Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-12-06


repudiated by an overwhelming group of his
own party.
A GAIN, in the 74th Congress, the contest
n between the President and the Congress
over veterans legislation required. The
President used his veto power FOUR
TIMES to defeat the will of the Congress
against the benefits of war veterans.
On one occasion, after the Congress had
passed the adjusted compensation bill, which
was also known as the veterans bonus bill
and this occasion was May p, 1850
President Roosevelt, setting one of his many
historical precedents appeared in person be-
fore joint session of the two houses of
Congress and read his veto message Of the
Patman bill. Until this bit Of showmanship,
no president before him had ever vetoed a
bill in this fashion. Within an hour, the veto
by vote of 322 to 90 was overrdden by the
House of Representatives.
In the Senate, the veto was sustained.
But this did not end the difference between
the President and the Congress on the sub
iect of the veterans compensation bill be-
cause in the second session of the 74th
Congress the bill was reintroduced and was
passed by the House. The Senate then
passed it in 1886 by vote of "a to 16 with
amendments which the House, two days
later, accepted by vote of $40 to SO.
WHAT did President Roosevelt do on
w JAN "a, 1886? He vetoed the bill
AGAIN and in-petoing it, he said:
"On May %, 1885, in disappearing
r bill to pay the bonus in full Immediately in
stead of in 1915, gave in person to joint
session of the Congress complete and ex-
plict reasons for my action. respectfully
refer the members of the Senate and of the
House to every word of what said then.
NV convictions are as impelng today as
they were then. Therefore, | cannot change
them"
His convictions impelled him to act
against veterans. In his own words he can
not change them-meaning his convictions.
1t is historical to note that within 45
minutes after the veto message of Jan. "a
1885, the House Of Representatives had re-
passed the bill by a vote of 324 to 81. On
Jan 81 the Senate OVERRIDE the veto and
the bonus bill became law.
\XIERE the veterans ever aided by Presi-
w dent Roosevelt?
Never
He has been their greatest opponent
even to the point of reducing disability COM
pensations
President Roosevelt in the 18th Con-
gress by the use of pocket vetoes, defeated
six separate veterans bills which were
passed by the Congress- His attempt to
destroy the soldiers insurance legislation by
veto during the period Of the Roosevelt
depression" in 1887 caused the Congress to
repass this bill over the veto by vote of
SOS to 13 by the Hodse>of Representatives,
and in the Senate by vote of 50 to II.
Are we to believe that there is a change
of heart simply because the President came
forth on July % of this year with the hope
that the Congress may do IT'S duty to the
veterans of this war ?"
T HE Congress has not failed at any time
during history to help the veterans. The
President likes to shift the responsibility to
Congress.
He has assured the men in the armed
forces that the people will not let them down.
Repeatedly, he has put himself in position
to thwart the peoples opinion concerning the
veterans of our wars
Did he explain this to our fighting men
on July 90?
Oh. no. It was hoped that they would
forget the record.
NOW how serious are his intentions?
HE postwar begins every day for many
thousands of our fighting men and all
that has been accomplished to date is the
extension Of the veterans benefits made
available to the veterans Of the last war to
the veterans Of this war.
For months the military affairs COM
nittee has held in -pigean=hnle legislation
that would provide for the early transition
of our fighting men back into civilian life.