Evening star., 1920-05-06
SEE NO CASH BONUS
0E,SERv|CEM
PRESENT SESSION
House Members Considering
Measures for Future Rath-
er Than Immediate Benefit,

~ hot hief service men. and probably
no bonus legislation at all at this ses
sion of Congress, according to a very
frank statement from several OF the
most active members Of the ways and
means committee.
Man by man the House memberehin
is now being checked up by the party
whips-Representati Harold Knut-
son. republican, and Representative
John Garner, democrat-so as to see
Just what the result in the House
might be II legislation was forced to
vote and how the members feel to-
ward postponing action.
They are finding a pretty strong
sentiment against cash bonus. They
are f1nding that the feeling has taken
a decided shift within the last week
The eastern members especially show
a complete change of front. For ex-
ample: the members OF the New Jer-
sey delegation were very strong for
cash bonus, and now one of the
most active men on this delegation
says they probably will oppose a cash
bonus-and in this connection II
would be well to remember that New
Jersey has q representative on the
ways and means committee, which is
framing the bonus bill. The New York
delegation already has held a caucus
and voted 2h to l against a cash
bonus.
Ready to Express Opposition.
Members on both sides of the House
who have been watching the senti-
ment closely. feeling the pulse of Con-
gress. as 1t were. are now preparing
to make speeches in opposition to a
cash bonus and some few against any
bonus. The first to come out in open
Walton Moore. democrat, of Virginia.
1t is not because the members are
losing interest in the young Ameri
cans who fought to end the world
war that sentiment has undergone
this change; Congress does lnte intend a. a.
all the men who served. But the
members Of Congress are now pretty
we'll convinced that the soldiers them
selves do not want the cash bonus.
and especially not at this time.
"Give it all to those who lost
leg or an arm" promptly answer the
former service men individually. as
they are asked by members OF Con-
gress about the bonus. Congress to
a man il ready to lean backward
to provide good care and a sufnciency
Of income for the present and pro-
vision for the future for all the war
MANNED.
A good percentage Of the member
adroitly passing the buck" to the
ways and means committee when all
the bonus bills were referred to that
committee. 1t was expected that the
ways ana means committee would
masse. But for nine weeks. and often
working eighteen hours a day. the
members of that committee wrestied
with tho problem. When the bills
did come out on the floor the mem
bers found themselves forced to take
a definite position. and that is what
they are now doing.
They are being helped In that. too:
by occasional reports from camps OF
the American Legion to the ,n;ns e1ee,
their vote for the bonus. These for
mer service men feel that they are
being put before the people as hold
ing up tn government for bonus
and they do not like to be in that
attitude.
The net result is that there will be
a pretty rough time in getting any
bonus legislation through Congress.
or even through the House. at this
session.
Mr.. Bacharach's View.
II believe that the sentiment will
be to wait until after election and get
out something sane, sensible and nom
political" said Representative Bacha-
rach Of New Jersey. who is a member
Of the ways and means committee and
who was first to suggest three i'm
ton related to the bonus-one, to give.
a twenty-year endowment insurance
policy, the premiums to be paid by
the government. and $500 in cash to
the disabled; two. the sales tax:
which is indorsed by the Chamber Of
Commerce of the United States, and
three, the tax on stock exchange
sales as q good way to raise SUFFICIENT
revenue to meet the costs of bonus
With Chairman Fordney of the
former House Leader Kitchin, the
ranking democrat. absent from Con-
press, due to stroke of paralysis
the committee has been delayed In
taking a decisive position Mr. Ford
ney is very earnest In his iaoors 10
get a bonus bill passed at this ses-
sion ~
general feeling tersely when he said:
.'If the cash bonus is passed North
Carolina will declare holiday until
the money is all spent"
Looking to the FIXTURE.
The men on the committee who are
most eager to do what is best for .he
former service men are counselinR
that will be effective for
time to come. rather than the imme-
diate present. The boys now do not
must get a new view of much
changed industrial life. 1t will help
them rather than injure them. their
friends in Congress feel. to start right
in earning their living and making
a new start in life, to find where they
At in the new conditions. If they got
money now it would be spent before
long.
The sentiment Of the House now
seems to be to provide something
for these boy to work toward in the
future-it will be less strain on the
national Treasury and on business
and the members feel that whatever
Congress might do nov under in
dated currency it would not mean
half as much to the boys as it will in :
As an indication of the stand with
in the ways and means committee
against a cash bonus. it is said tina;
John Garner of Texas.
The democratic whip. has agreed to
deliver eight votes and the republic
ans have corraled Ave votes that can
be- depended upon to oppose tho casn
bonus proposition.
Copyright, 1920, BY The Washington staRD
Conference TODAY OVER