, 1935-04-29
WASHINGTON
BY George Durn0

paradox. 1t Is q friendless waif In
A wicked world. Even It's progeni-
tor. the aStute Mississippi senator
who heads the senate finance COM
mIttee, Is said to regard his brain
child somewhat obviously. Yet II
Ia the most popular OF oil soldier
money bills.
The Roosevelt administration Is
putting ND q valiant pillow fight 70
stave off passage OF any bonus bill.
But II has refrained carefully from
hitting the Harrison compromise
with a direct brickbat. The veterans
call HarriSon's proposal the great
est piece OF chiseling Of the ages"
and denounce Pat as a sculptor"
Nevertheless. watch the relish with
which the vets wolf half a loaf.
Outraged but impotent opponents OF
sound government" bemoan the
compromise as "abject and craven
surrender" - vet they will grab 10
and hug ii TO their breasts and
thank their lucky stars the infla-
tionists did not get a foot IN the
door with the Patman "greenback"
bonus bill.
Sharing - BY easy stages the ad-
ministration is weakening with the
best possible grace. First, the Presi-
dent permitted Harrison 70 emerge
from the White House saying the
bill would get FDR's OK. At the
same time word was passed out
from the feed box that the Pres
ident's face was still set firmly
against bonus. Senator Harrison'S
eyes twinkled merrily as he read the
powerful pieces pro and on.
Next, Chancellor Of the Exchequer
Morgenthau. thanked BY a dozen
aides, marched up Capitol Hill to
warn the boys that enactment OF
any bonus legislation 80 far pro-
pounded meant new taxes. Nor
Renthau might as we'll have said
boo" because congressional in
uuiries elected the information that
the self contained Treasury Secre-
tary would suggest graduated inner
itance taxes. modelled along the
lines and carrying the same rates
and surtaxes as the present income
tax law.
This last vas the tip-off 10 the
lads Of Capitol Hill. They observed
the white flag on the administration
quarter deck. For II meant 70 them
that the New Dealers. after con-
wasting revenue sources. had pick
ed on that famous cripple-the rich.
Since there are fewer millionaires
than any other class in this country
an inheritance tax would meet with
the least possible resistance. In
fault. Huey Long may be expected TO
embrace MorEenthau as q convert
10 that insidious share the wealth"
plan.
Cash So. with passage Of the
compromise - perhaps in more lib
eral form virtually assured, the
veterans are ready to forsake their
pet measures and cut themselves a
piece OF cake. Just how the rank
and file will accept the NOmpromise
Is a problem. OF course they can
take everything possible this ses-
sion and be back Oliver Twisting
for another bowl OF porridge in 1885
II the current congress chisels too
much off the face value Of their ad-
justed service certificates.
Frank Belgrano. national COM
mander OF the American Legion,
has warned the senate finance COM
mittee that veterans won't be sat-
isfied with less than 100 cents on
the dollar. James Van ZaEdt, COM
mander-in-chie Of the Veterans
OF Foreign Wars. advised this same
body that the only way TO get rid
OF a vexatious issue was 10 pay the
veterans in full - and now. All
this because the value Of adjusted
service certificates as OF le45 is
printed on their face. Veterans IN
The musings - and out Of them -
believe that is what the government
still owes them, and all the fed
eral figuring in the world won't
dissuade them.
For instance, the average veteran
holds ar adjusted service certifi-
cate as a $1,000 promissory note
payable in 1915. About s. per cent
Of the World War enrollees already
have exercised the privilege OF Dor
rowing SO pr cent OF that face value,
on which they are paying compound
interest. The average veteran ex-
/ poets to collect the other $500. But
under the Harrison compromise he
will receive only about 5000. And
will he yell? But how effectively
remains to be seen. After all. Har-
r{cntn il affarspo q fs,~,,-t. x,aY,,n nc
Of today. less interest on past loans
and premiums on future holdings.
Prediction - Frank g. Walker,
who has been picked for a key po-
sition in President Roosevelt's in
innate encourage for expanding that
81, $50. 000. 1000 IN w~ork-relief. should
be remembered as one OF the origin
al If. r.. 3. c." men. meaning he
helped organize the Roosevelt land
slide before the 1882 Chicago con-
ventionS.
Walker comes back into the spot
light. particularly In his old Job as
director of the National Emergency
Council. with reluctance. He has al
ways worked best without publicity
In fact, has done 80 er-officio for
nearly a year. His specialties are
under cover coordination and po-
litical finance-raising. either of
which bloom overly we'll, in his
measured opinion. II too much
Washington newspaper spotlight and
conjecture Is placed upon them
He returned to formal New Deal
service because tn commanding
general urged him to get back into
harness.
And may this writer take n mod
est bow for having predicted some
time ago that Walker reluctantly
would be back In q key position for
the expenditure Of that $3.50. OO0.-
600?