Evening star., 1935-01-01
ROOSEVELT STAND
ON BONUS SPURS
COMPROMISE TALK
Congress Leaders Prefer
Mutual Agreement to
Veto Fight.
VT. W. CHIEF ANSWERS
PRESIDENTS ARGUMENT
Van Zandt Maintains Lawmakers
"Will Be Final Arbiters
of This Issue"
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Talk of possible compromises on the
bonus to avert a knock down and =
drag-out fight was intensified among
Democratic leaders in Congress today
With President Roosevelt expressing
plain opposition to full and immediate
payment of the s2,1oo 900 900 soldiers
bonus and powerful blocs in Congress
enlisted in drive for just such pay
ment. leaders were making no attempt
to discount the magnitude of the fight
threatening.
Though the opinion of the White
House on any bargaining efforts was
not disclosed, several leaders who did
not wish to be quoted felt the Presi-
dent had not closed the door on such
attempts. They made no secret of
theip preference for mutual agree
meDt rather than a veto fight.
Roosevelt Veto Expected.
Whether compromise acceptable tc
10th sides could be reached remained
for the future to determine. Many
of those who have fought for veterans
legislation in the past have turned
thumbs down on a suggestion to cash
the certificates for only those veterans
in need.
There remained little doubt in the
minds of most legislators that Mr.
Roosevelt would veto full and imme.
diate payment, according to the views
he expressed yesterday.
In reply to letter from Garland
r. Farmer, head of the American
Legion post at Henderson, Tex. the
President said, among other things
that there was misunderstanding or
the subject; the certificates were al
the assets many veterans had to leave
for their families. He denied payment
now would speed recovery.
Van Zandt Answers.
James E. Van Zandt, national COM
mander of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars, contended the misunderstand-
ing was on the part of the President
while we respect the views OF
President Roosevelt on this and other
matters of policy" he said, I'VE be-
lieve that Congress will be the final
arbiter of this issue
Denying the Presidents assertion
that former veterans had been given
preference in employment, he spoke
of the dire need Of these men and
their families"
Raps Texas Commander.
Assailing Comdr. Farmer as "by no
means representative of World War
veterans" Van Zandt said the Texan
served less than two months in an
ambulance unit" In Henderson, Tex,
Farmer said:
1T was a great compliment to this
post to hear from President Roosevelt
regarding his stand"
Declaring the bonus docs not mean
anything to me, for I have not made
application myself" he explained he
had written the letter to the President
in behalf of members of his post.
Entering the National Guard In
1917, he said, he had served "only a
short while" before being discharged
as underweight.
Auxiliary Head in Battle.
Mrs. A. C. Carlson, national presi-
dent of the American Legion Auxiliary,
said there was pressing need" for
immediate payment. She said that
sin his statement that adjusted COM
pensation money, if paid, would 60 to
clear Indebtedness and that IS per
cent of the veterans who die leave only
the adjusted compensation certificates
for their families, the President has
pointed sharply to the pressing need
for immediate payment of the certifi-
Gates"
Leaders in Congress, including Rep
resentative Byrns of Tennessee, were
expressing the hope that the bonus
issue could be settled quickly. Though
some contended the fight might be a
close one, veterans leaders were
claiming enough votes to pass the
measure even over a presidential veto.