Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-01-17
FEAR BANKRUPTCY
coN0REssMGN WORRIED OVER
SOLDIERS RELIEF BILLS.
Sixty Measures Now Pending and
Desired Bonus Would Entail Elk.
pendture Of Millions Of Dollars
House Committee Sincerely Seeking
Some Satisfactory Solution.
rBy f.. c. Doughertyl.

IBy r.. Z. DoughertyI.
Washington. Jan. l7.-Demanl Of
congress for legislation giving "A bon.
us TO former service men has become
so pronounced that republican leaders
have decided to have the party policy
determined at a meeting OK the steer
Ing committee within the next few
days. Faced with a purse OF only
$4,000, 100000 and u budget expenditure
OF $4,000, 100000 already in sight, lead
ers are far from pleased over the pros
peet and are expected TO make every
effort TO frame Il bill which will salts
~ the demand OF interested members
and yet not take any large amount of
money out OF the federal treasury.
They realize that once a measure got
before tho House providing for a bon
Us to soldiers, sailors and marines OF
the great war they would have an eX-
ceedingly hard time To prevent its
passage no matter how small or great
an appropriation It may carry. Attic
the demand for legislation has come
so far largely from the republican
Gratis who would back a bill of this
character and republican leaders know
this fact.
In the last few months about sixty
bills proposing some reward in money
or its equivalent have been introduced
by various members. These bills range
from proposals involving loan OF
$4,000 to each former service man with
which he might acquire a home, to
payment OF comparatively small lump
sums. But when it IS considered that
close to 100000 men might receive
the bonus granted even a small lump
sum would run the total to be distrib-
uted from the treasury 10 hundreds OF
millions. Most of the proposals would
make an appropriation of at least
$1,000, 100000 necessary.
Facing Big Deficit.
Republican leaders are very much
at sea over the issue that is looming
up. They realize that the country is
demanding the strictest economy and
they have warned every chairman of
an important committee that he must
cut all appropriations to the bone.
Floor Leader Mondell has expressed
the hope that at least 000,000,000
can be chopped from the estimates
sent in by the executive departments.
but even then the expected revenues
and the contemplated revenues will
fail to meet by possibly 1000, 600. 00e
and nobody dares propose any in
crease in taxation with the presidential
campaign coming on.
Looking at the question from the
other side they do not know what eff
feet refusal win have on the soldier
vote or whether there is to be any
partisan soldier vote next November.
They know the American Legion Is
on record as favoring any sort of
legislation of this kind that congress
puts thru, but they admit they can not
estimate to their own satisfaction the
after effects Of any failure to put thru
a big bonus bill, At present many
members of the steering committee on
principle are opposed to taking large
sums out OF the treasury for this pur-
pose and say they intend to stick to
this view, They feel that majority
of the service men do not want out
right money gifts from the govern
ment and that the rest OF the country
would be up In arms over any pro-
posal to give away anything like ST.
900, 900, 900 even for the men who won
the war.
There has been some talk among
members who favor bonus legislation
Of pressing for party caucus on the
subject, but leaders expect to avoid
calling one by acting In a few days
and showing the house 1t intends to do
something. The sixty measures On the
calander may all be referred to the
committee for consideration or action
or the basis may be laid by the steer
ing committee for composite bill
which might involve loans to service
men and which would not entail
4 H., 49,