The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-05-06
VETERANS AID
CUT DEMANDED
BY ROOSEVELT
Late Presidents Son Leads
Move for Heavy Slash
in Appropriations.
MISPLACED RELIEF HIT
Many Ex-ServiCe Men Get
UndeServed Help, View
of Committee.
BY TALCoTT POWELL

A singing petition demanding
drastic reduction in the govern
ment's s1,O72,O64,527 appropriation
for veterans was presented Thurs
day in Washington to President
Hoover and congress by Archibald
B. Roosevelt, son of the late Pres
ident Roosevelt and himself a dis
abled veteran of the World war.
The outstanding oppression
placed on the citizens OF the nation
today said Roosevelt, as he left
New York lis that series Of legis-
lative acts whereby veterans are re-
ceiving benefits costing the people
more than $4OO,OOoOO for dis
abilities not in fact resulting from
their war service.
Accompanied by Goodhue Livings-
ton, also disabled veteran. Roose-
welt was acting for the National
Economy committee, whose men,
berS drew up and signed the
petition at a meeting Wednesday at
the Harvard club.
Signed by NotabIes
Men prominent in all walks of
life signed the document. Among
the 146 Signers were John w. Davis.
former Democratic nominee for the
presidency; Richard Washburn
Child, author; Julian Street, novel;
list; Joseph P. Day, real estate oper-
ator; Granville Clark, attorney and
partner of Elihu Root; E. Roland
Hartman, banker; Wilton Lloyd
Smith, attorney and philanthropist;
Gustav Ross, twice cited for the dis
tinguished service cross; Deems
Taylor, composer, and Colonel Linds-
ley r. Williams, official of the New
York Academy Of Medicine.
Seventy per cent of the signers
we're veterans of the World war and
the nucleus of the committee was
made up of the same individuals
who formed Military Training
Camps Association back in 1915.
Officers trained at Plattsburg and
other camps founded by the associa-
ton formed the officer backbone OF
the national army in 1917.
The petition was drawn up under
the legal authority of the first
amendment of the constitution
which specifically gives the right to
any group of citizens to petition
the government for redress OF
grievances"
Asks Abatement of Abuse
''We, the undersigned. present
this petition for the abatement OF
the vast legalized abuse whereby
great and increasing amounts Of
the money Of the people are being
disbursed to veterans who suffered
no disability in war service-thus
creating a specially favored class
and undermining the confidence of
the people in their government"
the document read.
I'VE petition for elimination OF
all expenditures for veterans Of the
World war who did not in fact
suffer disability in war service. We
petition for a return to the sound
policy in which the World war vet
Grams legislation was conceived
just and liberal compensation to the
dependents Of those who lost their
lives in war service and to the vet
Grams who in fact suffered some
disability in the war.
I'VE petition for reduction of fed
eral expenditures by not less than
S450,0O0,000 annually, which these
reforms would effect.
we make it plain that we are
not now speaking Of the so-called
bonus to which we are opposed
but we are speaking Of drastic re-
duction in the growing annual ex-
penditures in the federal budget for
veterans OF the World war and the
Spanish-American war.
Hits Failure Of OnicEaIs
your petitioners represent that
the failure of the responsible Of
f1cials Of the government to meet
this issue is a chief cause of the
prevailing lack Of confidence of the
people in the present conduct of
their federal government.
In the face Of the admitted
crisis, no clear and determined
word has come from the President
or the secretary Of the treasury. or
from the leaders Of congress. cali
ing for any sufficient reduction in
the one great item of the federal
budget. where hundreds Of millions
OF dollars can be saved without in
justice and without impairin9 anv
ment.
The recently proposed economy
Dill contained a few provisions
modifying a few Of the most shock
ing anomalies Of the veterans,
system. Even this feeble and reIa-
lively inconsequential effort was
siasned to pieces by the house of
representatives.
Pension Bill Passed
Almost simultaneously. on Nav
2, 1882, the house OF representa-
tives, virtually without debate
passed a new bill to include Wild
ows and children Of deceased World
war veterans who died Of disable
ity not acquired in the service.
We submit that this stea6iIv
mounting burden Of expenditures
for those who suffered no disable
ity IN the war is not only an intoI-
cradle menace to the national credit
but reaches to the stability Of popu-
lar government itself"
Roosevelt, in further explains
ing the national economy commit
tees action, directly charged that
"the subservience Of our government