Indianapolis Times, Volume 43, Number 295, Indianapolis, Marion County, 19 April 1932 — Page 2

PAGE 2

25 PER CENT OF REVENUE PAID TO GOVERNMENT GOES FOR RELIEF OF VETERANS Group Comprising Less Than 1 Per Cent of Nation’s Population Given Huge Share of U. S. Income. LESS FOR MEN WOUNDED OVERSEAS Ex-Service Victims Disabled in This Country 1 Fare Better Than Soldiers Crippled in Action. BY TALCOTT POWELL A recapitulation of veterans’ relief reveals the fact that! Jess than 1 per cent of the people of the United States receive j per cent of the entire federal revenue in direct veterans’ relief as a result of the World war. There were 1,102,814 persons on the monthly soldier re-! lief pay roll at the close of 1931. The nation’s population just | exceeds 137,000,000. Total income of the treasury, in round 1 numbers, for last year was four billion dollars. Veterans’ relief cost nearly a billion last year, and will go beyond that next year.

This is the largest single function of the federal government today. The war and navy departments together do not cost as much. Less than 1 per cent of the population this year will swallow the entire income tax paid by the other 99.2 per cent. Even though the proposed bonus is defeated, the people of this country, under present relief laws, will have to spend $100,000,000,000 before the last World war benefit is paid. Warriors Get Less The whole of this money does not go to the men hurt in combat, or to dependents of those who died in battle. A man disabled in action overseas is averaging today $39 a month compensation; a man disabled by disease in this country enjoys an average of almost $lO more. Dependents of dead soldiers average about $lB a month. Discrepancies of the program, carelessly slapped together by con* gress under stimulation by veteran lobbyists, do not end with these inequities among ex-soldiers with service-connected disabilities. On Dec. 31, 1931, there were 313,737 such veterans drawing regular monthly payments for maladies contracted while they were in the army or navy. On the same date there were 326,495 ex-soldiers of the World war drawing a total of $6,298,338.72 a month from the federal treasury for disabilities’ which they were unable, even remotely, to prove were connected with their war service. Quiet Service Pension Although the legislation under which these men get their benefits is called disability dlowance, it is actually a service pension. The number getting it equals the entire number of American dead and wounded in the World war; it exceeds by nearly 13,000 those receiving money for service-connected disabilities. Use of hospital facilities, provided originally for war-injured, but opened up by congress for all veterans, provides the same sharp contrast. At the end of the last fiscal year, there were 35,139 ex-soldiers under treatment in the hospiU’s. Os these. 33,302 were veterans of the World war and 52 per cent of them were getting medical attention for difficulties incurred long after their return to civilian life. Still another discrepancy s found in the law under which a relatively small group of emergency officers are permitted to be “retired" if they can prove 30 per cent permanent a.'d total service-connected disability. The lowest rank officer, with his 30 per cent disability, rates almost 10 per cent higher in monthly compensation than the non-commis-sioned officer or private permanently and totally disabled. Need Is Not Factor In none of these cases does the factor of need determine the compensation. The millionaire gets as much as the man of the breadline. Another legal sophistry propounded by congress is the law which says that certain diseases, notably tuberculosis, shall be presumed to have occurred in the service if contracted before 1923. Expert medical opinion makes no difference in such cases, and the

f CUT-PRICE \ / WATCH \ I REPAIRING CRYSTALS Fitted While You Wait Round Crystals 14c Fancy Shaped Crystals.. ,29c tinhrcakable Crystals 29c Any Mainspring 99c Watch Cleaning 51.09 Jewel Replacing $1.19 Square Deal Jewelry Shop ★ Safety for Savings Fletcher American NATIONAL BANK Southeast Corner _ of Morkotand Ponniylvont

Rush Jobs .Make Us Smile Hcndren Printing Cos. Incorporated 470 Century KlJft Ki ley 8533

men go down on the books as suffering from service-connected disabilities. Congress thus took the responsibility for saying that things happened in the World war which did not happen. Still another odd law was passed, declaring that all men shall be presumed to have been in sound physical condition when they entered the service. To pile another absurdity upon the woodpile of veteran legislation, a congressional ukase declared that the war, for disability compensation purposes, ended in 1921. This opened the compensation pay roll to men who never had a chance to risk life or limb, because they did not get into the army before the armistice. Thrift Is Discounted Under inspired legislation, war risk insurance has been made into lan acturial nightmare, with a bil-lion-dollar liability over and above premiums. In addition, there is a serious movement afoot to forgive interest on bonus loans. This will reduce or wipe out premiums on converted government life insurance held by 600,000 thrifty veterans. Philosophy of this republic “ oughout its history has been that the government had the right to call upon its citizens to take up arms in times of emergency. Such a duty was an obligation of citizenship, and the United States supreme court repeatedly has decreed that no one could become a citizen who would not bear arms under such circumstances. Nowhere in the basic law of the United States is there any admission that enlistment in times of emergency implies a contract between the soldier and the government by which thq country is to pay the citizen afterward for defending institutions which he presumably believes are worth fighting for. Lobby Presses Legislation Present veteran relief legislation has piled up under constant urging by a veterans’ lobby, of which the American Legion has been the spurhead. The American public has not understood the inference and consequences back of these laws. Voters have not been critical, because of their patriotic belief that their taxes were going to aid those injured in service or the dependents of those who died in the war. Flaming appeals have been made constantly, both to congress and the public, for passage of the various measures. A typical example of such appeals is contained in a widely circulated pamphlet published in

ALL EXPENSE TOUR uiitH 3 GLORIOUS DAYS^, NOUObL Wsvare \ our —1 PocUetbooh —for the most glorious adventure of your life. The above price includes— Jk, HOTEL ROOM WITH EJf BATH, ALL MEALS, J L./jw SIG HT- S E EIN GT O U Round-Trip Bus T ETC. —everything: Hid you ever hear of so much fun. thrills, ro- dßPtgi nianre and education for so little money ? As an vertising experiment, we offer Mm e*,! it to you at one-third of the Sir ordinary price! Start any day. ML Special attention given to ladies. Write today or phone / GREAT EASTERN TERM’L ■Hy 110W.Washington SR EAT EASTERN mmk

FIIRfiPF FOR THE LUIVv/r Ci Independent Traveler Complete and accurate information will enable you intelligently to plan vour trip with due consideration as to expense, time, seasonable places to visit, best routes, suitable hotels, trains, steamers, etc. Official Agents All Steamship Lines We can furnish complete information as to size and speed of steamers, rates, cabin plans and sailing dates, and secure mo6t desirable reservations at regular rates. Let the Union Trust Travel Bureau handle all the details of your trip. Complete details can be obtained from RICHARD A. KURTZ, Manager Travel Bureau The Leading Travel Bureau of Indianapolis S UNION TRUSTS 120 East Market St. RI ley 5341

behalf of the emergency officers’ retirement law. "Ninety per cent of the retired emergency officers were lieutenants and captains. They were platoon commanders, the company and battalion commanders, who led their men in the most desperate fighting the nation ever has known —led them against rifle and artilllery fire, machine guns, flame projectors and poison gas; led them through barbed wire and trench and forest, through mud and blood, in a manner which stirred the wonder and admiration of the world—thirteen years ago. These were the officers whose motto was, ‘Come on. boys; not ‘go on, men.’” Wrong on Facts Overlooking the fact that the writer of this stirring bit apparently was unaware of the fact that majors, not captains or lieutenants, command battalions, the other statements contained in the appeal do not square with the facts. The description is obviously that of the duties of an infantry officer below field rank. The number of infantry lieutenants and captains enjoying the bounties of the emergency officers retirement act is not 90 per cent, but just under 33 per cent. Adding to the infantry officers those in the air corps, engineers, field artillery, machine gunners and tank corps, the number of combat officers in the liberal retirement reaches only 49.6 per cent of the total. Inquiry in Washington among scores of officials interested in the veteran problem revealed a number of remedies for the present unjust and expensive legislation. A mosaic of them is presented here. Program Is Mapped 1. Raise the compensation payments of men clearly injured in service to a permanent degree, provided they need the money. 2. Raise payments to widows, children, and dependent parents of men who really did die for their country in the World war. 3. Remedy abuses in the emergency officers’ pension law. 4. Compensate only for serviceconnected disabilities. Hospitalize only for service-con-nected disabilities. 6. Eliminate absurd congressional presumptions of what did or did not happen in the World war or when it ended or what a man’s physical condition was when he entered the service. Depend instead upon competent medical opinion. 7. Place war risk insurance upon the same business basis that obtains in a private company, with the exception that the government shall make no profits out of its soldier insurance. 8. Treat veterans of all wars alike. 9. Make the economic situation of the veteran a controlling factor in any benefit he receives from the taxpayer. 10. Create a permanent standing senate veterans’ relief committee whose members will specialize in veterans’ legislation. No such committee now exists. Such committee not only would result in a more intelligent veterans’ legislation, but would make it possible for the public to fix responsibility.

THE END. ART SAYS:

T-p* . \ . ....' l L‘**r f

The Chamber of Commerce, in a timely campaign that was launched yesterday, is asking the public for greater cooper a t i o n through di - rect member-

ART ROSE

ship. “Help Pull the Wagon” is the keynote of the appeal. a tt u We believe that our Chamber of Commerce is doing everything within its power to push Indianapolis to the front despite the fact that it has often been _ the popular subject for much harsh and unmerited criticism. an u Surely none can gainsay the fact that when men like Louis J. Borinstein, Chamber of Commerce president, are willing and glad to give up time that should be devoted to personal affairs and to sacrifice their own desires for the work of the organization, that our citizenry should try to look at the difficult problems facing the Chamber of Commerce from the inside out rather than from the outside in. a it tt This is still clean-up week. Remember the American Legion Relief Station at 118-120 E. New York Street can use discarded clothing of all kinds. ft n it The Chief lire Changer ROSE TIRE CO„ Inc. 365 S. Meridian St. MILLER TIRE DISTRIBUTORS

THE INDIANAPOLIS TEVIES

UTILITY TAXING CUT DEFENDED BY OFFICIALS State Board Members Say They Followed Law in Valuation Slash. Depositions in which the three members of the state tax board ; averred they followed the law when they slashed $47,418,816 from the ; admitted taxing valuations filed by : the Indiana Electric Corporation 1 over a six-year period, were being j studied today by attorneys for Perry township, Marion county. The tax board's method of as- | sessing utilities was attacked by S. j C. Kivett, Martinsville attorney, who ; took the depositions for the township. He was assisted by Russell | Willson, attorney. Members of the Indiana legal staff of Samuel Insull were present at the hearing to interpose objections to Kivett's examination and watch

tjS|4 ’fH JT Merchandise ...Hffan Featured in Ihi t, JMWjro Big Store-ide >lp prices that will '* ffiBBBSi thrill you. Wm ISBM Bj Come! Buy! Save! Cash Purchase and Sale of Women 9 s and Misses 9 Fur Fabric Jackets Jackets Like These Have < f Ever Been Sold for Jl 111?!} 1111$ jfiL'-- (J?\ 4% °f Pelt and mmsC jj&|k rafißlk O Cellophane Straw Hlr9 7%^ ISKSS mm P 1 *' "Wonderful values" you'll call them. Close-fitting ~fli and you'll he. Such fine .lack- turbans in \ Y o ßlack and White Combinations ors to match /P. 7 •Brown and Tan Combinations your cos- \Tfr^. rvm - Bell cuff or ruffled cuff Styles. —*——” 1 Wednesday and Thursday 2 to 4 P. M. 81x90 inch, 59c Value Hope Muslin—Yd. Seamless SHEETS The genuine, full bleached, 36- Full double bed size inches wide, cut from full bolts. jmST sheets, firm round mM jgy Owing to low price we are com- thread quality with pelled to^ limit the amount you wide top hem each Leader-second Floor. Pi,low Cases I °P 4 for Leader—Second Floor. Bought for Cash From a Leading New York Manufacturer 400 All-Wool Sweaters The Popular New “T |IS4 C ■ vino*, p,,r P wool zephyr Ladies’ Kerchiefs i|i§ pjj VusS %. \ yarn sweaters. Beauti- Sheer duality novX Xwilve. C with h rt"in k ty rch em ß assortment. You need half 1 O | B ," f r IT* P K . . * v Wednesday and Thursday 9 to 11 A. M. “Maynards” and “Wrisleys” Navy Beans 59c CREMES High grade se-‘ Lemon Creme lertfd quality. MV Mm Cold Creme "SI _ Limit 5 pounds a mmc I Liquifying Creme to a customer at j Wmb Strawberry Creme.. this low price.. Cucumber Creme Leader—Second Floor. Leader—Second Floor. Full-Fashioned Silk W SJHSg I PURSES fI y \ 4ac /, 'iLf V*. X l Pouch, Back /"W strap and MW X&'\ IS9 arm shapes. # gd? j V \ Whn. if ever h-fore. Black Hn and r.i ... V \ have yon had inoppor* as* or t e dKfll \ . A// \ Mtnnv in buy full-fash- Ml i Y\ , innod pure silk ho*e at. colors. J \t j mew this sensationally low I IV l Cnlnrm price. Slight menders ° * of high priced grades.

the proceedings, which may cost the utility $175,000 in the township. Lobby Chief Attends Those present included Glenn Van Auken, chief of the Insull lobby, who. according to Philip Zoercher, tax board member, appeared on behalf of the utility at each of the assessment hearings in question, and William P. Evans, chief of the local legal staff. Kivett announced the Perry township damage suit, originally filed in Marion superior court two. had been taken, on change of venue, to Hendricks circuit court. Zoercher, Pliny Wolfard and James Showalter, board members, testified in the depositions that they followed “the law to the best of their ability and knowledge’’ in fixing the assessments. Taking the utility report and tax board valuation for each year, Kivett questioned Zoercher as to the reason w r hy, in 1926, the tax board had not taken the admitted valuation or “book value” of the property by the utility in its return. but, instead, slashed it from $12,137,169.t0 $4,180,820. Claims Rate Raise Averted “Such a valuation would have resulted in higher rates to patrons.” Zoercher said. “They could take this high valuation and go before the public service commission

and show they were not gettting a ; fair return on their valuation and I thus get rates raised,” Zoercher said. “There never has been a complaint raised before. The public knows that we have tried to fair and honest in every assessment we make.” “Who do you represent in making assessments?” demanded Kivett. “The state.” Zoercher replied. “Then, why do you always look out for the interests of utilities?” asked Kivett. “The United States supreme court has ruled a utility is entitled to an 8 per cent return on its investment and a high assessment would make that impossible, thus resulting in legal contests and we know that such value would not stand in court,” Zoercher said. In answer to a query fron Evans, Zoercher asserted members of the board “never were influenced by any outsiders” and the electric corporation always had produced all figures requested. STIMSON JOINS PARLEY Secretary of Stale Takes Seat at Arms Reduction Conference. By United. Press GENEVA. April 19.—State Secretary Henry L. Stimson appeared for the first time at the world disarmament conference today, soon

after the general commission approved the American claim that general armament reduction to the lowest possible level be the first goal of the conference. Rheumatic Cripples New Medicine Guaranteed to Free Your Muscles and Joints in Less Than a tVeek or Money-Back. No matter how erippled and helplegs you are with rheumatism; no matter how great your suffering: you can now ease that pain in a day and break rheumatism's terrible grip on your system in less than a week or nothing to pay. A SI bottle of Ru-Ma is guaranteed to free your muscles and joints from all crippling stiffness and swelling, lameness and torturing pain or your money refunded. No long, discouraging wait while you wonder if that awful pain will ever stop: for it starts stopping right from the first day's use of Ru-Ma. Magically your muscles and joints limber up. swelling vanishes, aches and twinges disappear, away go limping and hob- : bling. crutches and canes. So many once helpless rheumatic *uf- i ferers in this vicinity have been freed from rheumatic agony by Ru-Ma that Hook S Dependable I>rug Stores and other local druggists invite you to try Ru-Ma under an Ironclad guarantee of money back if It does not completely stop your rheumatic agony.— Advertisement

111 11 1 1 ■ " eJ Qm/umce! OF ALL ODDS & ENDS KlftllCfiC so Sweaters formerly sold OlUUwvw up to $1.95, broken lots A r First quality pure silk and rayons * P°lka dots and fancy paturn* i | Regularly sold for $1.29, . Mu uloves diy? onif. , brown :. , two 59 llluialp til A 1 A L $5.00 guaranteed In- *g| if NSI ft3ten sr 7ufat s . only .’ to $ 1 * 69 A | Small, medium and large sizes, __ hIUfIRKS last color broadcloths, former UII9UVVIO SLOO and $2.00 values ®Rj [j M | * NEW LOCATION—MAIN FLOOR 111*000 ShirtQ soiled broken sizes firsts UlCOd OllllLd and irregulars |% ■ One lot of 67 broadcloth pa- _ Pajamas Ke„“. y . upt . osl : 69 44 c Athletic Shirts sh^r“ letic 5 Felt Hats S? Z e e s a nd . furfe ! t . hats :. broken 214 Men’s silk and rayon ties, assorted IPS patterns. Some solid colors. Formerly up ■ 1 to 50c 9 ft | First quality and sub-stand- p bocks f a r r t y i ioc ss °. rted . c^ ra . , regu : 6 1 4© f% || Oshkosh, Lee, and HeadK light makes, broken sizes, (1 aa UVGICIIIO former values to $1.89 A • OU NEW LOCATION—SECOND FLOOR a mm g a .IS Pmrs of CnrdtlBoys Knickers &&& Ue D Ail a Amm One lot of 109. Former pt PUyS Uaps values up to 50c 1 a a B a m Nainsook athletic Union Suits n each 19c K infants White, hand embroid- F IIPOCCne ered - 25c to 39c values. o HZwwm UIGOOCS Irregulars, 19c mJF r J Fancy prints, sizes 2 to 6. - Dresses o^h% o^, . ot :. 25c .. Values : lOc 4 i/j [i ob mum [ivi • LEADER—SECOND FLOOR QC in Printo New flowered and nov- q 00"IIIr I I lIILw elty patterns yard.... Turkish Ni ce quality for general household 1 OWSIS USC COl ° borders. While 300 Rayon Spreads IraH 99 We Reserve the Right to Limit Quantities

.APRIL 19, 1932

msmmssmsmssssmmsttmmmmmmm Low Round-Trip Coach Fares Each Week-End CHICAGO 55.00 | Good on all trains from noon Fridays j until early morning trains Sundays. Good returning until Monday sight. Next Saturday CLEVELAND $4.00 Leave 11 :,10 p. m. Return Sunday night. DETROIT $4.00 TOLEDO .... 3.50 Leave 10:15 p. m. Return Sunday nlrbi. Next Sunasy ST. LOUIS .... $4.00 Leave 12:35 a. m. or 2:45 a. ra. Return Sunday night. #9 Cfl Round Trio to Louisville.. Goinr VUsOU Frida vs and Saturdays; return Full Particulars at 112 Monument Circle. Rllev 3328. and Union Station. Rilev BIG FOUR ROUTE