Evening star., 1936-11-11

1t Is the story OF Fred Seibel Regu-
lar Army veteran, who year ago was
one of the jobless but who, with his
bonus money, purchased local florist
business and now Is carrying on his
own concern. 1t is the story of Ralph
Picchioni, who enlisted in the Navy
in the first week Of the war and who,
with his bonus money, established q
local cafe.
Much Goes for Debt.
It also is the story of a few veterans
who went on glorious sprees and now
are back just where they were in the
days before that bonus. For most of
the veterans in Washington, however,
it appears to be story of release from
debt, of investment and Of improve
ment.
1t is estimated by the heads Of the
District Department of the American
Legion that in Washington the "a, ZOO
local veterans have devoted 314 per
cent of their bonus money to the pay
ment of old debts and that 32.4 per
cent has gone into homes and the ex-
penSeS of home life. 1t also Is esti-
mated that 1927 per cent has gone into
insurance, education, savings and
miscellaneous expenses; that 7.8 per
cent was devoted to business invest
ments; Z per cent to clothing for the
families of veterans and 81 per cent
to the purchase of automobiles or
machinery.
There is, however, no organization
which has statistics to show just what
happened to the bonuses received by
local veterans. 1t Is known, by
snatches of stories which have come
to public attention here and there.
that it has left trail of crushed hopes
and of comic and tragic consequences
as well as of ambitions realized.
Most Devoted to Good.
Judge M. Froome Barbour Of Gin
cinnati, national commander Of the
Disabled American Veterans, in Wash
ington today to participate in the local
Armistice day program, expressed the
strong opinion that practically all OF
the money received by veterans from
adjusted service certificates has been
we'll spent.
1T should be remembered" he said,
that veterans are now nearly 20 years
older than they were during the war,
and the statistics show that 80 per
cent are married, with an average OF
two children.
Il sincerely believe that If all data
were available, it would be found that
a high percentage of all moneys re-
ceived from the certificates has gone
to meeting mortgage payments, liqui-
dating old bills, purchasing clothing
and other necessities of life for not
only the veteran but his dependents.
Indeed, we are proud Of the judgment
shown by most veterans in the use OF
these funds"
Fred Seibel served during the World
War as a Field Artillery instructor in
the Regular Army. After the war,
settling in Washington, he led the av-
erage life of many veterans, getting
along fairly we'll on the whole until
the depression came along and he went
on the streets.
Follows Florist Trade.
Last June he received his bonus pay
ment and with it went into the florist
business, an occupation he had fol-
lowed for a time after the war. Today
he is the owner of the Acacia Flower
Shop, 1906 Fourteenth street, and
while he confesses that business is
pretty slow right now," he has hopes
of carrying on steadily and growing
with the improvement Of economic
conditions generally.
Ralph Picchioni was one Of the
first volunteers. During the week OF
April 6, 1917, he enlisted in the United
States Navy and served in American
and European waters until the close Of
the war. He has drawn disability
pension funds since the war, but, with
a family to support, this didn't go too
far. Came the bonus. Picchioni de-
cided to go into the restaurant busi-
ness, and he used his bonus money to
open a cafe at 2452 Eighteenth street.
He calls it, after his Americanized
nickname, picks Cafe"
The first bonus payment in WASH
ington last June IS was made to
Walter Reed Hospital patient, Patrick
j. Luby. Luby entered the Army in
May, 1917, and served to the close OF
the war, although he was wounded
by shrapnel and later suffered an
ankle injury in an airplane crash. He
was under treatment for complications
resulting from his war injuries when
the bonus was paid. Unmarried, Luby
put most of his bonus in the bank.
He now is out of the hospital and Is
visiting brother in Elizabeth, N. J.
Another Still Patient.
The first patient at Mount Alto Hos
pital to receive a bonus payment was
Mrs. Mary D. Williams, a yeonlanette,
Of Fredericksburg, Va. She was injured
more than two years ago in an auto
mobile accident and still is q patient
at the hospital, with most Of her bonus
money intact.
Sam Goldberg. 1906 Rock Creek
Church road, holder Of the Dis
tinguished Service Cross, is one of
those who found good use for his bonus
money. Part Of it went to clear the
family ledger of unpaid debts and doc
tors bills and most Of the remainder
to meet payments due on his home
and on insurance.
c. A. Rainey, 1746 K street, has
put most of his bonus by for "a rainy
day." he said.
Many of the local veterans put
their bonus funds into payments on
or outright purchase Of taxicabs.
Many of them had been renting cabs
or driving for local cab firms, There
Is one French veteran, now an Amer