Student Intellects Higher Than Adults', Says Maury Maverick, Upholding VFW

Whereas it is inevitable that this country will be engaged in war within the next thirty years, and whereas it is by all accounts likely that every man of military age will have a part in this war, We, therefore, demand that the Government make known its intention to pay an adjusted service compensation, sometimes called a bonus, of $1,000 to every male citizen between the ages of 18 and 36, said bonus to be payable the first of June, 1965. Furthermore, we believe a study of history demonstrates that it is customary to pay all bonuses before they are due. Therefore we demand immediate cash payment, plus three per cent interest compounded annually and retroactively from the first of June, 1965, to the first of June, 1935. It is but common right that this bonus be paid now, for many will be killed or wounded in the next war, and hence they, the most deserving, will not otherwise get the full benefit of their country's gratitude.

-VFW (Veterans of Future Wars) Manifesto

"Students have the right to ridicule their elders, who haven't done too well anyway," declared Representative Maury Maverick in Terrace Club last evening. He had just settled back on a living room davenport after having greeted a PRINCETONIAN reporter with the good-humored remark: "I'm a magician—I can answer anything."

"The actual paying of the bonus is itself a superficial issue," Representative Maverick continued. "What we need is to evolve a proper system of economics for the country. People are trying to run the United States on a basis that was used 150 years ago. The VFW is an effort of the young people to establish a system whereby they can work if they want, get married if they want and have kids if they want."

The outspoken Congressman, who wears the Veterans' button himself, is a strong believer in student movements. Pointing to the removal of Machado in Cuba due partly to student pressure he remarked, "the student intellectual level is higher than the average adult's and less biased."

The conversation shifted to the controversial subject of the Home Fire division which found a firm defender in the visitor. "Girls' colleges deserve their branches of the VFW, for young ladies have to wear the Red Cross in their hats and pass out doughnuts in railroad stations in a war as well as undertake other disagreeable duties."

"How do my constituents feel about my backing the Future Vets? Well at first they were sore as hell," he confessed. "They bombarded me with letters saying that we were desecrating the graves of the dead, that it is a Fascist movement backed by big industrialists or that the Future Vets are Communists who are receiving Moscow gold! Some of the letters even came from Princeton itself. It is interesting as a psychological movement."

When asked his opinion of Commander Van Zandt, Representative Maverick replied, "Why he is a good friend of mine. He is nice looking, makes nice speeches and is a good fellow. He didn't see the humor of the movement; that's all."

The Daily Princetonian, 18 April 1936