Evening star., 1933-01-04
URGES @,00O,00O
CUT FOR VETERANS
Woodrum Proposes Slash at
Once to Achieve Economy
In Benefits.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
An immediate Ss5 .0eo, 600 slash in the
Veterans Administrations expenditures
was proposed today by the chairman of
the House Veterans Appropriations
subcommittee as temporary measure
to achieve some economy In ex-soldiers'
benefits.
Chairman woodrum announced his
purpose to newspaper men and said he
would put It up to his committee and
the House. His plan contemplates 10
per cent cut, for the next fiscal year
only. In World War compensation and
disability allowances, Army and Navy
pensions, emergency officers retired pay
and similar items.
Grange Expresses View.
He advanced this plan while the joint
congressional Committee on Veterans
was hearing proposals from the Ma
tional Grange for big permanent slashes
In veterans funds This organization
was &he latest OF lcng list appearing
In opposition to continuance OF benefits
to former soldiers whose claim Is not
based upon injury or illness attributable
to active service.
Wcodrum's Committee Is to report
before long the annual veterans appro-
priations for the flscal year. 1884.
Fred Brenckman, Washington rep
resentative Of the Grange. expressed
opposition to cash payment of the SOL
diers' bonus. contended this payment
cannot be justified and should not be
granted" and added:
while the demand for immediate
payment Of the bonus Is more profni-
nently in the public eye by reason Of
the spectacular campaign that has been
waged In It's behalf. more deadly and
demoralizing In the long run, II al
lowed to go unchecked, Is the present
profligate practice of paying benefits
from the public treasury to many thou
sands of veterans who have no service
connected disability whatever"
He said the Grange recognized the
obligation OF the Government to care
for veterans and their dependents who
have any just claim" but said there
are reasonable limits" beyond which
the Nation cannot 60.
Debate Bonus Action.
Veterans supporters on Capitol Hill
will decide soon what to do about the
bonus-whether to try to force its pas
sage this Winter In the face of certain
presidential veto, or to wait until the
new Congress meets.
The decision depends upon further
study of congressional sentiment and Q
more definite impression as to when the
extraordinary session of Congress, now
considered inevitable, will begin.
Representative Patman. Democrat, OF
Texas, said today he and others, who
want to pay Immediately the adjusted
compensation certificates. hope to
make their decision by next week.
We know" Patman said, that we
already have enough bonus advocates in
the House to force action on bill, and
we feel sure that we have not lost any
strength since the measure passed last
session"
May File Petition.
When the bill was defeated In the
Senate last year, Patman Immediately
introduced an almost identical measure
II the survey and developments con-
vince him that he should 60 ahead. he
said he would file petition to bring
the 81, 400 000, 600 measure up for con-
sideration. He insisted there would be
no difficulty in obtaining the needed l45
signatures on the petition.
Patman and other bonus advocates
will not ease up their campaign for the
veterans even though they decide TO let
the compensation certificates wait. He
and Senator Robinson. Republican, Of
Indiana, yesterday, for instance. in
speeches on the House and Senate
floors. assailed the National Economy
League, which proposes to reduce pres
ent expenditures for veterans Dement'S
by $452, 900 600 year.
The Texan and others will continue
their speeches for currency expansion,
calling attention to bonus payment In
greenbacks as one way OF achieving
that expansion. Meanwhile. they will
seek to defeat any reduction proposals
that might be recommended by the joint
congressional committee which Is pur-
suing Its study OF veterans benefits.
Veterans supporters conceded that
President Hoover would veto bonus
payment now. They also hold that In
the next Congress there will be enough
strength to put payment through over
q presidential veto.
Patman said today that OF the l76 IN
the House who voted against the bonus
last session, Al per cent were defeated
for reelection, while of the all who
supported 1t, only 20 per cent failed to
be returned.