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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.

The CHAIRMAN. Maj. James M. Hanley, of Mandan, N. Dak., is 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.

I have talked with hundreds of soldiers in my district, and almost without exception they are in favor of a straight cash bonus, based on length of service. I personally believe this to be the most fair and most practicable plan that could be adopted. If we can not raise the money to pay $50 per month for each month in service, then let us determine how much we can afford-if it is to be put on that basis, and pay them now, before funds have to be raised to provide old soldiers' homes for these same heroes.

STATEMENT OF HON. C. J. THOMPSON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF OHIO.

Mr. THOMPSON. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, it seems to be the sentiment in Congress and the entire country that something should be done to more nearly equalize the conditions of those who served in the military service during the war and those who did not. The practical way to do this is to provide additional compensation for those that so served.

Our soldiers served in cootie-infested trenches; in mud and water at $1 a day while noncombatants were living in luxury and reaping generous financial reward. A great, Republic can not be ungrateful. Patroitism should be recognized in a substantial way. I have understood that some of our severely wounded in hospitals throughout the land are being approached by agents of the I. W. W. organization and invited to join it as a rebuke to the ingratitude of a great Government.

I believe the amount of $50 per month proposed by the American Legion is just and reasonable and not excessive. It is perfectly well understood that provision must be made to provide the revenue to meet whatever compensation may be granted. To this end I have offered a bill, H. R. 12906, which provides a way to raise revenue by taxation of real estate sales. I have also introduced H. R. 12976 which is before your committee and proposes to tax advertising sales. Advertisers would certainly prefer this tax to a tax on surplus or individual incomes and it could be collected more economically and without evasion. There is too much waste in advertising; too much large space; too much money spent to evade income tax. Advertisers can use less space and get as good results. The Government will realize millions of revenue from such taxation. Magazines and periodicals are now being carried through the United States mails at an approximate loss to the Post Office Department of $50,000,000 annually. By placing a tax on advertising space in all periodicals of 5,000 circulation or more having second-class mailing privileges the Government will be saved many thousands of dollars in transportation; and the shameful and profligate use of paper will be curtailed. This, of itself, will be beneficial as the supply is exceeding the demand and prices are rising.

I believe these two bills will raise sufficient revenue within a reasonable time to pay the bonds provided for, or a direct cash payment if the committee prefers, in its composite bill, not to issue bonds.

The great increase in value or price of real estate in three years through no effort of the holder or by any expense on his part of

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