On April 29, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans held a rally in Washington D.C. complete with press coverage and speeches from congressional supporters. Peaceful, well choreographed, and pretty much by the book for modern day political rallies in the nations capitol.
Things were a little different in 1932 when thousands of veterans of World War 1, the Great War, converged on Washington D.C. The Bonus Army, as they were called, was there to demand payment of bonus money promised after their service in WW1. The bonus money was actually a deferred payment but the Great Depression hit the veterans hard and they were trying to get legislation passed for immediate payment. Legislative efforts failed and the 20,000 strong Bonus Army was driven out of their encampments by the Army, led by none other than General Douglas MacArthur. When they public saw the newsreels of the actions taken by their government against these veterans the reaction was none to favorable. President Hoover’s reelection bid was harmed by these actions. It was several years later that Congress was finally able to pass legislation allowing the early payment to the WW1 veterans.
Here is a good video with an overview of the Bonus Army.
And now for a little foot-tapping music, Pay Me My money Down from the Seeger Sessions by Bruce Springsteen.
Peace & solidarity,
CHC
FYI : There is a DVD entitled The march of the Bonus Army which chronicles these events. It is available through the North Mankato public library http://nman.sirsi.net/uhtbin/cgisirsi/alBPDp5iP8/x/56270005/9.
It took four years before Congress provided these benefits. That may be quick by comparison to how long it took some WWII veterans to get their pension benefits … maybe 62 years … That’s right, last month, the US Senate finally passed S. 1315, “Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007″ … the final vote was not even close, but the former Chairman and Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Republican Senator Larry Craig, objected to both unanimous consent agreements to move forward for final voting it (as well as on S. 1233, the proposed “Veterans’ Traumatic Brain Injury”). The VBE of 2007 is really relatively minor as it includes increases in burial allowances, adapted housing allowances related to physically injured veterans, a two-year COL increase for spouses with children, etc. But the real hang-up was whether the Philippine Scouts groups would receive pension benefits … that’s right, after denying benefits for 62 years, the Senate has finally moved legislation forward that might help 18 to 30,000 living veterans.
FYI : the Veterans’ Traumatic Brain Injury bill is still languishing in the Senate despite being overwhelmingly by the House. Tim Walz is a cosponsor of the bill.
Good Article, Thx