Evening star., 1933-12-26
COchran's Law Denies
Veteran Marriage Chance
TO the Editor OF The Star:

] was very much interested in the
letter printed In The Star Saturday
from the pen Of Mr. John j. Coch-
ran. Representative Cochran's willing
ness to enter into public discussion
with w. G. Thompson relative to the
so-called married persons clause tends
to indicate to me that he is entirely
sincere In his belief that section 213 Of
the economy act is good law. Most
Government employees, except those
who would necessarily have to have
some such law as this to protect their
jobs and who could not hold thenn on
merit, are Just as sincere in their belief
that Mr.. Cochran has led in the per-
petrating Of one Of the most unfair acts
ever leveled at q group Of workers and
that it will tend to reduce the efficiency
of the Government service and to make
1t utterly impossible to discharge an in
competent worker.
However, ! am most interested In the
plight Of the disabled veteran whom
Mr.. Cochran SO erroneously believes is
in accord with his action. The dis
all under this legislation. Mr.. Coch-
ran, who says he voted for veterans
preference, can now feel that he has
defeated 1t and substituted in its place
"spinsters' preference"
: know the plight OF the disabled
veteran. For several years their eco
noinic rehabilitation was my job and it
stitl Is my greatest interest in life. I
know that section 213 OF the economy
act, Of which Mr. Cochran is the proud
father. was the greatest blow which up
to then had been leveled at the dis
ab'ed veteran.
May cite case In point. Pvt.
Jcues went to France and was so in
jufed in battle as to make it impossible
for him to carry on his pre-war occu-
patton, which was OF q very heavy ma
ture. His injury was such. also, as to
make 1t quite possible that he might
die at any time should he suffer any
ernment to do clerical work and OBJ
tains a position with one Of the Cow
ernment departments. At the magnifi-
After a while D. A. V. meets girl.
They fall in love. They get married,
but as D. A. V. knows full well his
limitations Gas does the girD, the girl
retains her job with a Government de-
partment. She is a trained girl and is
able to earn more than her husband.
They are very happy until Representa-
tive Cochran makes his great human1-
tartan move and accomplishes the
adoption OF section 2l3 of the economy
bill, a section so cleverly worded as to
protect at all times the jobs of wives Of
Representatives, Senators. Speakers and
Vice Presidents, but which sounded the
dcathknell for our D. A v, ex-Pvt.
Jones.
The above Is an actual case 1t is
verse than most cases because OF the
f@E; that this man might die any DAY
a.S. leave his wife without support.
e. 1 personally know Of countless
c.a.es where the disabled veteran was
cty able to get married because his
We was also able to work. This in
Hility of his to earn enough money to
sA3port him wife is due to service in
TT.,nce. But Mr.. Cochran says two
sEaries of 81 ,440 are too much for this
ysjerans family. and the spinsters'
reference law becomes the guide to
dEmissals.
fMr. Cochran will GO down in his
t'Ey as the statesman who said to the
ntln injured in France, You shall not
r.; married" | wonder II he will al
wKys be proud of his act.
JOHN ARTHUR SHAW,
SSnior Vice Commander, Disabled Amer
sican Veterans of the World War, De-
apartment Of the District Of Columbia.