The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-05-01

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newspaper and also the local news o
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No Bonus March
Passage through Bismarck of {
group which is said to be the advanc
party for q new bonus march o.
Washington from the west coast ha
brought this subject to the fore agair
It was peculiarly timely, therefore
that Louis johnson, national com
mander of the American Legion, con
demned any new bonus march in [
speech at New York Saturday night.
Commander Johnson's attitude vii
be that Of responsible war veteran
everywhere. Here 1t Is:
Within the last few days q
circular came into our hands an
nouncing that the communists
were endeavoring to organize q
march Of veterans on Washington
in May. The Legion condemns
and disapproves, with all of its
strength, this proposal and I ap-
peal to every veteran in the coun-
try. both In and out Of our organ
ization, to shun these tempters
who have no real sympathy for
our disabled but whose sole aim
is to gather together crowds to
SOW the seed for the overthrow
Of our government and for your
own enslavement under a rule Of
tyranny.
These radical, un-American
opportunists are preparing to
take every advantage possible of
the disappointment and suffer-
ing of the veterans resulting from
the new regulations. We shall see
to it that injustices are corrected.
In the meantime, let us remain
firm in our faith in our govern
ment. I call on every true Le-
gionnaire to urge all veterans in
their communities to refuse to
join this new communistic move-
ment. II there is a march on
Washington, let us be in a posi-
ton to say that. no member Of
The American Legion Is part Of
it,"
The view thus expressed is botl
sane and humane. Well-intentionet
individuals should spare themselve
the misery and trouble which sur
rounded the bonus marchers of a yea
ago. It does them no good and /
cannot conceivably help to rescue tn
nation from its difficulties. We ar
on the way out but every citizen will
need courage and patience. We wan
no rocking OF the boat.
The visitors in Bismarck, by tn,
way, received cool reception from
local officers Of the American Legion
AS members OF great patriotic or
ganization these men resent 'chisel
ing tactics and so they refused to CO
operate in the holding OF a publi
meeting here Saturday night.
Radical agitation, the attempt t,
use past services to the country as al
excuse for present preferment, are no
included in the program Of the Amer
lean Legion and other sound veterans
organizations. And SO the spirit o
hospitality was missing.
In the governments economy pro
gram no group has been so seriousl
affected as the war veterans. AS
body they have not cried out agains
it. Instead they have admitted, a
Commander johnson did in hi
speech, that there have been abuse
which. in justice to the government
needed correction.
At the same time, he contende,
that some of the new veterans regu
lations are unnecessarily severe an,
will reduce the compensation of som
men suffering from battle casualtie
as much as 60 per cent. These situa
lions, he said. can be corrected by ex
ecutive order and the Legion vii
work toward that end.
johnson also raised other question
which demand the thought of every
one. They were: Must the vetera,
alone stand the burden of reducin
the cost Of government? Are ther
no other places where curtailment
In order?"
For answer he pointed to the top
heavy structure Of the commerce de
partment, certain activities of the de
partment Of agriculture and ship sub
sides which resulted in one firm col
lecting $l.4oo,ooo for carrying /
pounds OF y. 8. mail.
His view was that the American lie
gion can perform no more meritori
GUS service to the nation than to in
sist that all abuses-not alone veter
an abuses-be eliminated from tn
government. II the membership {
the organization follows this lead i
will be fine thing for America an