The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1921-07-21
HARDING WANTS
BONUS DELAYED
Asks Congress Not to Grant
Compensation to Soldiers at
This Time.
NATION CAN'T BEAR BURDEN

plated Legislation II Would Hin
der Every Effort of Restoration
and Imperll the Financial Sta
bIity of the Country.
Washington, July 10. - President
Harding conveyed solemn warning
~ congress that the condition of the
nation will not permit the passage at
this time Of legislation granting adj
justment Of compensation to soldiers
who served in the World war.
For congress to pass contemplated
legislation now, the President warned,
would hinder every effort of restora-
ton and greatly imperil the financial
stability Of our country"
The President took his appeal per-
sonally to the senate and delivered
brief message in which he painted in
anything but glowing colors the eco
nomic and financial condition of the
country today He pointed out that
the nation now is engaged in mighty
struggle toward restoration, and he
emphasized that this restoration can
only be brought about by careful
financing and reduced expenditures.
The Presidents message deals chief
ly with the bonus question and the ma
TONS finances, but the President took
occasion to warn congress that there
"is much confessed disappointment
that so little progress has been made
in the REIMBURSEMENT and reduction of
wartime taxes and urged early &C
complshment Of this.
Presidents Address.
The text Of President Harding's
message to the senate in part was as
follows:
"NIr. President and Gentlemen of the
Senate:
There has come to my attention
the pending unfinished business before
the senate and it is an imperative
duty to convey to you the probable eff
feet Of the passage at this time Of
the proposed act, providing for adjust
ed compensation to our service men
in the World war. If this measure
could be made effective at the present
time without disaster to the nations
finances and without hlndrance to i'm
peratiye Establishments of our taxes
it would present an entirely different
question than that which is before
you. In personal, as well as a pub
lie manner which ought to be a plight
of good faith, l have commended the
policy Of generous treatment of the ma
tons defenders, not as a part of any
contract nor as the payment Of a debt
which is owing, but as a mark of the
nations gratitude, Every obligation
is to the disabled and dependent. In
such reference as has been made to
general compensation there has been
reservation as to the earliest consist
ent time for such action if it is taken.
Even without such reservation, how
ever, a modified view would be wholly
justitiable ut the present moment be-
cause the enactment of the compensa-
ton bill in the midst of the struggle
for REIMBURSEMENT and restoration
would hinder every effort and greatly
imperil the financial stability of our
country.
More, this menacing effort to ex-
pend billions in gratuities will i'm
peril our capacity to discharge our oh
legations to those we must not fail to
aid.
81 am addressing the senate directly.
because the problem is Immediately
yours, as your unfinished business, but
the executive branch of the govern
ment owes it to both houses of con-
gress and to the country frankly to
state the difficulties we daily are
called upon to meet and the added
peril this measure would bring.
."Our land has its share of the finan.
cial chaos and the industrial depres-
sion Of the world. We little needed
the growth of Indebtedness or the
limits Of expenditure during the war,
because we could not stop to count the
cost our one thought then was the
winning of the war and the survival of
the nation We borrowed and loaned
individuals to the nation and the
government to other governments, and
to those who served the nation-with
little thought Of settlement,
at was relatively easy then, be-
cause national life was Mt stake. In
the sober aftermath we face the order
of reason rather than act amid the
passions Of war, and our own land and
the world are facing problems never
solved before. There can be no solu-
tlon unless we face the grim truths
and seek to solve them in resolute de-
votion to duty.
Three Problems Cited.
"After survey of more than