Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1936-02-13
How Much Does a Nation Owe Its
Veteransp

Passage of the bill providing for the immediate pay
ment of World War adjusted service certificates and for
the cancellation of unpaid interest on loans secured by
such certificates by Congress over the veto of President
Roosevelt, marks the end of a long struggle.
Payment of the soldiers bonus cannot be considered
a partisan political issue, in view of the fact that bills
providing for such payment have been vetoed by every
President to whom they have come, including the Re-
publican predecessors of the present Chief Executive.
Now that the soldiers will get their money just as
soon as government agencies can provide the bonds, it
may be well for citizens everywhere to understand a
few facts in regard to the treatment of veterans by the
United States government.
No right-thinking citizen questions the propriety of,
or objects to the taxes necessary to, adequate and gen.
erous care for the physical we'll being of disabled vet
Grams. Nor is there any objection whatever to the gov
ernments standing in the stead of those who lost their
lives and filling the role of financial father and husband
to the dependents. The care of the wounded and their
dependents, together with those who unfortunately suf-
fered the loss of their breadwinner through the war, is
an obligation placed upon the government that is cheer
fully assumed by all loyal Americans.
Quite a different issue is raised in regard to the
veterans who returned from their participation in the
war sound in every respect and without any disability
whatever because of their service. These men mingle
again with the civilian population of the nation and be-
come American citizens, and in the words of President
Roosevelt, in his veto messag of 1884, should be &C
cOrQeQ equal privileges and equal rights 10 enjoy lie,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. No less and no
more" To think otherwise would be to create a special
class and to place war service to the nation on a higher
pedestal than that accorded to the peace-time achieve
ments of millions of hard working reputable Ameri-
cans.
Much of the opposition to the payment of the bonus
centered around the conviction that once this amount
was paid there would arise a new campaign in behalf
of the veterans to demand from Congress general pen
,;~~ ,-lo+. &c. II $500 ~1-o.ll1- r. .z -
necessity No gift of prophecy is required to make this
assertion because the past history of the United States
plainly points the course and activity of veterans organ
izations. Members of Congress will become the targets
of political threats, with the result that Congress will
continue, in the future, to do as it has in the past and
yield to the organized pressure of a minority that insists
upon special favors.
Apparently, some of the leaders of the three veteran
organizations which led the fight for the bonus realize
the suspicion with which many people regard their fu-
ture intentions. Calling attention to the end of the bonus
fight, they urge the enactment of a universal service law,
and say that if those who oppose the bonus will Join us
in this fight, they need fear no more bonuses" One Of
them, James F. van Zandt, said that he did not believe
there would be a general drive for service pensions, as
opponents of the bonus payment have predicted.
From other sources, the idea is prevalent, neverthe-
less, that in the early future the nation will witness a
renewed drive on the part of veterans to compel the
payment of outright pensions. At first, the drive will be
launched to take care of widows and children whose de-
ceased husbands and fathers served the country during
the war. This will be the start and subsequently the
drive will be broadened to include every individual who
had anything to do with the uniform or colors during
the World War.
The American people might as well face the future
and consider the justice of such demands. Moreover,
they might figure out the cost of such a program and the
possibility of providing such pensions. Sooner or later
the demand will arise and unless public sentiment is
modified, general service pensions are extremely likely
to become a fact.