27 it gives, your resolution expressed a willingness to take. What you unanimously recommended and adopted was this: 1. Reclamation of unproductive lands by direct Government operation for settlement by service men and women. 2. Reclamation and development of rural communities by loans of Government credit for settlement of such communities by service men and women. 3. Direct loans to service men and women for the purchase and development of farms. 4. Direct loans to service men and women for the purchase of city homes; and be it further Resolved: 1. That the administration of the same be decentralized. 2. That no heavy financial restriction be imposed. 3. That the right of eminent domain be incorporated to prevent speculation. 4. That the provision of such act shall be administered by former service men and women. But you left out the bonus, and it must have been left out by design and not by oversight. Now, that is what you resolved and what You knew that many Members your convention went on record for. You knew that of Congress had, from whatever motive we need not inquire into, introduced bills for gifts and bonuses, 6 months' pay, 12 months' pay, or an issue of bonds, giving them $240, some $600, and some $500, but your convention absolutely ignored that and did not recommend the bonus plan. Mr. MILLER. Because we do not believe in singling out any particular bill of any particular Member of Congress. Mr. KITCHIN. But you in convention did single out these other propositions for the soldiers and adopted them. Mr. LONGWORTH. Will you pardon me a minute, Mr. Kitchin? It is now 5 minutes of 12, and I would like to know what the disposition of the committee is going to be. The CHAIRMAN. I have talked with some of the gentlemen, and I think we had better meet after lunch. He had asked me a Mr. MILLER. Mr. Kitchin has left the room. question which you all heard. In answer to his question I will say that on February 10 there was a meeting in Minneapolis of the executive committee of the American Legion, which represents the American Legion between conventions, and they adopted a resolution asking the national legislative committee to specifically say to Congress that in their opinion a $50 bond per month was what they thought the service man ought to have. Mr. TREADWAY. Per month of service? Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir. Mr. TREADWAY. Now, is there any distinction in service there between service at home and service overseas? Mr. MILLER. No, sir. Now, that answers in part Mr. Kitchin's question, but it does not answer it as I would like to answer it were he here. Now, I just want to call your attention to the fact that those 18 months of war cost $29,000,000,000, and in October those of us on the other side expected to be in the fighting until spring, but because of the St. Mihiel and the Meuse-Argonne offensives the war was cut short. Had it gone on until spring, everyone knows that far more money would have been spent in pursuing the war than will be spent in adjusting compensation or providing a bonus for the ex-service men. Now, one other remark. Mr. Longworth mentioned the bonus to civilian employees of the Government. Why, Congress last year gave to civilian employees here in Washington and in the United States $20 a month, and why? To enable them to meet the increased cost of living. They called it a bonus. I have heard some Congressmen say that they made a mistake in so doing, but it is considered a bonus, and your reason I have just given. But consider the service, man whose family in this country had to combat the high cost of living under conditions outlined to you early in my statement that I need not reiterate. That is all I have to say at this time, Mr. Fordney, on this question. The CHAIRMAN. In answer to the balance of Mr. Kitchin's query let me read this: Sixteenth. ADJUSTED COMPENSATION. Whereas the question of adjustment of compensation or extra pay for service men and women is now pending before the Congress, and before acting thereon the Congress has shown the disposition to await the view of this convention upon the subject: Therefore be it Resolved. That while the American Legion was not founded for the purpose of promoting legislation in its selfish interest, yet it recognizes that our Government has an obligation to all service men and women to relieve the financial disadvantages incidental to their military service an obligation second only to that of caring for the disabled and for the widows and orphans of those who sacrificed their lives and one already acknowledged by our allies but the American Legion feels that it can not ask for legislation in its selfish interest, and leaves with confidence to the Congress the discharge of this obligation. Mr. MILLER. Now, Mr. D'Olier has asked me to make this statement. The application idea which Mr. Garner asked about was something to take care of the man who does not wish to avail himself of this provision, and he, and he alone, should determine it. Mr. GARNER. May I read in this connection the statement of Mr. D'Olier of this very principle announced in these resolutions and then I will ask a question: If legislation is wisely framed covering last settlement, home aid and vocational training, every dollar invested by the Government will bring ultimately great returns to the country by making the ex-service man a better citizen and greater producer and will increase the wealth of the Nation. Now, I ask you, Mr. Miller, do you believe that statement is true? Mr. MILLER. Yes, certainly. Mr. GARNER. I do, too. Mr. MILLER. The national commander and I have no differences between us. Mr. GARNER. I will ask you if that same principle of law, applied to the 7,000,000 who did not go to France, would not have the same result? Mr. MILLER. I confess Mr. GARNER (interposing). Well, Mr. D'Olier has said, and I think truthfully, that if legislation is wisely framed-that is, for the exservice man-covering land settlement, home aid and vocational training that is, for the ex-service men-every dollar investedthat is, every dollar invested in these methods that I have referred to-by the Government, will bring ultimately great returns to the country by making the ex-service man a better citizen and greater producer and will increase the wealth of the Nation. Now, will not that same legislation, applied to these 7,000,000 men who did not go, who were reserved or exempted from going, produce the same effect? Mr. MILLER. As a reclamation scheme, yes. Mr. GARNER. Would it not do this: Every dollar invested for these 7,000,000 men would bring ultimately a great return to the country? Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir. Mr. GARNER. By making these men better citizens and greater producers and increasing the wealth of the Nation? In other words, the policy that Mr. D'Olier asked for, applied to the entire Nation, would have the same effect? Mr. MILLER. Yes, sir. Mr. GARNER. So that there is no reason to select ex-service men? Mr. FREAR. May I ask a question? The CHAIRMAN. That is so unfair to the men who were fighting abroad and left their wives and families at home. Mr. FREAR. It is all done for the purpose of discrediting any such proposition at this time, as was claimed on the floor of the House. Gentlemen arose on the other side of the hall and they insisted that the purpose of sending this legislation to this committee was for the purpose of killing it or putting it asleep. Now, all the arguments that have come against this measure have been along the same line. Now, if we are not going to give this bonus, or whatever you choose to call this proposition that has been set forth here, to the soldiers and their families, we might just as well adjourn this morning, so far as that argument is concerned. You gentlemen have come before the committee to make a statement of the reasons which ought to appeal to Congress to pass this legislation, and you have tried to do it, you have tried ineffectually this morning simply because of the questions which seem to me are so unfair. Every member of the committee knows what was suffered over there. So that this excuse of trying to put them altogether, the 7,000,000 men with the men who were over there, it seems to me that that begs the question entirely. We are here to pass this legislation or not, and it is immaterial what the gentleman thinks about this matter. This is a question for Congress to determine upon the merits of the situation and I want to say that it is immaterial what the witness thinks. Mr. GARNER. After this, Mr. Chairman Mr. GREEN (interposing). Mr. Chairman, this has degenerated into a personal wrangle and we might as well adjourn now. Mr. GARNER. The gentlemen of the committee know the source from which it comes. It is an explosion on the part of the gentleman-the gentleman has taken a lot of time Mr. FREAR (interposing). The gentleman who is talking has taken. most of the time. If you would let these gentlemen make a complete statement The CHAIRMAN. One at a time, gentlemen. Wait a minute, gentlemen, just one at a time. Let us be fair. Do you want to come back Mr. GARNER (interposing). I want to reply to that unjust, unfair, and untrue statement. I quoted the statement of the commander of The American Legion and I asked Mr. Miller if that same principle were applied to the 7,000,000 men, if it would not produce the same effect, and he said it would, because it would produce the same effect with one as with the others. I agree with you that it is good public policy, too. I do not think that the gentleman who has just spouted would agree to it, but I think it would be good policy because it would apply to one man as well as to the other. Mr. MILLER. Mr. Garner, in order that your statement will not be confused, I am representing these service men. I am not wasting any concern on the other 7,000,000. I am talking for the ex-service men, and while you and I have no personal disagreement as to anything that has happened here, it is your privilege to read what you want into the remarks of the national commander, but a mere difference of verbiage or expression does not alter the fact that we are here asking for plain and simple justice for the ex-service men. far as concerns the men who did not serve, we are not asking you to extend the provisions of the act to cover them. We do not carewhat becomes of them. If you want to spend more money in reclamation and home aid, and you have the money to spend, it is up to you,. but the first money you spend should be for the ex-service men. So The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Miller, I want to say for your information and for the information of the committee, it developed the other day when we heard the governors of seven different States out West on the reclamation features of this legislation, that if all the lands were reclaimed as contemplated it would furnish a home of 50 acres for about 50,000 people. Therefore, if the soldiers took advantage of obtaining homes on the reclaimed lands out West, only 11 per cent of the men who were in the service would get a home. Mr. MILLER. Without going into the merits or demerits of the land legislation, that was one of the objections of the ex-service men to that proposition, that for a vast expenditure of money you might only take care of an infinitesimal number of ex-service men. The CHAIRMAN. Now, if Mr. Miller has concluded, gentlemen, I think the committee ought to remain in executive session just a few minutes. (Thereupon at 12.25 o'clock p. m. the committee went into execu-tive session.) PART 2. SOLDIERS' ADJUSTED COMPENSATION. COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, The committee met at 10 o'clock a. m., Hon. Joseph W. Fordney (chairman) presiding. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Hale, will you give to the reporter your name, the name of the organization you represent, and the position or office you hold in that organization? Mr. GARNER. Before Mr. Hale proceeds, I want to ask whether or not the commander of the American Legion and their spokesman, Mr. Miller, will be given another opportunity to appear before the committee? The CHAIRMAN. They sent word they could not be here this morning, but will come back later and we will give them all the time they " want. Mr. GARNER. I hoped they would come back again. I understand they are the only authorized spokesmen for the American Legion. I think it is quite important that we have a full statement from them. STATEMENT OF MR. EDWARD H. HALE, CHAIRMAN SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON, D. C. Mr. HALE. Mr. Chairman and members of the Ways and Means Committee, I am chairman of the subcommittee of the legislative committee of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Mr. TREADWAY. Let us understand what that organization is. Mr. HALE. That is an organization composed exclusively of men who have seen overseas service. Mr. TREADWAY. In this war? Mr. HALE. No, sir. It originated in 1899, and was the outcome of the amalgamation of the various associations which grew out of the Spanish-American War. Prior to the outbreak of the recent conflict it was an organization of not very large membership, a limited membership. Its membership to-day, conservatively stated, is probably somewhere between 500,000 and 750,000 of bona fide members, 98 per cent of whom have seen service in Flanders, Belgium, France, Italy, or Russia. We have restricted our membership exclusively to men who have seen service in foreign waters or in foreign climes. Mr. KITCHIN. How many more members has your organization than the American Legion? |