The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-05-29

bill which Congres enacted giving {, the president the authority he re- ] quested, providing that no Span | ish War veteran over 62 years ot age should be stricken from the pension rolls. When Congress re- quired that the Spanish War vet l erans be left on the pension rolls
 it meant that Congress intended for these veterans to have a req sonable pension. Congress, said McGugin, had a. right to expect that reasonable consideration would be given to it's wishes. In- stead, the presidents regulations set the pension rate at $6 a month, | which, said MT. McGugin, was spurning the wishes of Congress, and wrong to the Spanish War veterans.
 "These remarks" said he, "are at this time primarily of the pres ident's regulations rather than criticism of him personally. If he then, so far as I am concerned, they become a criticism of the president as they are of his reg ulations. The president is popular. I want him to succeed. I want him to retain public confidence, not alone for himself but for the good of the country, but no man can be so popular that he has the right to do wrong or permit wrong to be done and expect to escape criticism."-
 Honest Due To Veterans
 "The stability of government de- mands economy in government. On that score I stand where I al- ways stood. The veterans must meet their share of this economy. In this spirit there is much ccon- omy which must be affected in veteran expenditures, but there is no way to effect such economies as are n ow being attempted with out the government repudiating an honest debt due to veterans dis abled in the defense of their coun- try.
 T make this plea hoping in my humble way that it will awaken the conscience of the country and thereby prevent the wrongs which have here mentioned and which are about to be effected"
 (Pension Taxation)
 In Waterbury there is wide- spread belief that veterans pen sions and war benefits are paid from local taxes. This belief was encour- aged by speakers for the national economy league. As a matter of real fact under the present system, the average taxpayer contributes little or nothing toward veteran relief. The governments veretan expenditures are made possible with funds received from income taxes and that approximately four fifths of all the income tax re- ceived by the governments paid by approximately 10000 wealthy in
 dividuals, many of who live in
 Paris, the Riviera, Monte Carlo
 Switzerland and other European
 pleasure resorts, and individuals
 States, having become practically
 transplanted to foreign soil. Ask for Caucus
 l A democrat caucus was called during the past week in congress after 30 democrats and signed a petition to hold the caucus. Five Maryland representatives started the movement with the object of modifying the veterans regulations on pensions and compensations. Many congressman alarmed at the effect of the cuts in pensions and allowances that will go into effect July l. many the sole incomes of Spanish War veterans, are reted- mined that justice will be done by congress if the new regulations are not revised to meet conditions among all classes of veterans. Said Hon R. Ewig Thomson, of Texas in the house of representa- tives last week. T firmly believe that serious errors in judgments have been made by officials of the veterans administration in inter preting the provisions of the act. I was one of the first members of this house to sign the petition call ing for a democratic caucus on this important subjects and you may be sure that I intend to continue my efforts to see that the injustices in the administration of the economy act are abolished"
 If action is not taken without delay by the veterans administra- tion and the officials and the execu- tive, I predict that it will be taken by congress and I for one will do all in my power to right these wrongs"