The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1952-07-24

Conn.,, whose owner happens to be
Herman Steinkraus, outgoing presi-
dent of the us. Chamber of Com
merce. George has long been close
to Ellsworth Alvord, tax adviser OF
the Chamber of Commerce.
Claims Gravy-Congressman Be-
all of Maryland tried to slip through
a bill, authorizing the Willmore En-
cheering company of Baltimore to
collect a $244, 900 claim. 1t so hap
pens that the claim had already
been turned down by the Court of
Claims and the us. District Court.
In fact, the claim was so fantastic
that the courts ordered the FBI to
investigate the Willmore company
for alleged fraud. Yet Congressman
Bean tried to get congress, to pay
the claim that the FBI is now in
vestigating as fraudulent. Fortunate
ly he failed.
G.I. Bonus
In contrast to the way private
bills benefiting a few people were
sneaked through congress, here is
the play-by-play story of a tough,
two-year-battle to secure a combat
bonus for G.I.'s in Korea.
Almost two years ago, September,
1850, this columnist pointed to the
unfairness of a service pay system
which gave extra risk bonuses to
pilots and submarine crews but none
to the boys in the foxholes. Sen. Tom
Connally of Texas took up the cud-
gels by inserting the column in the
Congressional r e CO r d, following
which Sen. Dick Russell of Georgia
introduced. a bill giving a $5O-a-
month combat bonus. Russell did
his best to push the bill, but was
finally defeated in his own armed
services committee.
At this point, three young senators
took up the cudgels for the G.1.'s-
Moody of Michigan, Long of Louisi-
ana, and Monroney of Oklahoma,
all Democrats.
Since under senate rules it is inn
possible for the chairman of COM
mittee to appeal a bill to the full
senate if it has been defeated in his
committee, Long, with Russell S
blessing, made such an appeal. He
brought the combat bonus bill out
on the senate floor, where it was de-
feated. Some of the same senator's
who unanswered backstage to slip
private bills through congress dur
ing the recent session voted against
the G.I.'s in Korea.
Moody Rider
However, Senator Moody, undis-
couraged, adopted new tack. In
order to get a new vote he reduced
the bonus from $50 to $45 month,
then demanded a roll call. This
meant that every senator would
have to stand up and be counted for
or against the G.I.'s. Naturally,
none wanted a roll-can vote, so the
combat bonus was passed at $45
monthly.
However, in the house the bill was
killed. Republican economizers
turned thumbs down. However, Sen.
ator Moody filed notice that when
the military appropriations bill
came up he would move to suspend
the rules in order to attach "fox-
hole rider to the bill. This is diff
ficult thing to do, because the 'fox-
hole rider" or combat bonus, meant
completely new legislation and
would require a two-thirds vote Of
approval if a senator objected.
To make sure he got two-thirds
vote, Moody, with the support of Sen.
Styles Bridges, Republican, of New
! Hampshire, and his friends Long and
Monroney, telephoned more than
half the members of the senate and
got their approval.
Thus, the fcxhole rider still ha6
TO pass the house, where Congress.
men George Mahon of Texas ano
Dan Flood of Pennsylvania, mem
bers of the joint committee on mill
tary appropriations, went to bat. Al
first they failed. In the privacy Of
the committee, the vote went against
| them.
However, the friends of the GIL
did not stop. ...-...
They enlisted the help of majority
leader John Mccormack of Mass.
Alfred Sieminski of New Jersey, q
Korea veteran, Louis Rabaut anc
Thaddeus Machrowicz of Detroit, al
Democrats; Mrs. Edith Nourse
Rogers Of Mass, Republican. They
threatened to carry the fight to the
/ floor of the house, where every con
gresham would have to stand vi
and vote for or against the G.I.'s.
This threat. plus the astute lead
ership Of Moody and the final sup
port Of Senator O'Mahoney Of Wyo
ming, finally put the combat bonu
bill through. It is now matter o
law, and checks to G.I..s should
be In the mail fairly soon.
cats wiSkerS are DELEGATE