The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1934-10-20

ROANOKE TALK
FAILS To STEM
RISING TIDE
President Indicates a Veto
Awaits Measure Should
"HiI" Pass 1t
BY FRANKLIN G. sARTwELL

BY FRANKLIN 6. SARTWELL
Those who had hoped that the
controversial question of immedi-
ate payment of the World War
bonus-adjusted service certifi.
cateS-might be kept out Of the
next session of Congress today
saw their hopes dissipated as they
considered the address of PreSi-
dent Roosevelt yesterday at the
dedication of the Veterans Hos
pital at Roanoke. va.
The whole tenor of the Presi.
dents talk in the Virginia city
was regarded as being strongly
against the advocates of payment
OF the bonus now.
1t was hailed here as a gauntlet
hurled at the forthcoming session
In Miami, where the bonus and
the matter of when it shall be
paid threatens to be a diSruptive
issue.
Opposition Unchanged
While President Roosevelt had
not been expected to mention the
bonus as such in his Virginia
speech, many advocates of imme-
dlate payment had believed that
he would announce some liberaliz-
ing OF the attitude which he as
Sumed last winter in regard both
to the bonus and to other features
OF veterans compensation.
Judging from the speech, how
ever, the Presidents attitude has
not changed in the slightest de.
gree. He apparently is unwill-
ing even to consider advance
payment of the adjusted certifi.
Gates and is unwilling to permit
the claims of veterans further to
unbalance the budget.
The Presidents speech, it was
felt here, was designed to show
that he has not receded from
the position he took last winter
when he announced that he
would veto the bonus bill if it
were passed. The House at that
time passed the bill but it died
in the Senate.
No Aid to Foes Of Payment
Although the address was ex-
pected, before its deliverance, to
aid conservative leaders of the
veterans in foreStalling action
at the Miami convention Of the
Legion, it was admitted here to-
day that the talk would have lit
tie effect in that regard.
There was nothing new in what
the President said at Roanoke
and there was nothing in the
speech that could be accepted as
definitely answering the argu-
ments advanced by those who
seek immediate payment.
The veterans, even those who
have consistently demanded that
the certificates be paid now in
stead of waiting until they ma.
ture, are thoroughly familiar, it
is pointed out, with the hospitali-
Zation facilities which have been
provided for ex-service men.
Likewise, it is pointed out, they
are thoroughly familiar with con-
ditions among millions of Ameri-
cans who are in distress.
Claim Aid to Destitute
But those who seek immediate
payment of the bonus are unwill-
ing to accept the doctrine that be-
cause disqualification is provided
for some veterans and because
millions of nonveterans are in
distress, the ex-service man should
be denied the benefit of payment
OF the certificates now.
They hold that the bonus has
no connection with the hoSpitaliza-
ton program. They hold, also,
that the bonus, instead of hurting
those in distress. would, in fact,
be Of assistance to them by putting
about two thousand million dollars
into circulation at once.
Summed up, the situation in
regard to the bonus is today just
about what it was before the
Roanoke speech. Those W IA
vored the immediate payment be-
fore the speech still favor it. Those
who opposed it before the speech
still oppose it.
The feeling of the veterans will
be shown at Miami.