The Washington times., 1920-04-09
EXPECT BONUS BILL
T0PASSCO CONGRESS
Ways and Means Committee
Will Report Measure
Favorably Soon.

Legislation involving the expendi-
ture of at least $4,000, ,O00, 900 as
bonus to returned soldiers will be
reported out of the House Ways and
Means Committee within the next
two or three weeks, in plenty OF time
to permit action in the Senate before
the adjournment of this Congress
Prediction of Committee.
This is the prediction OF Repuoileah
and Democratic members OF the spe.
cial subcommittee OF the Ways and
Means Committee, which IL consider
ing the bonus legislation and the pos
slbility of obtaining revenue sutncisnt
TO meet this extraordinary demand
upon the Treasury.
The prediction varies only as TO the
amount OF money which is lhNoiNeu'
those who have opposed the bonus
from the first contending II Will be
greater than 1000. 100000, and those
who have supported II contendlng thst
1t will be something less. The con-
sensusu, OF opinion. however. Is that
IL will be at least $4,000, 100000.
Though there has been discussion or
the imposition OF additional taxes
upon higher incomes and retroactive
taxes upon war profits. gradually the
Judgment of the members OF the COM
mittee IL approaching the sales tax
idea. That a sales tax OF approx
mately | per cent on eventual sales
will be finally agreed upon, Is the
opinion most generally expressed.
AS has been pointed out previously
the opinion is that the soldiers Will
be granted a bonus OF III DAY Tor
every day OF service with a iimita-
ton of 1856 as a total grant TO any
soldier.
To show Just what this will mean
the committee members have been in
formed that for the navy alone $l15,-
600. 900 would be necessary. The navy,
in addition, would require some hve
or six months to prepare for the dis
tribution, and some estimates have
been that in making the distribution
more than $500, 900 Of additional ex-
pense would be saddled on the coun-.
try.
The man days" In the army, OF
course, would be tremendously greater
than in the navy, but the actual esti-
mates have not been obtained wrh
sufficient definiteness to make any
statement of the amount involved.
But the navy estimate has convinced
the members, or at least some of
them, that more than $2.000.0O0,00
will be necessary.
Though the committees have been
other recommendations
made by the American Legion. every
thing revolves around the bonus ques-
tion. One committee il about ready
TO report legislation granting addi-
tional insurance benefits, another an
opportunity for the soldiers to reclaim
and irrigate lands in the West, and
another an opportunity for educa-
tional advantages. As the soldier
will have an option to choose any one
of these opportunities, the bonus
question. is the one foremost, for 1t
is conceded that in practically every
case the soldier will be inclined to
take the cash and forget other ad-
yantages. At least those opposed to
the bonus are taking this view OF the
situation.
Any hope that existed some time
ago that the House would not con-
slider bonus legislation at this session
has passed. For a time. with Con-
gressman Mondell. Republican floor
leader. opposing the grant, and be-
ing assured of the assistance OF some
Of the leading Democrats and evi-
dence from the Treasury upon which
to make his argument, 1t was thought
that possibly the question might be
avoided But now Mondell is eX-
pressing his opposition only as "the
member from Wyoming" and not as
floor leader, and this has lassened
the effect Of his oppositn--
1t is the opinion of the conserva-
tive members that when the subject
gets on the floor OF the House there
will not be more than 30 or 40 votes
in opposition. for with an impending
election, the atmosphere in the house
chamber is decidedly political