The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-10-25
CASH BONUS IS
DEMANDED At
LEGION FARLEY
Delegates by Overwhelming
Majority Ask Congress
for Payment.
VOTE is 987 TO 1873
Convention Cheers Decision;
Motion Supported as
Recovery Aid.

can Legion today voted to request
the Seventy-fourth congress to pay
the soldiers bonus Immediately.
Action came at the sixteenth ma
tional convention on a resolution
presented by the legislative COM
mittee.
The resolution passed by the
overwhelming vote of 987 aff1rma-
tive ballots to 1873 against.
The vote was taken during a
tumult in which advocates of i'm
mediate bonus payment booed dele
cations which refused to side with
them on the controversial issue.
The vote was announced after
clamoring delegates ha dforced Ma
tional Commander Edward E. Hayes
to order a roll call. He had already
declared the resolution passed by
vive Voce vote.
Debate was comparatively short
on this issue, which may force the
government to distribute almost S.
O00,000,000 among veterans of the
World war.
The Legion also demanded
elimination Of all interest accrued
and refund of interest already paid
on previous payments on adjusted
service certificates, not due until
1945.
Termed Recovery Aid
The resolution, makes it's request
upon congress on grounds that it is
in line with current governmental
policy of spending vast sums of
money to aid business recovery.
Cheers echoed through the con-
vention hall as bonus payment ad-
vocates heard state after state and
its quota of delegates to the AYE"
column that totalled up to such i'm
presSive figures.
Overseas caps of he veterans,
joined in convention in an annual
reminder of World war services, flew
into the air in approval of the vote
Loud booS roarer out when the
delegations that remained Steadfast
with the legion'S previous position
refusal to demand bonus payment
cast their nay votes.
New Mexico's delegation received
similar set of derisive shouts when
it refused to cast its ballot at ALL
In demanding immediate payment
the legionnaireS went counter to
what was regarded here as the wish
of President Roosevelt. The Presi-
dent has opposed payment of the
bonus, indirectly, on grounds that
it would unbalance the nations
financial structure.
Committee Report Cheered
Raymond j. Kelly, chairman of
the legions important legislative
committee, placed the bonus ques-
ton before the convention. Dele
gates cheered wildly when he be-
gan reading his committees report
recommending immediate payment.
Then National Commander Hayes
admitted all legionnaires there was
room for in the convention hall and
threw the bonus question open to
debate.
Mr. Hayes dlSregarded the shouts
of "question-question that arose
from the. assembly. He recognized a
number of speakers before the final
vote was taken.
Among them was Congressman
Wright Patman of Texas, long a bo-
nus payment advocate.
"A better resolution could not
have been written" he declared. I'VE
are not making an unreasonable
request. Payment of the bonus
would not hinder national recov-
cry, but would aid it.
New York Leads Opposition
New York offered the chief OPP
position. The New York delegation
is on record against immediate pay
ment The state commander, John
Dwight Sullivan of New York, said.
He demanded that disabled men be
given adequate relief before liable
bodied men,"
I'VE have cited a lot of reasons
why we should have money, but we
haven't justified one of them," de-
! clared Mr.. Sullivan.
With its overwhelming bonus vote,
the legion neared the close of its
| colorful annual convention.
1t already had adopted the reso-
luton urging the universal draft
Ito take the profit out of war"
The chief decision remaining was
the election of a new national COM
mander. This position, Legion lead
erS forecast, will go to Frank Bel
grano, San Francisco banker, VINO
came here with large pledged
delegation.