fair was Civ
as much consideration as one who
injuries were received in battle.
fact, one recent report indicated tn
the average amount paid to individ
ais OF the former class Is larger tn
the average paid to the latter.
The result Of all these circumstan'
4 is that the nation now pays {
something more than billion dolls
year to its veterans and to opers
the veterans bureau. Men are dra
ing compensation whose incon
reach the handsome figure OF s1o.t
q year ana more. In fact, these m
are more likely to get friendly co
sidsfatien u they have claim tn