The Washington times., 1920-03-05

equally. Give each man an equal
start. an equal lift back on the road
TO civil life and peaceful occupation.
Treat them all the same privates and
officers alike. TheNwar is over. the
army Is demobilized. there exists for
them no longer the differences OF
rank and pay and privilege Of mill
want Equal start.
They are equal citizens. and all
they need and all they want Is equal
ity OF opportunity 10 begin their fresh
start In civil life. This our $500 bonus
bill, introduced by General Sherwood
will give them. Pass that and pass
II promptly now with tho second win
ter OF demobi lization on us. and you
Will bring good cheer. harmony peace
and good will TO all the four million
soldiers and the scores OF mill q II
their families and dependents through
this whole land.
"Some members OF Congress have
said To me. we want 20 do the right
thing by the soldier boys, but II will
take two billion dollars TO pay bo-
muses. OF $500 each to 100000 sol
diers. That is a lot OF money; where
"Well, there were according
! TO the best estimates, about $4,000
| 100000 in war profits made by the
| profteers In the United states while
| the boys were in the arply or navy
| saving civilization at $50 a month.
| Now the Government could take ST.
| 900. 100000 OF that $4,000. 900 900 in
taxes from the prohteers without
| hurting them bit.
| surtax On Incomes.
| 80 you may. Mr.. Chairman. easily
raise the money by adding this pro-
vision TO General Sherwood's bill to
which l am sure the General will
not object. and which l am equally
sure the citizens or the whole coun-
try will approve. This amendment
Is as follows:
| "Provided that the revenue with
which TO pay the increased compen-
sation for those In the military and
| naval service OF the United States
shall be raised by a graduated sur
| tax on all incomes OF over $4,000
per year received during the years
Of 1915 to and including 1919
| 1.-THE bill introduced by Congress
man Mott. and now pending before
the Ways and Means Committee. en-
bodies the same principle and policy
Il
and Sailors Legion have contended
from the beginning; that is, the
bonus should be an equal lump sum to
| all, officers and privates alike, same
as In the Sherwood bill.
| Congressman Motifs bill also pro-
vides. in addition, what we believe
Is fair, equitable, and proper meth
| cd OF raising the money necessary to
provide for the payment of the bonus.
4 Ia
that the Mott bill provides for n $500
bonus and the Sherwood bill pro-
vides for $500 bonus.
| $500 Bonus Fair.
| I'VE trust that the spirit OF fair
ness and liberality which we believe
| actuates a great majority of the
members of Congress will cause them
| to accept an amendment to the Mott
bill. providing that the bonus shall
| be $500. We believe that the Mott
| bill so amended would be accepted as
| fair and satisfactory. both by Con-
gress, the soldiers and the country.
| The United States Government is
easily RENTING $500. 100000 of inter-
est annually due on the $4,000, O0O.-
600 we have loaned foreign govern
ments; that indicates we, as a nation
Are not financially very week.
Another great error common to
many of these pending bills except
General Sherwood's bill and Con-
| gresham Motifs bill is the provision
| that the increased pay to the soldiers
shall be made in bonds instead OF
cash. Now, Mr.. Chairman, the people
of the United States and the soldiers
both are surfeited with bonds. They
are sick of bonds and rightly so. The
| United States Government has issued
too many bonds already.
| Paying with Bonds Costly.
Paying the costs of n war with
| bonds is the most extravagant way
in the world to do 1t. For the cost
of the war has to be paid first by the
present generation. Then the inter-
| est during the life of the bonds will
of them. That makes us pay the
cost of the war twice and then when
the bonds are due they have to be
paid again, which makes three times
we pay the cost of the war when we
do 1t by bond issues.
| 1.-THE men want not bonds, but
| cash; because they need the money
| now to help them get a fresh start
in life. To hundreds of thousan ds
of these young men this would be a
| little start on a farm, or in some
small business-where their labor
| would go with their capital And TO
| hosts of these soldiers who are SIN
| gle men 1t would mean marriage and
| the beginning of family and a
| home. Could $500 be better invested
| by this Government than in such q