The Holly chieftain., 1920-12-30
SOLDIER BONUS
BILL IS HEAVY
egcRETARY HOUSTON SUBMITS
EsTIMATE ON BONUS BILL
At s2,soo, 600 900.
WANTS TAX BURDENCUT
MAXIMUM COST OF VOCATIONAL
TRAINING AID SET At
$3.50, ,ooo, 900.
tw....n x..p.ps. Union x... s.r,e.. ~

(Watern Newspaper Union News Service lp
Washington, Dec. 2s.-Approximate-
ly $4,000, 100000 was the estimate sub
mitted by Secretary Houston Of the
Treasury Department as the cost of
carrying out provisions of the soldiers
bonus bill.
The treasury secretary presented
his estimate to the Senate finance
committee without comment, other
than to urge that no legislation be en-
acted which would lay an additional
burden on the nations finances. The
estimate was accompanied by figures
showing the cost of carrying out any
one Of the five optional provisions of
the bonus bill provided all former serv-
ice men chose single plan. The fig
ures for the various plans ranged from
$1,342, 100000 for the adjusted pay
provisions, to $4,532, 100000 for insur-
ance provisions.
The maximum possible cost of the
vocational training aid and the form
and home development plans were
placed at $1,SsO,O0O, 900 each. while the
secretary said the fifth provision, a
plan for land settlement, held so many
uncertainties that 1t was impossible to
estimate the possible expenditure.
Submission of the estimated total
cost made an apparent impression up
on members of the committee which
is considering the bonus bill as passed
by the House at the last session. Mem
bers declined to forecast the decision
Of the committee on the question of re-
porting out the measure, but 1t was
recalled that Senator McCumber, Re
publican, of North Dakota, stated at
the opening of hearings on the bill
that its passage would depend largely
on the state Of government finances,
and that Mr.. Houston had testified the
treasury with normal expenditures,
would have deficit of 81, 1OO,OOO,OOO
for the year ending next June 80, and
a deficit of $1,5OO, ,OOO,O 900 for the fol-
lowing twelve months.
During Mr.. Houston's testimony 1t
became increasingly evident that the
present treasury administration does
not desire either to advise or recon-
mend with respect to legislation pro-
viding for greater governmental ex-
penditures. The secretary made plain
to the committee his thought in SUBJ
mitting list Of possible sources of
new taxes in his annual report, say
ing they were for the information of
Congress and were in no sense more
than suggestions.
Reiterating his opposition to revival
Of the war finance corporation, Mr..
Houston declared the present sources
Of revenue were fast declining, and
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.
DIR. T. s. Adams, treasury economist
and tax expert, at the suggestion Of
Mr.. Houston, gave the committee
complete statement of revenue obtain
able from the various taxes suggested
to Congress in Mr.. Houston's annual
report. He pointed to many new
sources which might be utilized, but ex-
planned that much Of the question of
raising a tax levy centered first in the
determination Of revenue policy,
which only Congress could provide.
DR.. Adams also suggested that one
Of the greatest needs was simplifi-
cation Of the revenue laws, a state
ment concurred in by Senator Smoot,
Republican, OF Utah, who said there
was an evident need for enactment of
ta1 laws (which the average man can
understand"