Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-12-09
PUBLIC OPINION
SOLDIERS COMPENSATION AND
WAR PROFITS
rOR EVENING NEWS:

AK
EDITOR EVENING NEWS:
The fight TO secure an additional
MEASURE OF compensation for the ex-
service men Of this country again
failed in the senate during the con-
sidsrssion of the revenue bill. Sem
ator Ried of Missouri. offered an
amendment to the pending tax mCa-
sur which provided for the pay
ment or this additional compensa-
ton from the to be collected
OF the excess profits of corporations.
To that end it was proposed in SEN
ator Reeds amendment that we
should continue 70 tax h excessive
profits of corporations and apply
the money derived from such taxes
TO the payment o: additional COM
~pensatton to our soldiers.
The amendment contained the
identical provisions for the payment
OF the compensation which were
o aimed in the sO-called adjust
ed compensation Bill" favorably re-
ported from the finance committee
early in this session, but at the de-
mand of the President was later
sent back 20 the committee where
ii mas been pigeon-hOied ever since.
Ii ex-service men are to be just
" compensated for the great sacri-
flee they made ii IS prominently fair
that the corporations which prohted
80 enormously out of the war and
are still profiting from the high
prices which they continue to exact
from the public to pay some mea-
sure of just compensation TO the SOL
diers, the fairness Of this proposition
will be recognized by all right-mind-
ed PEOPLE.
TAsa- L. --Ns---a AGTs--4s-- -
should be provided for by congress
sional action. 1t is little less than
a national disgrace to let the cor
porations out by repeating the excess
profits tax. h failure of the ma
tional government to meet it's re-
spoasibility accounts for the action
taken in so NAM states to levy spec
cial X to make such payments
TO the soldiers in the several states
as the ~exigencies OF the situation at
the time seems to require. The
pSoof is overwhelming that the great
mass of the people are in favor of
paying to u soldiers an additional
measure of compensation.
Thirteen states have already rec
ognized the obligation which Is W.
ing tc these men who made untold
sacrifices during the war, by voting
fAAL A - 80 AtGPG1NA NCAF " oG
paid to the ex-service men: Maine,
SO. 00c, 900; Massachusetts, $40, 000.-
600: Michigan, 5000, 600; Mime
sofa, $40, 000, 900; New Hampshire,
$1,000. 600; New Jersey, $4,000
900; New York $4,000, 900; South
Dakota. 100000 900; Rhode Island,
$2,5GCs 900; Vermont, $4,000, 600;
Washington $11,0GO.OO0 Wisconsin,
$4,000, 600; in six ether states their
legislation have authorized the pay
mert of compensation subject to
popular referendum in amounts as
follows: Illinois, $4,000, 900: Ohio,
S22 eco. Kansas. $4,000, 600;
Missouri, $4,000, 900; Montana,
81 ,c00. 900; in OHIO the referendum
carried three TO on. in favor of COM
~pensation.
This action by these states is to
be most highly commended it stands
las a terrific indictment of the fed
Ieral government and especially the
in power that its failure TO
meet its responsibility should have
forced the states 70 pay from their
treasures these large sums in order
thai at least some recognition of
the obligation to the defenders of the
repstlic should be no longer delay
ed. 1t was the federal government
ttar deciared war and enacted con-
Sfiption which raised an army of
$1,000 0 men fo- a foreign war.
Clearly then this obligation rests
1pon the national government and
apon it alone. to raise and pay this
additional measure Of compensa-
ton. What is the attitude of the
present administration toward the
payment of this additional compen-
ration? If there is any meaning to
lie attached TO all the words used by
the President of the United States
when he 50 Improperly intruded
himself into the debates of the sem
ate last July in opposition to the
then pending adjusted compensa-
ton bin" it is that he does not rec
ognize any obligation upon the part
OF the government to provide addi-
tional compensation for the eX-serv-
ice men. In hat speech which he
delivered for the purpose of defeat
ing the adjusted compensation bill'
he made it perfectly clear that he
does not believe that the govern
fnent owes any additional compensa-
ton TO the soldiers Of the country or
that the soldiers are entitled as a
matter of right. TO a compensation
which will in some measure place
them on an equal footing with those
thai remained at home and enjoyed
the opportunities for lucrative en-
pioylnent which were offered to
those in civil life. The repeal of the
excess profits tax on corporations
lives the war proiteers a tax reduc-
ton of mere than $3.50, 000, 600.
Had this been retained in the form
of Senator Reeds amendment IL
would have been ample TO provide
for every dollar OF money necessary
ply the goIdiers their additional
compensation. The amendment was
defeated by a vote Gf 38 to IS. Our
New Jersey senators, Freling-
huysen and Edge. casting their votes
against the amendment.
Senator Feeds amendment was
defeated in the senate on November
:, but ii will be a living issue before
the people OF this country. This
tight will 81 on until some measure
Of justice is finally achieved.
W. NJ. HALLAHAN,
$50 Market 81.