Evening star., 1933-01-11
VETERANS COSTS
OPPONENTS HIT.
Legion Spokesman Declares
Rich Are Trying to Tighten
Own Tax Burden.
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
A spokesman for the American Le-
gion put before Joint Veterans Com
mittee today the contention that rep
resentatives of wealthy interests" were
seeking to transfer large portion OF
veterans cost from the wealthy income
tax payers Of this country to the backs
Of the distressed and needy local prop
erty tax payers"
Appearing to contest the demands
by the Economy League, the Chamber
Of Commerce of the United States and
various other organizations for reduc-
tions in veterans expenditures, John
Thomas Taylor, legislative representa-
tive for the Legion, argued that such
action would increase city, county and
Stat3 expenses.
He promised to produce witnesses t.
support his arguments and more than
q score Of spokesmen for other veterans
organizations waited for him to finish
in order to begin their own statements
in opposition to cuts. The recommen-
dations for reductions have totaled
$3.50, ,0oo, 900 annually.
Holds Facts Ignored.
Taylor said the organizations oppos-
ing veterans benefits had sought to
place the veterans and the profiteer
on parity so far as the obligation OF
the Federal Government is concerned
Replying directly to them in n
statement, Taylor said Numbers CT III.
committee "have listened for sevcrai
weeks TO men, backed by large fortu
who nave continually attacked Federal
expenditures on account of veterans.
They have presented no arguments
to show that Federal expenditures
under existing law are wrong or i'm
proper" Taylor said.
They have ignored completely the
obvious fact that disabled and helpless
men must be cared ) ".
Taylor said the Oh Inization oppos-
ing veterans benefits ought Ito remove
the veteran from the position Of honor
he has held in Am >rican life" since
Colonial days and place "the veteran
and profteer on parity so far as the
obligation Of our Federal Government
is concerned"
Hits Hines Testimony.
Referring to recommendations by
Frank r. Hines, administrator Of vet
ersn's affairs, for a number Of minor
economies here and there through the
veterans structure, Taylor said Hines
had not told the committee the effect
such savings would have on disabled
veterans.
He suggested that Hines be called
before the committee again to tell how
many one-armed men such and such
an amendment would remove from the
rolls, how many one-legged men, how
many suffering from tuberculosis, how
many victims Of insanity"
Taylor presented figures to show that
dividend payments in 1882 were so per
cent higher than in 1925 and that
Treasury issues last year were oversub-
scribed $4,000, ,00o, 900, which, he said,
shows that there are ample funds IN
the hands of wealthy persons in the
United States" and that their taxes
could be paid.
He expressed opposition to state
ment of Representative Woodrum,
Democrat, of Virginia. Of the House
Appropriations Committee, suggesting a
10 per cent horizontal cut In veterans
expenditures, adding that under this
plan 1.-The ak would fall upon the just
and the unjust alike"
Between 20 and 80 spokesmen for
other veterans organizations were to
follow Taylor.