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~/ CAPT. H. J. REILLY CAMP #14 UNITED SPANISH WAR VETIDiANS Redwood City, California May 2, 1935 Ci ty Council Redwood Oi ty, California Gan tl em en : We take t,he liberty of calling to your attention, briefly, the present unfortunate situation in which the Spanish-American War Veterans of San Mateo County and else- where throughout the Nation, find themselves today. No doubt you all are more or less familiar with the provisions of the so-called National Economy Act as passed by the Congress of the United states in March 1933. The results of the past two years have proven beyond doubt that this act was the most unmerciful and harmful in its effect upon the veterans of all'wars and that it ~as caused mora suffering and hardship among this cla.ss of American Ci tizens than any law enacted by Congress in recen t years. You will recall how hundreds of completely dis- abled veterans, - sick, blind, and crippled - were forced out of government hospitals immediately upon the enact- men t of the provisions of this act, ,and how thousands of .. others had their pensions and other benefits taken from them in whole or in part, without a moments hesitation or con- sideration. Benefits that were justly theirs, that had been previously awarded them by the Congress of a grateful nation for disabilities incurred in time of war i~ the military or naval service of their governmen t are now denied them. We will not take your time to cite any of the thousands of individual cases where veterans not physically strong enough to hold down a job or too old to secure one, , yet who, with the aid of their pensions, were able to support themselves and families and perhaps meet small monthly payments on a little home they ~oped some day to own.