Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-24
The Veto Sustained.

The Veto Sustained.
The Senate yesterday sustained
President Roosevelt's veto Of the Pat
man "greenback" soldiers bonus bill.
Forty Senator's took part in this &C
ton, which effectively prevented the
legislation for the present. To them
the country will look with respect and
gratitude, whatever various groups
may say. 1t is regrettable that a
majority of the upper house of Con-
gresS should have been persuaded to
vote for this measure That fact and
that fact alone, gives hope to the ad-
vocateS Of immediate bonus payment
legislation for further action by this
Congress.
The setback in the Senate yester-
day was more severe for the advo-
Gates Of currency imitation than it
was for those who are demanding
the payment, without further delay,
of the bonus to the veterans of the
World War. President Roosevelt in
his veto of the Patman bill stressed
particularly the ills that are likely
to fall on the people of the country
if the Government begins the issue
of fat money. Money is a difficult
subject. The man on the street,
however. can readily understand that
when money, the medium of ex-
change recognized by the Govern
ment, becomes of little value prices
Of food and all other necessities of
life will rise, The danger is that
once the printing presses are started
grinding out "greenbacks" to pay a
Government obligation the process
will be repeated again and again.
1t was that danger which the Presi-
dent pointed out to the Congress.
The House, however, voted by an
overwhelming majority to pass the
Patman bill, Notwithstanding the veto.
1t was an exhibition which will not
sit well with the American people
when the country shall have had full
opportunity to review it.
The Presidents appeal had a differ
ent reception in the Senate. That
body is stouter of soul or more intelli-
gent, or both. The bonus payment
propaganda had been hooked to an
infationary star. 1t was the infia-
tionary feature of the Patman bill
which did more to kill the measure in
the Senate than any other.
Party lines were split in the vote on
the Presidents veto. There was, to
be sure, a greater proportion of Re-
publicans voting against the Patman
infationary bill than was the proper
ton of Democrats standing with the
President. However. the Republican
Senator's were evenly divided, with
twelve voting to sustain the Presi-
dent, eleven voting to override and
the single absentee having announced
for the Patman bill. For a political
party which has attempted to make
an issue of sound money" the record
was not one to which the Republican
party may point with pride. On the
Democratic side Of the chamber forty
one Democrats voted to override the
President and tWenty-eight voted to
sustain him.
The fight for the immediate pay
ment of the bonus will continue The
1nfationists, however, have had a
serious check. So serious that the
next measure which the bonus advo-
Gates seek to have enacted into law
will be minus a peremptory direction
to the President to start the printing
presses in production of fiat money.
II the President is left to use his dis
erection as to how the bonus shall be
paid, it is entirely clear from his ad-
dress that he will never authorize the
issue of greerbacks for that purpose.
Doubtless this will be a disappoint-
ment to those who believe that the
Government can enrich the people by
issuing fat money. What matters it
If a man has a million dollars If
each dollar is worth in purchasing
power less than a penny?