Evening star., 1932-10-27
Roosevelt Bonus Statement
Wins Much Commentator

precipice straight down the road to
Avernus"
I'm effect" interprets the Scranton
Times Democratic), "he says we can
not paw now because We haven't the
money, but just as soon as our house Is
in order and we can afford We will pay
The Springfield (Mass) Republican
independently however, takes the posi-
ton that Eat no time prior to l945
should payment be made in full II any
of the money must go to the many
scores of thousands Of veterans OF
means who would not need such favor
from the Government" The Republ1-
can points out that President Hoover
also fails to meet this test, and in his
message to the convention OF the Amer
ican Legion his opposition to the pay
ment of the bonus was limited to pay
ment under present fiscal conditions"
The Topeka Daily Capital (Republ-
CAM emphasizes the point that ''the
long delay only emphasizes and adver-
tises the embarrassment of the Demo-
cratic ticket. fatty divided on this is
sue" The Charleston wv. Va Daily
Mail independent Republican, sees
nothing definite in the statement add
ing: "I do not see how is weak COM
pared with I am against The Min
neapolis Journal independent Republi-
CAM argues: He did say that he saw
no way for the bonus payment in the
face of Treasury deficit. But he
coupled the statement with an implied
promise that the deficit would magically
disappear in the event of his election,
thus nursing along the veterans hope
for almost immediate payment. He had
a chance to say forthrightly that he
himself opposed either higher taxes or
a printing-preS currency to take care
of the bonus. But he passed up the
chance"
Similar criticism is uttered by the
Rockford Register Republic tRepubli-
CAM, the Buffalo Evening News inde-
pendent Republican,, the Cincinnati
Times-Star Republican,, the Jersey
City Journal independent Republican,,
the North Adams Transcript Cindepen-
dent Republican,, the Uniontown Her
aid (Repubican), the Goshen News
Times (Republican) and the Des Moines
Tribune independent Republican,. The
Philadelphia Evening Bulletin inde-
pendent Republican, declares: 1T may
oe and ought to be, a fair inference that
Gov. Roosevelt, if President, would not
sanction the conversion OF the bonus
service certificates into cash until 1t
COulu DC QOUe Wltllul d DdldllCSu DuO-
get, and that he would oppose an in
crease in the national debt for this pur-
pose. But the Governor did not say this
last April, and after all the discussion
of the question he does not say it now,
nor does he in any single word amend
his statement of last April to make his
position more clearly and unrnistakably
defined"
Many of Mr.. Roosevelt's stanchest
supporters" in the opinion of the Bir-
mingham Age Herald (Democratic),
must regret the fact that in his Pitts
burgh speech he failed to say anything
about the principle involved in the
bonus question. He simply reiterated
the position he took last April, when he
declared against anticipation of the
bonus until the national budget is bal
anced in terms Of surplus cash in the
Treasury. That is satisfactory SO far
as 1t goes, but 1t doesn't 60 far enough.
It would not have hurt Mr. Roosevelt
II he had given out some intimation Of
his attitude toward the more funda-
mental aspect of the issue. Even a
statement, such as was expected, to the
effect that he stands for relief Of the
destitute veteran with war service would
have carried the implication that Mr..
Roosevelt Is viewing the problem from
q larger standpoint. But that Is some
thing for Democrats to ponder. The
truth Is that the bonus is no longer az
issue between the parties. Ex-serviOs
men do not agree among themselves on
the subject, despite the vote at the
American Legion convention.