The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-11-20
Should View All Angles

Should View All Angles
In view Of the recent action Of the
American Legion national convention
in recommending immediate cash
payment Of the bonus and the visit
to Bismarck Of James e. Van Zandt,
commander Of the Veterans Of For
eign Wars, an organization which
also favors this action, 1t Is only
natural that this proposal should
have come In for considerable dis
cussion recently, particularly among
ex-service men.
This Is only natural. for It Is they
who will be most affected. On the
whole, veterans are In favor Of the
movement but q good many, includ-
ing some who stand to obtain con-
siderable money from the cash pay
ment, are wondering II adoption Of
this policy would benefit them to the
degree which some persons believe.
The matter was rather thoroughly
threshed out at social meeting be-
tween some Bismarck service men
and group Of veterans from Wilton
recently and here are two considers
tions advanced as reasons why 1t
might be just as well not to pay the
adjusted compensation certificates In
cash at this time:
/. The relief situation. A good
many veterans are on relief. along
with others Of tho population and the
relief set-up grants help to no one
who has independent resources. II
the bonus were paid to veterans In
these circumstances, they probably
would be Topped off the relief rolls
until their money was spent. When
they returned to the relief rolls, as
some Of them undoubtedly would.
they would have nothing to look for
ward to and would have received lit
tie, II any. net benefit.
2. It is handy to have some in
surance. The adjusted compensation
certificate Is really an endowment
insurance policy and has proved
beneficial to the families Of many
veterans In times Of need. In any
number Of recent cases veterans have
died, leaving their families absolute
~ penniless except for tho proceeds
Of this paid-up insurance policy.
As noted In recent news Dispatch
es. there are other proposals regard
ing changes IN the adjusted COM
pensation other than cash payment.
Most prominent among these is one
to cancel all interest due on loans
made with the policies Is security
and to permit future loans without
interest.
This would eliminate one Of the
main grievances against the present
system. After the certificates were
issued, provision was made whereby
the veterans might borrow on them.
Accommodating interest on these loans
has rendered the policy practically
valueless to tho veteran. One Of the
Wilton men, in the group already
referred to, figured that he would
have only 80 or 20 coming on his
bonus when It became payable In
1915. Interest on the loan and upon
tho accumulated interest would eat
up the remainder.
In view Of these considerations, the
bonus question Il not quite q sim-
pie Is It seems. The obvious solu-
ton Of paying II now, provided the
money can Be found. would not Be
an unmitigated blessing for the sery-
ice man. As was established by the
nominations Of the Bismarck Wilton
group. As sometimes Is the case with
such direct solutions It Is open to
question by those who would be pre-
sumed to benefit.
In view Of the arguments pro and
con and the current attitude Of the
president, It would seem that adjust
ment Of the very real grievances re-
garding loan value and interest would
be as sound q policy and be Of a.
much benefit to the average veteran
as immediate payment.
The Return to Grass
Extensive scientific research LONG
ago disclosed that few grasses are
better adapted to conditions on tlaese
great plains than tho buffalo eras,
which once provided susteuancs to-
countless herds Of bison.
In some years other kinds Of
grasses have given q better yield. but
year n and year out, the buffalo
gTaag has moro than held it, own