The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-07-30
DEFENDS BONUS BILL
AS BOON OF SOLDIERS
Strong, of Kansas, Hits Administra.
ton for Failure to Get After
War Profiteers.


ton for Failure to Get After
War Profiteers.
Washington, July 30.-In order
that the voters may be thoroughly
acquainted with what the Republican
majority in the House did for the
soldiers of the Great War in what is
known as the bonus bill, Representa-
tive Strong, Of Kansas, one Of it's
strongest advocates, makes this state
ment:
"The soldiers adjusted compensa-
ton bill, after long, hard fight, pass
ed the House and is now before the
Senate, where the same big-business
interests, the same southern opposi-
ton, and the same forces of selfish
ness and prejudice will be found try
ing to delay and oppose it.
GAS it came from the Ways and
Means Committee and passed the
House, it provides for additional COM
pensation for soldiers, sailors, and
marines below the rank of major in
the Army or it's equivalent in the
other services, to the amount of 81
per day with a maximum of $500 for
service in this country, and dollar
and quarter per day with a maxi
mum of $625 for overseas service,
less the $50 compensation already
paid. 1t provides for the option of
vocational training, farm and home
aid, land settlement aid, and paid-up
life insurance; and in the case of the
last four options an additional 40
per cent is added. 1t will require be-
tween fifteen hundred and two thou
sand million dollars to carry out the
provisions Of the bill. Taxes to raise
the necessary funds are provided in
the bill as follows: Additional sur
taxes graduating from 1 to 3 per
cent on incomes in excess of $4,000;
2cents on each $40 Of stock and bond
transactions; 2 cents on each $40 for
transactions on the board of trade; 5
cents for each $40 on real estate
transfers; Is percent additional on
cigars and tobacco.
"No man or group of men should
have been permitted to make money
from the war. The same qualities of
sacrifice and response to duty which
were asked from the service men
should have been demanded from
those who remained at home. The
mistake was made in not drafting cap
ital, industry, and transportation to
serve the Nation as the service men
were drafted; for then there would
have been no war profiteers, no cost
plus contractors, no riot of high
wages, graft, high cost Of living, and
millionaire making. We would not
now have such an immense national
indebtedness and an empty Treasury.
f"But this bill is the result of COM
promises; it is the best it's friends on
the Ways and Means Committee
could secure, and it has the indorse-
ment of the American Legion repre-
sentatives and other organizations
who were in close touch with the
contest here.
ave, who fought for this legisla-
ton, who appeared before the COM
mittee having it in charge, who signed
petitions forcing conferences, and
who talked and argued and finally
filibustered for this measure, know
that the fight is not yet won. We
know that those who fought it in the
House will carry the fight to the Sen
ate. We know that those who are
opposed to being taxed to give .addi-
tional compensation to the men who
fought for them at dollar per day, |
and who caused the great newspapers
of the country to speak of "a raid on
the Treasury of currency mutations,
of interference with production of
increasing the high cost Of living,
and of 'pauperizing patriotism will
continue their propaganda, but we
who supported this legislation know
that it does not take dollar from the
Treasury until after it is first placed
there by the taxes provided in this
bill; that not one cent is to be added
to our circulation, and that as the
cash payments do not begin until
July, 1921, and are then continued in
$50 installments every three months,
it is silly to talk of lowering produc-
ton and increasing living costs be-
cause of too much money in the
hands of the colored soldiers or those
in the cities"
Il