The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-12-28
NEED BILLIONS
FOR SOLDIERS
BONUS FOR VETERANS
WILL COME VERY HIGH
Treasury Head Urges No Leg
islation Laying Additional
Financial Burdens

Washington, Dec. :7.--ApproximatcIy
$4,000, 100000 was the estimate submit
ted today by Secretary Houston, Of the
treasury, as the cost OF carrying out
provisions Of the soldier bonus bill.
The treasury secretary presented hts
estimate to the senate finance commit
tee without comment. other than to urEa
that no Legislation be enacted which
would lay an additional burden on the
nations finances. The estimate was &C.
cOmpanied by figures showing the cost
OF carrying out any ono OF the nve op-
tienal provisions Of the bonus bill, pro.
vided ali service mon chose . Singh
plan. The figures for the various plans
ranged from Sl,342,0o0 for tho adjusted
pay provision, to S4.634.00o for the In
surancs provision. The maximum possl-
BILE cost Of the vocational training AID
and the farm and home department
plans were placed at $1.sSo.o0S, 900 each.
while the secretary satd the nth pro-
vision, q plan for land settlement, hsA
20 many uncertainties that Il was I'm.
possible to estimate the possibIs 81.
pendlture. -
Mads a Imprssdo1.
Submission OF tho estimated tseA
cost made an apparent Impression upon
members Of the committee which -
considering tho bonus bill a. passed hy
the House at the last session Nom.
bers declined to forecast the decision
of the committee on the question OF re-
porting out the MEASURE, but It was 70.
called that Senator AcCumhsr. Repub.
lican. North Dakota, stated af the OPEN
Ing Of the hearings on the bill that if1
passage would depend largely on the
state Of government finances. and that
Mr.. Houston had testified. with normal
expenditures, there would BE- dedc't
Of $a.10o, 100000 FOR they car ending
next june 80, and dencit of&1 $50, ,ooo.-
600 for the following twelve months. s
During Mr.. Houston's testimony -tt
became increasingly evident that thS
present treasury administration does MOT
desire either to advise or recommend
with respect to legislation providing for
greater governmental expenditures. Thp
secretary made plain to the COMMITTEES
MS thought in submitting list OF pos
slble sources OF new taxes IN his an
nual report saying that they were for
the information OF Congress and that
they were In no sense suggestions.
Opposed By Houston
Reiterating his opposition TO revival
Of the War Finance Corporation, MI.
Houston declared the present sources
OF revenue Wer0 IaDt ooCllnlnk' oH&
added that he knew not where the
money was to come from to meet the
bonus payment, should the bill be en-.
acted into law. He avoided discussing
the additional taxes carried In the nai
and designed to meet its needs, fefe1a
ring tho committee hrst to tho SurveN
of the taxation problem in his annuat
report and explaining he was unable
even TO prescribe ways Of raising reves
nue for the current needs, without re-
adjusting end revising present tax laws
TO produce more money.
Dr. r. g. Adams, treasury economlst
and tax expert, at tie suggestion OF Mr..
Houston, gave the committee COM
plete statement of revenue ohtainan:e
from thu various taxes, suggested Z"
Congress IN Mr.. Houston's annual re-
port He pointed 70 many new sources
which might be utilized, but explained
that much Of the question OF raising a
tex levy centered flrst in the determine
ton Of a revenue policy which only Con-
gross could provide.
DR.. Adams also suggested TO the conf
mittee that one of the greatest needs
was simplihcation Of tho revenue
laws, 4 statement concurred In By SEN >
ator Smoot. Republican Utah. who eaid
there was an evident need for enact
ment of tax laws which the average
man can understand"