The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-09-25

immediate workers. Insurance
The Fighting
Vets
BY H. E. BRIGGS
The Legion Convention

GlOI ana Ilx6Q QeCelll1ut1iOll Va DShS
fits"-but how? The review boards
are controlled by outstanding bust
ness and professional men," General
Hines thinks they are o. K. Well we
don't. Where are the rank and file
on these boards? Why do Legion
men predominant? Generals, bankers
and such like have nothing in COM
mon with u.s. We must give our other
buddies a place on the boards TOO,
and without discrimination for race,
color, creed or political affiliations.
In another part of point 2 Johnson
talks about reducing to minimum
the discomfort He hints about CIV
ing the veterans just enough to allay
their discomfort. This open admis-
sion on the part of johnson is enough
to discredit the whole damn program.
1t definitely exposes the 1ole OF the
whole Legion leadership who through
lies, demagogy and false promises seek
to hold the rank and file without do
ing anything for their benefit. No
hint is made here of a restoration
of cuts or immediate payment of the
DOAltio. L OlAl0 llhC POlLtt
nothing to the rank and file unless
they are represented on these review
boards where they can have hand
in fixing and adjusting classifications.
We must fight for rank and file rep
resentation or we won't get lead
nickel from the government.
Point 3.-The only adequate pro-
visions" we can depend upon are i'm
mediate Cash Payment of the Bonus,
Unemployment Insurance for all vet
Grams and workers, in periods of
normal (and abnormaD economic
conditions" This applies to vets with
or without service-connected dis
abilities but johnson is too yellow
to ask for Unemployment Insurance.
He may talk and rave about the 70
billion tax-exempt securities held by
the MELONS, Fords, Morgans, banks
and big business interests but his
program does not mention how the
veteran, unemployed and destitute
can get his compensation, etc. or get
adequate provision against economic
insecurity. To put it plainly starva-
ton. He does not call for taxation
of these billionaires and their exempt
securities He is afraid to do this;
besides it might cost him few dol
lars too.
Point 4-This is the same as point
3. A foggy, fruitless, misleading state
ment; wherein johnson passes the
buck about local relief for "incapa-
citated' and unemployed vets and
workers to the Federal Government,
He does not call for struggle for
relief. But we rank and file vets shall
keep on demanding adequate local
Relief for married ard single vet
Grams and workers. And unemploy-
nent insurance.
The Difference in the and 4-POin
Programs
Now let the contrast this hypocrit-
ical APPOINT program with the frank
and honest 3-point program of the
rank and file as laid down and
adopted on the Bonus March and at
the convention held last summer in
Washington.
Johnson with the misleaders of the
VIEW. and D. A. v. was opposed to
last summers Bonus March and the
previous ones also. This is Mass Ac-
ton, where the power of the rank and
file is demonstrated This is what |
the takers oppose and fear. This is
why they soft pedal our demands |
and try to keep us from uniting in
Mass Action. But we shall con-
tinue to fling these demands in the
face of the misleaders until they are
won Here is the 3-point program
that expresses the wishes and de-
mands of the rank and file.
Immediate cash payment of
balance due on Adjusted Service !
Certificates,
Immediate restoration of Dis
ability C0mpensations, Allowances,
Pensions, Hospital and Domiciliary
care without discrimination of Ne
FRO vets. in hospitals, etc.
3-Immediate adequate remedial
relief Of the unemployed and farm
ers.
What could be more to the point.
Three simple demands that would
help every veteran and worker in
America. Match this with the four
issue-dodging points Of johnson and
it is easy to see why the rank and
file are growing and will continue to
grow.
Real Racketeers
There shall be other misleaders at
the Legion convention. Perhaps some
te-snatching senators like DR..
Copeland of N. Y, who recently asked
us to fight racketeers But Senator
Copeland forgot to tell us about his
own racket called endorsing" Any
man who recommends food and drink
products that are actually poisonous
according to the Consumers Re-
search) is worse than a racketeer; he [
is an indirect murderer.
Johnson also talks about racketeers |
and defending the flag. One of his
pet arguments is against waste" and {
governmental extravaganza. But he !
never calls for taxation of the ex- |
empt securities of his bosses. He [
never volunteers to cut his salary, nor I
does he call for reduction in pay
for high officials in the Veterans
Bureau. :
And how about Gen. Pershing. Ad- :
miral Byrd, Admiral Coontz, Major \
Curran and the rest Of the caboodle i
Of veterans enemies who pose as our n
friends. Their big salaries are ex- +
travagant, unnecessary and their DEM I
agogy is a waste" of our time. If F
they can draw pensions and compen- q
cation for a sprained ankle or cal
loused buttocks then the veteran on
the breadline and the park bench is