The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-10-17
KANSAS MAY PAY
BONUS TO ALL OF
Her WAR HEROES
Legislature To Be Asked To
Appropriate 80 Million.
Ex-Service Men Are Behind
Proposed Legislation.
A RECORD BREAKING AMOUNT
Men Would Get From $40 to $50
for Every Month.
$4,000 Kansans Were in Service
During the War.
Legislature To Be Asked To
Appropriate 80 Million.
A RECORD-BREAKING AMOUNT

appropriations ranging from ten to
thirty million dollars as a bonus to
Kansas service men is to be asked at
the hands of the next legislature.
Plans for the campaign for a soldiers
bonus based on period of service be-
came known today in state house cir
Giles. A number of service men are
declared to be behind the movement
which will carry a bonus of from $40
to $40 a month for the period of serv-
ice of each of the $4,000 Kansans
called to the colors.
The bonus proposal is the biggest
proposition in the form of a direct APP
preparation ever asked at the hands of
a Kansas legislature. Even on the
minimum basis of $40 a month for
each of the men. a total of $10,320 900
would be asked according to most
reliable estimates. The estimates are
months for each of the $4,000 men.
Nearly 81 million dollars would be
asked on a maximum basis of $50 a
month service pay by the state.
Equal Tax Levy.
Under the proposal for a $40 a
month minimum. the appropriation of
$40, 100000 would be practically equal
10 the direct taxation expense for
operation and maintenance of all state
educational, penal and charitable in
situations. as well as all state depart
ments and payment of all salary ex-
penses. The Greet appropriation of
the state legislature a the last session
broke all records when they went
above 4 millions. Yet they paid sew
eral hundred thousand dollars in de-
ficiency claims and provided for all
state operating expenses for the sue
ceeding two years.
That an organized move will be
made to secure the passage of a SOL
diers bonus bill is the belief of nu-
merous state house officials. Strong
intimations of the plan have already
been made and several state officials
have received letters asking support of
the bill. The fact that a number of
service men-among them men from
the a. E. f. and from the canton
Tnents-will be candidates for the leg
islature next year, assures probable
strong support for a bonus measure.
It is known, tho. that a number of
service men are opposed to any move
seeking to assess service claim
against the state.
Different Plans Proposed.
There are two schools of opinion as
to the bonus plan, according to infor-
patton in state departments and from
zen who saw cantonment and over
.eas service. One force believes it is
the duty of men in the American Lee
gion to proffer every service to the
government but to demand generous
assistance for disabled men who have
returned to civil life. These men OBJ
ject to any suggestion of use of the
stuffed club in securing state and fed
eral aid for men who are able to help
themselves. Another following be-
lieves that both the state and national
government should come to the aid of
the service men with generous bonus
offerings. In addition to asking state
aid. support has also been enlisted for
a bill before congress.
Several states have already planned
to take up the soldiers bonus propo-
sitIon. IN most of the states where
action has been taken, tho, it has
been in the nature of aid in the edu-
cation and development of soldiers.
SAN education fund equal to $25
month for each soldier in completing
his education has been suggested in
several states which have considered
the soldier relief plan.
$4,000 Saw Service.
During the war period $4,000 Kan
sans entered active war service. Their
period of service averaged one year,
according to the best estimates. The
lowest bonus suggested has been $40
a month, or $120 average for each of
the men. This would mean a direct
appropriation of S1O,320.0O0 Should
the state bonus be increased to $50
of $50 a month, the total proposed
state expense would range from TWEEN
~ to fhirtV-Oue millions