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Show -wm-w -m-w , " 4d. Hoover Launches New Attack on Vets' Bill MEASURE SIMPLY BAD LEGISLATION, PRESIDEHT SAYS Doesn't Believe Country Will Support Plan, He Declares EXPLAINS POSITION G.O.P. Leaders Hope to . Arrange Compromise WASHINGTON, June 24 (Assoel. ated Press) While house Republican Republi-can leadara pondered what to do, Preeident Hoover todsy celled the World war veterans' relief bill "just bsd legioiation." The bill, approved 44 to 4 by the senate yesterday, was being returned re-turned to the house while the president presi-dent denounced it to newspaper correspondents cor-respondents standing in his office.. A caurua of Republican representative representa-tive waa called for tonight, at which an effort wrll be made to offer of-fer a substitute measure, "I do not bellev the couutry will support this bill," ssid Mr. Hoover. The presidential attack emphasised empha-sised hie opposition to th bill expressed ex-pressed In a letter to the senate, submitting objections voiced by decretory Mellon and Director General Gen-eral Hlnex of the veterans' bureau. The treasury secre tary warned that the expenditures entailed would require re-quire Increased taxes next year. Hinea reiterated his stand In a atatetnent today th word he had given the president tha tthe measure. mea-sure. In the lorm approved by the house, would directly add flll.000,-Ouw flll.000,-Ouw to the present $511,000,004 annual an-nual expenditure for World war veterans in the first year and that this would Increase annual until a possible additional 1400,000,000 would be required. Answering statements In the senate debate which questioned bis figures. Hines said a recheck showed the original estlmatea were conservative. He expressed the opinion "that the bill aa passed by th senate will cost even more." The steering committee, an unofficial un-official group of Republican leaders lead-ers in the house, discussed the possibility pos-sibility of an alternative plan with the Swick bill aa the basis. The Swick bill proposes to care for about 36O.0O0 veterans, to whom relief has been denied. It would grant pensions to certain former (Continued on page 11). 1 MEASURE SIMPLY BAD LEGISLATION, PRESIDENT SAYS (Continued from page 1 ) servke men, which would run aa j high as $12 a month to helpless and blind veterans. HOPE FOR PLAN Representative Knell, one of the Republican leaders, a!i the steering; steer-ing; commit tre did not plan any specific recommendations to the conference tonight, but hoped a plan that would meet with executive ap. prova) would be devised. r He said that adjournment of conj cress wouM not be considered until un-til nome "satiftfar-tory veterans' leg. Islattoa was enacted.' The texL of the president's remarks re-marks was: "In thia problem we are dealing with hick and disabled veterans. Except for some marginal cases the government haa lone since generously gener-ously provided for the men whos disaMlitjes arise from the war it self. "Thene esses before us, except for a comparatively small number of marginal ones, are in reality men disabled from incidents of civil life sine the war. ' Tho whole matter Is one that fount be. approached In a hich sentse of justice and utmost nympathv. But this veterans' bill t Just had legislation. It is no more In the interest in-terest of veterans than in the Interest Inter-est of the taxpayer. The financial burdens, tho amount of which has .is;ain been reaffirmed by General Hlnee, and they were even Increased by senate amendments yesterday, do constitute a serious embarrassment embarrass-ment to the government and to the country, but there are other objections objec-tions even more serious. PROVISIONS WASTEFUL "This bill selects a particular group of 75.A00 to 100.000 men. makes provision for them in the most wasteful and discriminatory way conceivable and entirely neg- lerts the equal rights to help of over 300,000 more, veterans who are likewise suffering from disabilities incurred in civil life since the war. , 'Furthermore, the very basis of the bill seta up an untruthful and. j according to our physicians, a physically impossible 'presumption' and predicates Its action upon this. For instance, a msn who haa served a few days In the army tn his home town or In camps snd afterward enjoyed seven to twelve years of good health, then after all that time incurs any affliction. Is thereby declared de-clared to have a disability due to the war and is to be compensated or pensioned on the same basis as the msn who suffered in the trenches snd from actual battle. It contains many other discriminations and injustices. "These things violate not only the fact, but the very integrity, of government. gov-ernment. It la a ssd thing for our government to set standards of subterfuge sub-terfuge to our people. It Is unfair to all other veterans who have become be-come disabled In civil life. "It Is unfair to tho whole spirit of the World war veterans. "There are emergency and marginal mar-ginal cases which I have insisted should he cared for. and which will be cared for. and there is the additional addi-tional necessity for us to study the broader subject exhaustively before we plunge. VIEWS OVERRIDDEN "The American legion presented a bill designed for emergencies which haa had the earnest support of many administration member., but their view, have been overridden. overrid-den. The sensible thing la either to take care of these emergencies or marginal cases and then aoberly determine future action, or alternse lively, to make the beginnings of sound action now on auch founda-tlona founda-tlona aa will contribute to the ultimate ulti-mate settlement of the problem with real Justice to veterans and with generosity In solution for the future. fu-ture. "Such action can be taken within i our present financial resources and I believe the nation would aupport that. "I do not believe the country will aupport thia bill.'' |
