Evening star., 1932-04-20
VETERAN OPPOSES
BONUS PAYMENT.
Col. Benjamin Castle BIames
"SeIf.Appointed" Lead
ers for Demand.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Demands for payment of the two bill
lion dollars outstanding on veterans
bonus certificates were blamed today by
Col Benjamin Castle of New York
upon "a lot of self-appointed political
leaders"
He made the statement In a brief
hearing by the House Ways and Means
Committee, saying he represented the
Veterans Committee for Reducing the
Cost Of Peace.
Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines will tell
the committee tomorrow of the possible
effects to be expected from the pay
ment. and Charles @. Dawes, head OF
the Reconstruction Corporation, will
testify Friday in opposition to the pay
mcnt.
Hines, who has had more experience
in dealing with veterans affairs than
any other high official in the Govern
ment service. was ready today to go be-
fore the committee to present the ad-
ministration's opposition. However, he
gave way at the suggestion Of the COM
mittee to out-of-town witnesses.
II want to state my opposition to the
Patman cash payment BILL" Castle said.
Il resent any one coming before this
committee and saying they speak for
1000, 900 veterans They don't repre-
sent me; ! don't want it,
There are a great number OF veter-
ans in the United States who are not
organized. and If they could be heard
they would say they don't favor the
bonus"
Castle said World War veterans are
badly led by lot of self-appointed
political leaders" in seeking a bonus
payment. He added he regarded war
service as the inherent obligation of
every able-bodied citizen.
Fears Specis. Glass.
"Yet we are tending toward making
the veterans special c!~--. he con-
tinued. Il think az lie money the
Government can afford for veterans
should be spent on disabled veterans.
4 appear also as a taxpayer. When
I see 26 per cent Of the national bud
get going to veterans relief, want to
know why it Is necessary.
Why was it that just after the
American Legion Convention voted
down the bonus, a member of Congress
announced Immediately he would in
troduce bill for cash payment Of the
bonus?
"I think the American people are
willing to pay for the care OF disabled
veterans. but If history is any criterion
payment of the bonus now is only the
beginning OF a juggernaut that will
lead to hysteria."
Capt. Knowlton Durham, another in
dependent veteran who accompanied
Castle, said, IF Congress had intended
making a cash payment before i945, it
would have written the law differently"
Castle favored eliminating interest
on veterans certificate loans. Durham
suggested the interest might be reduced
to what the loan money cost the Gov
eminent.
Sees Melons Hand.
Both Castle and Durham formerly
were identified with the Ex-Service
Mems Anti-Bonus League. Durham
said the league had been disbanded
after the Detroit Legion convention as
no longer necessary.
After the hearing Representative
Patman, leading bonus sponsor, issued
a statement in which he said this
league had been supported principally
by donations from Andrew w. Mellon,
the Secretary of the Treasury.
Patman added:
1.-The Mellon connection has made
the name offensive. The name has been
changed to Veterans Committee to Re-
duce the cost of Peace. Patriotic hands,
but Melons voice.
"Col. Castle admitted the interest
payments should be eliminated on Vet
erans' loans This can cnly be defended
on the ground that the maturity value
of a certificate is due now. Otherwise,
Interest payments should continue. He
admits full payment is due, but Is
against making the payment"