Another advantage is that the further development of the desert lands under the existing reclamation law would not constitute an experiment, for the experimental stage under the act has long since been successfully passed. In passing this bill the Congress and the Reclamation Service would know definitely what is being done, what results to expect, and how to calculate.

In view of the very urgent appeals made by the governors representing the Western States Reclamation Association and other delegates with them when they appeared before your committee in December, and in the sessions they held jointly with the members. of the Senate and House Committees on Irrigation and Congressmen from the different States for an appropriation of something like $250,000,000 to supplement the reclamation fund, I feel unable to express myself in a way which may add support to the cause. But it is my very candid judgment that with moneys provided as specified by the bill, the use thereof would constitute an invaluable investment by the public, upon which greater returns would be realized for the general welfare than by any other governmental investment. I therefore very earnestly recommend and urge the making of a favorable report by your honorable committee for providing more reclamation funds in amount and substantially as asked for by the governors, representing the Western States Reclamation Association.

STATEMENT OF MR. ALDEN BELL, OF CULPEPER, VA.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Bell, you are a veteran of two wars, are you not?

Mr. BELL. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. You are made of the right material.

Mr. BELL. Just in strict connection with that which has just been interposed by the chairman, I will state that I, in my own person, may it please the Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, am one of the few instances on record, on file at the War Department at Washington, where the War Department has waived both the age, and defective vision, for a volunteer in the World's War.

My service in Europe comprised 14 months, at 56 years of age and more. I bore as a private soldier both the heavy pack and the rifle at Verdun, at St. Mihiel, and the Argonne Forest.

I brought back a very severe case of rheumatism. I was twice gassed at Verdun and was blinded for three months. My sight finally returned to its previous normal state.

I was certified for rheumatism from Verdun to a hospital at a place in France. After that I was preferred for light duty, and in my record, even in my discharge, which I have now with me, it is stated "preferred for lighter duty." I was detailed by the welfare units then in Paris, to go to Paris and to London and to Rome and to deliver a lecture of mine, which was entitled "The Patriotism of the American Soldier."

Now, gentlemen, I do not desire to impose my appearance upon this committee. I strongly know that the time of this great committee, which has the true interest, especially financially of the American Republic most at heart, is taken up with great and weighty

measures.

But, gentlemen of the committee, if it is true, as the Bible saysand it is that "from out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh," then it is equally true that anyone on an occasion like this, where the interest of the American private soldier especially is concerned, might at least say something, when called upon, in honor of any such occasion.

Now, gentlemen, so far as any measure which has been before you in connection with relieving the general condition of the private. soldier is concerned, the arguments before this great committee, and the hearings, have almost worn the thing threadbare. But the average American private soldier-believe us- is going to be thoroughly satisfied with any measure of relief that this great committee and the American Congress, according to the recommendations, is going to give for the relief of the average American private soldier, for whom we more especially speak.

Now, gentlemen of the committee, it has been stated as being generally true that what led the American soldier to Europe to stand shoulder to shoulder and heartbeat to heartbeat with his fellow soldiers, marching on to his various conquests on the bloody battle fields of Europe, always finding his protection under the aegis of the American flag, which protected him, and keeping step forever after the music of the Union, was patriotic.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Bell, it is now a quarter after 5 o'clock, and the members of the committee have nearly all left the room some time ago.

Mr. BELL. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Would it be agreeable to you to put in writing what you have to say and hand it in to the clerk of the committee? Mr. BELL. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. We would greatly appreciate it if you would. All the boys are absolutely tired out.

Mr. BELL. I will be very glad to do that, Mr. Chairman. I take it good naturedly, and I think it was very properly said by the chairman.

Mr. RAINEY. We are all very much interested in what you have said.

The CHAIRMAN. If you will do that, and hand it to the clerk at as early a date as possible, it will be put in the record.

If you have, then, concluded, upon condition that you do present something and file it with the clerk of the committee, I will announce the hearings on the bonus bills closed. The hearings will be printed as quickly as possible, and the committee will then proceed to make up the bill.

(Subsequently Mr. Bell submitted the following:)

In response to the request of the American Legion, I desire to advocate especially that part of the Legion's plan to give each soldier a cash bonus of $1.50 a day for each day of his service, and to make a few general conclusions. The duty you assume, which is to do justice to the soldier, is indeed a great one, and it requires all your good sense and patriotism to rightly deal with it. These men gave their all for their country; endured all the hardships of war, both in America and in Europe, and they only ask a just recognition. Gentlemen, what is patriotism of which we are now hearing so much? What was it, may I ask, that caused the immortal Greeks to bar with their breasts the Persian's march on trembling Sparta? What was it that caused the Dutch burghers, in the sixteenth century, to whelm their fields beneath the floods, and the Russian princes to fire their palaces in the seventeenth century? What caused

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a Swiss peasant to sow his body with Austrian spears, and a French country girl to exchange the companionship of her flocks and herds for the battle and the stake? What caused these and a hundred other kindred heroisms with which the history of the world is full? It was love of country. Now, this same kind of patriotism was what caused the American soldier in the World's War to sacrifice his all; so, gentlemen of the great Ways and Means Committee, open your hearts to the needs of the average private soldier, and from the justness of his cause give him due recognition. For it was because of him and of the good women of our great country especially that this war

was won.

And our women, the rattle of whose knitting needles was martial music as patriotic as the roll of the drum; the whir of whose spinning wheel sounded reveille before the bugle's call, and the crash of whose loom and spindle was the artillery of the reserve. In that splendid art gallery of all the world, the Louvre, in Paris, France, there is a painting on the wall, that of Napoleon Bonaparte crossing the almost impassable Alps with his mighty army and creating a name for himself before which the nations of Europe trembled and fell. In advance of his mighty legions sits Napoleon on his charger while above are phantom figures beckoning the "Old Guard on. In the distance gleams the tricolor of France, with its inscription, "Over the Alps lies Italy." This truly is but a counterpart of that heroic devotion unto death of the average American private soldier, on the bloody battlefields of Europe.

Now, gentlemen of the great Ways and Means Committee, open your hearts to the need of the returning American soldier as well as to them who had to stay at home and let the milk of human kindness flow once more into the golden bowl of mercy.

Thereupon, at 5.20 o'clock, the committee adjourned.

PART 12.

SOLDIERS' ADJUSTED COMPENSATION.

STATEMENT OF MAJ. JAMES M. HANLEY.

is

The CHAIRMAN. Maj. James M. Hanley, of Mandan, N. Dak., here, and we will hear him now. Congressman Young tells me he is judge of the circuit court of North Dakota and a veteran who saw service in France.

Maj. HANLEY. Mr. Chairman, I thank you most sincerely for the opportunity to reflect the views of North Dakota service men. The honor is the more appreciated considering the fact that only five members of the Legion have been given the privilege of making statements to the committee.

Mr. Chairman, the service men are asking the beneficial legislation proposed in this bill not as a bonus but as an adjustment of compensation arising out of war conditions. Men returning to civil life from the Army found that those who remained at home had received greatly increased compensation from their labor and service, with the result that the service men were placed at a financial disadvantage and found that in offering their lives to the Government they had suffered not only the dangers of the service but had suffered financially. The men seek no pay for their patriotism, but do ask that as far as possible their compensation be adjusted and that they be not left in a position of financial disadvantage as compared to the man who stayed at home. We believe this bill will meet the situation. It provides means under which farming projects may be acquired, homes procured, or vocational training pursued. It recognizes that many of the men are in a position where they can not exercise any one of these three options and for that reason provides for a cash compensation to fit their needs. There are many, and I am one of them, who do not need this compensation, and this situation is met by the clause in the bill which provides that before the adjustment is made that application must be made for it. On the other hand, the great majority, and particularly the private soldier, does need the relief, and it should be granted. As a member of the national executive committee of the American Legion I come as a representative of the service men of North Dakota. Telegrams and letters sent to me from practically every post in the State show an overwhelming sentiment in favor of this bill.

Mr. Chairman, I understand it is the desire of the committee to conclude the hearings to-day. For that reason I shall close with this brief, but, I assure you, very earnest appeal. The idea of beneficial legislation for the soldiers originated in Congress, and it has

in effect asked the service men to present their ideas of this legislation in the concrete form of a proposed bill. After careful consideration from the standpoint of the good of the country and justice to the service men this bill has been prepared. It is just and fair. It has practically the united support of the service men, and we ask that it have favorable action on the part of your committee and of Congress.

STATEMENT OF HON. SYDNEY E. MUDD, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MARYLAND.

Mr. MUDD. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the Ways and Means Committee: So many plans for the relief of ex-service men have already been presented to you, and so much testimony is now before you for consideration, that I shall not attempt in this brief statement to advocate any special bill or plan of relief. You gentlemen are more familiar than am I as to how the necessary funds may be raised to give ex-soldiers their just deserts. I do want to say, however, that whatever is to be done in this direction should be done at once. Nearly a year and a half has elapsed since the signing of the armistice. During that time money has been appropriated for the elevation of Army officers to higher rank; this committee favorably reported a $50,000,000 appropriation bill for the relief of suffering Poland; several millions are to be invested in flour for the people of suffering Europe; and yet an appropriation for suffering America is held up for months without action. When I go through my district and find ex-service men unable to secure positions because they have not the means of buying civilian clothes, I wonder if it has been just or wise for our country to act as fairy godmother to the stricken of foreign nations.

Would it not be better to first fulfill the duties of a parent to our own children? Can we not at least do as much as other countries are doing for their former soldiers? Canada, with a much smaller per capita of wealth, has already paid from $200 to $600 to each of her ex-service men-this in addition to truly liberal compensation to the wounded and disabled, and in addition to substantial relief in the form of homestead privileges and land grants. Great Britain, France, and nearly every other allied power has done more than have we, the richest of them all. The distinguished Secretary of the Treasury is afraid a bond issue will disrupt the finances of the Government. But had not these same soldiers responded so heroically to the call of duty, we might still be floating bond issue after bond issue to finance the prosecution of the war. And who will doubt but that we could have done it without disrupting the country's finances? Certainly it is going to cause increased taxation; but are not the American people willing to make the sacrifice? They have made sacrifices for much less worthy causes than this, and they will do so again. This is not a matter of charity, but justice. I would like to see the act finally adopted called a fair pay act rather than a bonus. We can not pay these heroes for their patriotism and their sacrifices; but we can in some degree compensate them on a commercial basis for the loss of their time.