Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-19


sentative Wadsworth, Republican
OF New York, who, with char
acteristic courage, recorded himself
as present but not voting It was
an astonishing performance and
the story back of it is almost equal
ly so.
1t hinges around an extraordinary
Army blunder which put the House
Military Affairs Committee in a
position where it felt it had to re-
port and support this bill and
where vote against it was difficult
to defend. Invoking an old law
enacted in 1864 and without in
forming the committee, the Army
began giving to officers terminal
leave, with pay, which they had
missed while in service. The Navy
naturally, followed suit. The cost
ran into some millions but not into
the billions.
Fairness Involved.
However. when the committee
realized that this leave pay for
officers was already legalized, the
point was made that it was mani
testify unfair not to treat the en-
listed men on the same basis-par-
ticularly as the enlisted mems dis
charge pay of $500 has been ex-
tended to officers up to the grade
Of captain.
When these arguments were made
the committee felt that, regardless
of cost, unless it made furlough pay
cover the enlisted men its position
would be untenable There was no
way to defend itself Accordingly
the bill came out and went through
House in which every member is
UP for reelection in a few months
without dissenting vote and only
one man refraining from voting.
Members of the House, of course
were aware of the gigantic sum in
volved but, in an election year, felt
they were in no position to dwell or
cost when weighed against injus-
tice. Undoubtedly, there was the
hope among many-as there Away:
is when for political reasons the
House acts unwi5ely-that the Sen.
ate will kill the proposal. And, il
is to be hoped in this case the
Senate will, though there is by NJ
means the surety there should be
Defeat Not Certain.
For one-third Of the Senate is ur
for reelection, too, and among those
who are not are an unusual num-
Der of left-wing demagogues who
take their orders from the labor
bosses, always united in favor of a
spending proposition. Also, that
argument that you must be fail
to the enlisted men" may be rela-
lively as potent in the Senate as in
the House. So, though the calami-
tous consequences of the bill are
clear, there is no certainty that il
will not go through.
Yet, its enactment would knock
the Federal budget silly. 1t would
precipitately increase the nationa
debt at time when it seemed pos.
sible to decrease it. 1t definitel,
would put the Federal finances ou
of control and make the runaWa,
imitation so often warned agains
inevitable.
Chester Bowles, economic stabi
lizer. and extremely articulate anti
imitation champion, should take /,
look at this one-and have some
thing to say. John Snyder, the new
Secretary of the Treasury, who's,
duty it is to keep our fiscal affair."
healthy and sound, should take cog
niZance of it.
Toward Economic Chaos.
And, President Truman. upor
whom the largest responsibility,
rests, ought to move to avert thi
threat to the national econom,
before it goes too far. Some wa,
certainly can be found to avoie
injustice to the enlisted man with.
out wrecking the country. With
all the other untoward things which
rack us at home, if this is added
the wreck could hardly be avoided
Certainly, it is a proposal that will