Evening star., 1940-05-15

W pressure from
g1 the veterans
I ~ lobby, passed q
new pension bill
Charles q. Ross. that would cost
the country in its first year of oper-
alton from $24,000,000 to $48,000,.
600; in its second year, $51, ,0O0, 900;
in its fifth year, $4,000, 900. And
the cost would 60 up year by year
until. in the estimate Of Represen.
tative Costello Democra) of Cali.
fornia, who fought the measure, "it
is quite likely that these figures
may reach trifling sum in excess
Of a cold billion dollars"
The bill would provide pensions
for the dependent widows and or.
phans Of World War veterans, and,
introducing a brand new principle
into such legislation, pensions for
the dependent parents Of deceased
veterans. 1t would make no differ
ence whether or not the veteran
died from a service-connected dis
ability. The only requirement would
be 30 days service on the part Of
the veteran, at home or abroad.
Fade-out for Economy.
This is an election year. The
bill was demanded by the American
Legion and the Veterans of For
eign Wars of the United States.
So the House passed it by a vote OF
247 to 81 and sent it along to the
Senate. There was no roll call
only division" that enabled mem.
bers to vote without going on record.
A complete fade-out of the economy
bloc" marked the debate and the
vote.
The proceedings showed the
House at its irresponsible worst, a
condition into which it is likely to
fall-along with the Senate-when-
ever the veterans lobby really turns
on the heat.
1t isn't always the much-maligned
bureaucracy that's to blame for
prodigal shelling out of the peoples
money. Sometimes it's Congress,
strictly on its own. In the expen.
sive matter Of pension legislation,
whatever restraint is exercised
comes from the Executive.
Only Part Of the Story.
The fact that new pension bill
Is halfway through Congress is only
part of the story. The rest and
more significant part Is that gradu-
ally the barriers in the way Of q
general service pension-a pension
for all World War veterans based
on the simple fact of service, Of
whatever duration beyond 80 days,
whether at home in a training
camp or on the firing line In Europe,
whether the veteran is well or III,
rich or poor-are being broken
down.
One Of the barriers crumbled this
week in the House when the dis
tinction between service-connected
and non-service-connected disabili.
ties was discarded in the bill per-
tanning to widows, orphans and
parents.
As old Reed Smoot foresaw, the
way toward the general service
pension is being smoothed, year by
year.
In trying to get the House to
leave dependent parents out Of the
bill and thus save around $500 900
the flrst year, Mr.. Costello summed
up the prospect:
Only the Starting Point,
This legislation is only the start.
ing point, and every succeeding
Congress, at least in election years,
is going to have to do something to
show the veterans that this Con.
gress Is just as anxious to serve
them and obtain their votes as was
the preceding Congress. At least,
gentlemen, you do not have to ex-
pand the precedents in trying to
follow them. You can at least elm.
mate the parents from this bill"
But the motion to strike out par.
ents was shouted down and q prece.
dent created that undoubtedly will
be used, If the bill goes through, to
get commensurate benefits for the
surviving parents Of the soldiers Of
earlier wars. AS Mr.. Costello put it:
Almost without exception each bill
brings some new provision. creates
some new inequality. and as q re-
suit we are forced to pass addi.
tional legislation In order to remove
those inequalities"
On a special roll Of honor should
be entered the names of two lead.
ers OF the tight against the bill
Representatives Miller, Republican.
OF Connecticut, who lost both legs
as an aviator In the World War,
and Kean, Of New Jersey. q second
division veteran and winner of q
medal for gallantry.
Said Mr.. Miller from his wheel
chair: "This legislation is ill-ad.
vised, ill-considered and ill-timed.
I can see no justification for penal.
1xng the already overburdened tax.
payer for the benefit Of families
Of men whose war service was done
IN . training camp, thousands Of
miles from any conflict, and whose
training actually benefited rather
than harmed them"
But 247 members Of the House.
with an election in tho oftin1, saw
ample justification, and the btu
went through by an S-to-l vote.
It Will be interesting to see how
II fares In the Senate, and par.
ticularly interesting to observe the
attitude Of the economy bloc" At
the very least. the taxpayer has the
right to ask for . roll call.
Sidwell Estute Trustee