The copper era and Morenci leader., 1920-05-14
HON. CARL HkYDEN'S POSITION 0N
 THE BONUS
Arjzona's Member of Congress Gives Some Interesting Lights on Status
 At Washington

AEjzona's Member of Congress Gives
 Some Interesting Lights on Status
 At Washington
 So Far as Enactment of Legislation
 To Compensate Veterans of Late
 War Is Concerned
 The following correspondence is self-eXplanatory:
 April "A, 1920. Hon. Andrew P Martin,
 State Commander,
 The American Legion,
 Department of Arizona, Tucson Arizona
 My Dear Andy:
 Remembering your interest in the enactment of legislation to compen- sate the veterans of the late war, l want to frankly lay before you the situation so that you may know the actual conditions as they appear to me at this time.
 Not long ago I sent you a copy of the bill introduced at the request of the legislative committee of the Anne rican Legion, which was referred to the house committee on ways and | means. The bill provided for nation ! al soldiers land settlement, home aid, vocational training and adjusted com pensation, but the representatives of | the Legion made no suggestions as | to how the money .tokcarry out their recommendationsew twas to be obtained. With Liberty Bonds now selling be- low S5 there is no serious thought of another bond issne, which could not be sold, at par and which would further depress : the, market. The treasury will shaveSa deficit of over | three billion dollars on July l. so the required sums can only be secured by | taxation.
 | If had my way about it congress would authorize the payment of ad- | ditional compensation to ex-service | men according to the four-fold-plan | advocated by the American Legion, and the funds to carry out the plan | would be raised by a tax upon war | profits which the treasury department says will raise all the money that is | needed If this method were adopted | those who became rich because of the war would be the sole contributors ! to the fund necessary for the pay ment of compensation to those who | by their sacrifices won the war l What disturbs me at the present writing is that there is no certainty l that an adequate "homes for sol diers' plan will be provided in pend | ing legislation and that there will, in | all probability, be no opportunity to vote any other way than Yea" or Nay on the bill which will be re- ported, and which I understand pro- vides that the cash necessary to pay | the bonus will be exacted by a tax l on merchants and manufacturers sales. The present indications are | that whatever the committee on ways and means it will contain a sales tax and that it will be considered under suspension of the rules on the next suspension day, which is Monday, May g. Under that gag rule" method of parliamentary procedure no amendment of nay kind will be in order, the only vote being for or against bill, the full text of which l will not be made known until the pre- ceding Saturday.
 The best opportunity of the ex- service men in Arizona lies in the soldier settlement feature of the American Legion plan because one would be foolish to take the cash or other options 50 long as there was chance that he might obtain an irrigated farm unit, at the actual cost of development, under the San Carlos or Parker or any ther recla- nation project, which will be worth at least $500 an acre when water is provided The success of the Salt river and Yuma projects has de- monstrated that quicker and better results can be attained by reclaiming arid land in Arizona than in any other state in the union; consequent ly, ' have no fear but that the gov ernment will be sure to utilize the opportunities which are ready for development in our state.
 My present intention is to vote a"ainst the bill if it provides for nothing but a cash bonus to be pa from the proceeds of a sales tax because I do not believe that the re- turned rcldiers and sailors want to be put in the position of accepting money raised by method which will further increase the cost of food and clothing to all of the people of the United States. If, however. the bill provides ample funds for the cons truction of soldiers settlement pro- iects, of which I am convinced one or more will be undertaken in Arizona, then I shall be inclined to support the measure even though it con- tains a sales tax because. however. cdious and unpopular such way Of raising revenue may be, the total contributions, of the people of Arizona will amount to less than the sums which will be expended by the government in the development of irrigation. projects in our state When the seX-service men are esta- blished on such projects they will become producers of new wealth which will be taxable by the state of Arizona and thus ultimately equa- | liZe the burden. There will hardly be time for you to