Evening star., 1932-10-17
AID NEEDY
R00SEvELT'S PLAN
Proposal to Separate the
"Pauper Class" Bitterly
Opposed by Legion.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, October 17.-Gov.
Roosevelt is opposed to cash payment
of the bonus to the ex-service men as
whole, but he leans toward plan
that will advance money to the needy.
This is the latest version of the Gov
ernor's forthcoming utterance on the
all-important bonus controversy. Sepa-
ration Of the needy from the other ex-
service men has been vehemently op-
posed by the American Legion as set
ting up ''pauper class" Fhe proposal
has been made before, of course; in
fact. it was advocated before the House
Ways and Means Committee more than
q year ago by owen D. Young. There
was a time, too, when the Hoover ad-
ministration would have been glad to
accept such a plan in lieu of the one
adopted when the Congress increased
the amounts that could be borrowed
by veterans.
Exact Cost Of Plan Not Known.
The estimates made were that the
needy veterans, If paid their bonus in
full, would not cost the Government
more than about $l25, 100000. though
these figures were disputed and nobody
knows just what the cost OF the arrange
ment would have been or would be.
Roosevelt is reported to favor the set
ting up of local tribunals like the old
draft boards to determine just what Is
the need of every applicant, and 1t Is
presumed that the latter would have to
present the facts about his financial
condition and earning power in very
y,,,,rb tho CANA fashion that annlicati0n
is made for a loan at the banks.
OF the two plans. the immediate cash
payment of the entire bonus and some
plan to pay the needy alone. the less ex-
pensive would be the second. But it
raises questions that are not at all rel
ished by those who feel that the budget
cannot stand the extra expense and
that the principle involved in paying a
dole to eX-Service men and not to civil
ians is open to challenge.
Bond Owners Could Do Likewise.
Even if it is argued that the sums
which the service men were to be paid
were due them. the Government always
has maintained that the bonus is not
due until l945, and that If the ex-service
man can demand payment with COM
pound interest on the sum promised,
INen every HOlQST Ol 1oNtll1ulcit
bond would be entitled to the same
privilege namely, of controverting his
bonds into cash and getting the COM
pound interest as well, long before the
Liberty bonds are due.
Roosevelt's position on the bonus will
prove an embarrassment to him If he
is elected President, because if the
budget is unbalanced, he may not be
able to carry out even the pledge OF
helping the needy veterans. and this
would lead to disappointment for the
hundreds of thousands of veterans whose
houes would be raised by the campaign
promises.
Politically, the Roosevelt plan, If it
turns out to be one that fayors classi-
fication OF the veterans into needy
group, will get him votes, as Hoover
has not promised any cash. but has
indicated he would veto any further
bonus legislation. Promises OF money
to get votes are not new in American
politics, as many candidate has been
elected on the basis OF more public
buildings for a district, though only
rarely have promises of pension money
been factor IL presidential Campaigns
Copyright. 1922