The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-01-14
NEWSPAPERS OPINION
BONUS FOR VOTES

BONUS FOR VOTES
Members of the House of Representatives by
their first important vote in the 1886 session, have
given much reason to believe that many of them
are now thinking more of reelection than of the
good of the nation Overwhelming passage of the
bonus bill carries significant earmarks of an cleo
tion-year rush to cash in on the influence of a
pressure group that may deliver a useful block of
votes next fall.
Last year the Patman bill introduced itself with
a preamble carrying numerous "whereases'' in JUS
LITIGATION of immediate payment to war veterans
of service certificates that do not mature until
1945 In his veto message President Roosevelt took
these up and showed, for instance, that "to argue
for this bill as as a relief measure is to indulge
in the fallacy that the welfare of the country can
be generally served by extending relief on some
basis other than actual deserving need
This time. however the united 'front.' bill in
dulges in no pretexts The committee report accom-
panying it argues that the nations debt to the vet
Grams is long since due and payable, but probably
its principal point is simply that the three lead
ing veterans organizations have agreed that this
is what they want.
Sponsors of the present bill assert it will require
present cash outlay of less than S1,300,000,000.
But the final cost would be even more than the
$4,000, 900, 900 estimated against the Patman bill
year ago.
One of the devices is to use the S5OO,OOO,OO0
now to the credit of the veterans government life
insurance fund, but that must eventually be made
good and so is to be covered by bond issue. Hold
ers of certificates to the extent of another $780,
600 900 it is assumed would wait till 1915 to
cash them under the added inducement of three
per cent interest But this addition of interest
would then amount to about S1S5,O0O,O00 And
the present bill further proposes cancellation Or
refund of all interest on veterans certificate loans
an item of $500, 100000
So the all-round figure would be- at least $780,
600 900, over and above the $1,5OO, 100000 al
ready saved up by the Treasury.
This increase of the already heavy public debt
would not, as President Roosevelt conceded last
year, of itself bankrupt the United States But it
is mpressively true that, he said them the cred
it of the United States Cannot ultimately be safe
if we engage in a policy of yielding to each and
all of the groups that are able to enforce upon
the Congress claims for special consideration"
"To do So" he added, sis to abandon the prln-
cple of government by and for the American peo-
pie and to put in its place government by and Tor
political coercion by minorities =. do not need
prophet TO assert tnaI IL THESE CeiIllISaIeS
due in 1945, are paid in full today, every cand-
date for election to the Senate or the the House
of Representatives will in the near future be call
ed upon in the name of patriotism to support gen.
eral pension legislation for all veterans, regardless
of need or age
Veterans organizations have been Jealous III
working to stamp out communistic activity as a
subversive threat to the Government. They have
pointed out the subtlety and sinsterness of that
propaganda Do they realize that no great democ-
racy has ever succumbed to dictatorship except it
had first become honeycombed with corruption OF
deadlocked in factionalism? Experience shows thai
only the rivalry of selfish clques within can open
the gates to assault from without.
Cleveland said the people should support the
Government not the Government the people. The
great need of the American people today is to stop
seeking what they can get from the Government
and see what they can give to it. They should
renounce group loyalties whether as farmers, man
ufacturers, political jobholders, veterans or what
not where those are based on barter of ballots for
benefts-Christian Science Monitor.