Evening star., 1935-05-23

tIle peTlOQ VI SIedI lIilldIloii Aoho"A'Ao
the war and also had been in China
when that country had its period OF
initiation.
In his address supporting the bill
Borah said the American soldier mad
turned the tide of war to victory In
1918. He pointed out that in 1924
Congress had, by an overwhelming
vote, overridden veto and passed the
adjusted compensation law.
There were those" he continued,
among them myself, who did not
believe in adjusted compensation.
did not believe it would be possible to
make such adjustment. 1t was ironlcal
TO suggest that the payment OF $l.25
A day to the soldiers for entering into
the hell holes of Europe would make
such an adjustment. I never brought
myself to believe in the plan.
But Congress entered into con-
tract to pay the veterans and 1t must
De paid. The only questions that
arise are those of time and how the
bonus shall be paid.
THE President in his veto message
made two contentious. The first was
that payment was not due and the
Government was not under obligation
to pay now. Technically, that is true.
But is time a controlling factor in
that matter? I think that payment
of this debt now is equitable. The
governments that owe us war debts
have. diSregarded their contracts be-
cause of the exigencies of the present.
The depression has required recon-
sideration of all contracts and all
agreements"
Disputes Initiation Point.
1t was at this point that the
Idahoan declared that if the veterans
are held to their contracts, it would
be a rule applied to no one else by the
Government Borah then continued: ::
The controlling reason undeniably
in the mind of the President and
those who oppose this bill is the
question of nfation-printing press
money. Is there any imitation in this
proposal? We propose to issue some
thing more than $4,000 100000 in
Treasury notes. Back of them will
be S8500,000,O00 of gold in the
Treasury and ,250,000,000 in silver,
and the honor and good faith of the
United States Government.
This is the same security that is
behind the bonds issued by the Gov
eminent and behind the money in
your pockets. There is no difference
between the money to be issued under
this bill and the money already is
sued"
Refers to Quotation.
Before concluding. Borah replied to
the reference Mr.. Roosevelt made to
him in the veto message. The Presi-
dent had quoted the Idaho Senator as
saying on one occasion that the
soldiers could not be aided except
as the country itself is rehabilitated
and that the soldier cannot come back
except as the people as a whole come
back
Referring to this as a quotation
from a very humble authority"
Borah said:
That statement was made l3 years
ago when was opposed to the crea-
ton of any bonus obligation at all"
He explained he has not changed
his view in the least, and it is be-
cause he believes that helping the
soldiers at this time by increasing the
volume of currency will help the coun-
try as whole that he intends to vote
for it. In this connection, he cited the
financial history of the Civil War, but
the difference between the
bonds and the green
backs of that period.
Senator Duffy, Democrat, of Wis
consin, followed Borah and announced
he will vote to override the veto. He
declared there is no need for worry
over the claim that the method of
paying the bonus will bring dire re-
suits.
He said it was not a pleasant duty
to vote to override the President be-
cause he has tried to support the
administration whenever possible. He
added, however, he had promised his
in 1882 to support pay
ment of the bonus.
oCiidIOl 0VC1WCl, 1CpuDdCdLA, VI
Oregon, asserted the President had
'unwittingly given support to the con-
clusion" that the bonus would be
divided $3.50 between those who
served overseas and those kept at
home.
Nothing could be more erroneous
than that" he said.
He based his contention on the fact
those who served less than ITO days
in this country were not involved in
the present controversy because they
had received $50 discharge clothing
pay and $50 as small service bonus,
or equal to ITO days service in the
United States.
Vinson Bill Offered Again.
Referring to the Presidents state
ment that able veterans should be
treated the same as any other class,
SteiWer said, 1T means the adoption
of a policy accepted by the National
Economy League and Wall Street and
those who got rich out of the war"
Even before the Senate vote. Repre-
sentative Fenerty, Republican, of
reintroduced in the
House the defeated Vinson bonus bill
with an amendment providing for
payment from the $4,000, ,000, 900
works fund.
In its original form the measure
backed by the American Legion