The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-09-09

They understand that able
bodied veterans earning ade-
uuate incomes can not re-
ceive subsidies from the gov
eminent if the soldier who
really was handicapped for
life in the ArgOnne is to be
supported decently.
The present legion administra-
ton. which will give an accounting
of it's stewardship to the national
convention in Chicago on Oct. z,
proposes that the legion pick up the
study of government economy where
the National Economy League
dropped it.
Bitter Against League
Louis A. johnson. commander OF
the legion, is bitter in his condem-
nation of the National Economy
League, because, in his opinion, 1t
posed as favoring all government
economy and actually was interested
only in cutting down payments to
veterans.
This organization once was pretty
vocal" he said To-day the mask
has been torn from its face. 1t is
exposed as a body of the richest men
in the country who had no purpose,
but to raid the veteran and then
run to cover. 1t abandoned its great
spring membership drive. Its ma
tional chairman has resigned. 1t has
taken its objective.
The legion. I believe. should go
into this whole question of income
tax exemptions. so that We shall not
have the spectacle we have had this
year of the Morgans and the Otto
Kahns escaping taxation through
legal holes so big that you could
drive an oxcart through them.
How about the sos. 100000 that
has been spent on the prohibition
bureau alone, with fully twice that
much thrown into the coast guard
and immigration service to enforce
an unenforceable law which a ma
jority of the people obviously do not
want?
Cites Money Wastes
How about the terrific subsidies to
steamships for carrying ocean mail?
Why l know of one case in which
the government is paying $4,000 a
pound for hauling mail across the
ocean. Another steamship company
was permitted to borrow $500 900
for twenty years at per cent in
terest.
The department of agriculture
spent last year 100000 on a study
of the habits and nome life of prac-
tically every known variety of in
sect and reptile. It even got out a
booklet on the love life of the frog.
Who in the wild is interested in the
domestic affairs of a bullfrog, except
another frog.
Department Of commerce experts
also put out thousands Of dollars to
find out what part of a bedSheet
wears out first. and reached the as
founding conclusion that the part of
the sheet which wears out first is
that point of which the heaviest
part of the body rests.
Our national government today
is publishing far more pamphlets
and books than either of the two
largest private publishing concerns
in the country.
Cost Huge Sums
All these activities are costing
the taxpayer plenty of cash. 1t
seems TO me that the veterans can
perform a real service by keeping
check on these governmental actiy-
tiles.
The enlightened and patriotic
citizen who once wore the uniform
of his country now realizes that the
treasury is not a money-making
machine of infinite production
capacity: if his wounded and dis
abled comrades who bore the brunt
of the most awful fighting the world
ever has seen and their dependents
are to make sacrifices, the able
bodied veterans should make sure
that such sacrifices are not I'M
necessary
The next story will tell OF the re-
suits Of an investigating committee
which the Legion appointed for the
uurpoSe of eYaluating the present