Evening star., 1932-08-10

simply: Our ship is ready at Panama
We have $50 tons of material prepared
for the voyage, but as during the war
we gave our service to the Nation, to-
day we must do the same thing
Personal glory, the thrill of the con-
uueror, are laid aside to battle against
the increasing load of taxes that is
threatening every business, every home,
every farm in the land" The Ash
land Independent quotes Admiral Byrd
as saying the league is being organ
lied ito help prevent economic chaos
that would be worse than war" and
that paper makes the comment: 'The
professional politicians who seek the
so-called veteran vote err when they
believe that even a majority Of those
who served in the World War wish TO
see the National Treasury emptied and
the national credit impaired by unde-
served class dole. There are hundreds
of thousands Of them who would Ike
to join with the National Economy
League In its avowed purpose" The
Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch remarks: III
Admiral Byrd has absorbed something
Of the ideas of responsible and respon-
sive government that have made his
brother, the able former Governor Of
Virginia, one of the outstanding ad-
ministrators of public affairs in the
country. he is an ideal selection to head
the Economy League"
THE declaration of purpose, while IL
is a reminder of plankS in party plat
FORMS" states the youngstown Vindi-
Gator, comes now with more force,
since the new league is non-partisan.
creating lively interest among CONNER
cial, financial and industrial clubs
civic organizations and political clubs
zk,-xr A,ak 3ra hal
thought" The Chicago Daily News
argues: Revision of the veteran-relief
legislation in the interest of honesty and
economy is pledged definitely by the
Democratic national platform and less
explicitly by the Republican platform.
The National Economy League deserves
the vigorous backing of the taxpayers
in its announced effort to eliminate
extortion and graft from the veterans
relief benefits. Later other tasks,
hardly less difficult, will demand the
leagues attention"
The New York Journal of Commerce
refers to a statement by Gen. Harbord
and emphasizes the fact that the gen.
eral calls for return TO the sound poll
cies on which veteran legislation was
first conceived-that is, generous treat
from war-contracted disabilities and
for them alone" The Charlotte OBJ
server concludes that IAN economy
movement of this sort, initiated by vet
Grams, can do much TO diSpel the fear
that agitation for economies in this
field will be considered unpat-iotic,
hence dangerous for politicians and un-
wise for business men" The Lincoln
State Journal is convinced that there
=. h1vl f0r rOIt EnIA
taxes until pensions are again restricted
to those who were actual victims OF
war"
Unless there is drastic reform" main
tains the Sar Francisco Chronicle, the
scandal will soon outstrip that which
grew out of the Civil War pension pol
Icy" The Newark Evening News re-
fers to the "one big item that can be
Cancelled from the bill the Government
hands the people every year-the cur
rent $3.50, 100000 expense for care and
compensation to veterans who escaped
the war without scratch or disease,
many of them without handling a gun
or a shovel" The Lexington Leader
quotes the veto message of former
President Coolidge on the bonus bill of
1924: I'VE owe no bonus to ablebodied
veterans Of the World War We must
either abandon our theory of patriotism
or else apdIluOl ILLS Dill. Ine new
York Herald Tribune AYERS: Existing
pension law is Siphon thrust into the
National Treasury, which is bound to
withdraw er-increaSing amounts year
by year, until the Treasury runs dry"
In defense of veteran legislation. tine
Akron Beacon Journal makes the COM
ment: Appreciation peters out when We
learn from the leagues own prospectus
that its objective is limited to the func-
tion Of fighting any further award by
the Federal Government to its ex-sol-
diers.' When these boys were march,
ing away to the front in the war TO
save the world to dictators Coolidge,
Baker and all the rest of the present.
day economy generals were urging them
on. They were told that when they
came home nothing would be too good
for them. Nov they are billed as job
lot Of bonus and pension grabbers
whose demands are distressing the
poeketbooks of the erstwhile tribute
givers and making our Republic any
thing but safe for bureaucrats by threat.
ening to absorb too large q share OF
the Federal revenue" ..-