The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-07-08
SOLDIER BONUS
LEGISLATION DEAD
Government Cannot AS
sumo Such Financial
Responsibility
SECRETARY MELONS
LETTER CONCLUSIVE
Congressional Leaders Glad to Make 1t
an Excuse-May Pass Bill Just Be
fore Congressional Eleeti0ns-LegiOn
Men Favor Disarmament
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAW RENEE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer)
Copyright 1921.
WASHINGTON. July s. - Soldier
bonus legislation is dead, at least so far
as this session of congress is concerned.
The executive branch of the government
has warned congress that such a measure
at this time would strain the nations
finances and add to the difficulties of the
country's business situation.
President Harding is more or less
committed to a soldier bonus. He is on
record to leaders of the American Legion
advising them mot to worry about the
bonus" But he could not give it his APP
prevail Mt this time. Secretary Mellon
of the treasury department, who has just
written the senate a letter arguing
against the passage of bonus bill. had
the full support of Mr.. Harding before
he communicated with congress, Mr..
Harding was unable to run contrary to
the recommendation given him by the
Treasury department and for the present
at least the legislation will be deferred.
Even without Secretary Melons let
ter there was no assurance that the sol
der bonus bill would pass both houses.
The plan was TO rush it through the sen
ate, of course. and it may yet go through
that body for moral effect. but it il
kdoubtful whether house leaders would
have let it through at this time. Mr.. EIel-
flons letter makes it easier. however. for
administration forces in congress to an
swer the demands of constituents for
reconsideration on the bonus bill Congress
tmade Mr.. Mellon responsible and argues
| that as a tinancier and business man he
ought to know what will and will not
hurt the business situation.
Used as Election Bait
But the fact is that the soldier bonus
lquestion is BY no means disposed of either
| BY Mr.. Melons letter or the attitude
which congress may assume. The move
ment has grown rapidly and while CON
sentative minds inside the American lie
gion have doubted the wisdom of a bonus.
| the rank and file have been enthusiastic
| ally in favor of it and the Harding ad-
lminlstration knows that sooner or later,
Feither Just before the congressional cleo
tions of 1922 or the presidential election
| of 1924 soldier bonus bill must be
Ipasscd to prevent the soldier bloc of the
voters from acting in body against the
| Republicans next time.
Bonus Is Inevitable.
Nine out of ten political proposals
hereabout admit soldier bonus legislation
IL inevitable. The only question is when
can it be passed consistent with the con-
EDITION of the nations finances. The trou-
BILE about the present proposal is that it
makes no provision for the raising of the
money. There is one bill providing four
different ways by which, the service men
are to be rewarded-they can have
money, homesteads, Insurance or voca-
tIonal trainlng-and there is no way of
telling whether the total cost to the gov
eminent would be a billion and half
dollars or four billion dollars. 1t might
be either. There are in congress at least
II different bills proposing how the
money shall be. raised These sug-
geStions go all the way from plans to re-
cover money received by the so-called
war profteers" to the use of the billion
dollars of interest owed bv foreign gov
ernmentS to the United States on the
war debt. Nobody knows exactly how
money already spent by so-called war
prohteers2 can be recovered and that sug-
geStion hadn't much support except in
the radical group in congress As for
the interest on the foreign debt. there /,
no sign of money from that source. and
the chances are it will be from three to
i've wears before any payments are made
Must Provide Revenue
Nevertheless the administration viii
have to think up some wav of providing
revenue .someday to meet the demands OF
the soldiers. They feel that while they
were abroad. fighting those who stayef
mt home either made money or preserved
their opportunities in life To the argu
ment that the government is already over
loaded with war debt. the usual answer
of the American Legion members is that
there should be reduction in the amoun'
of money spent To run the government
and not n few of the legion leaders arr
heart and soul behind the disarmament
movement thinking that the government
pnTttI n IN yNnx II
bonus instead of preparing for war at o
time when the whole world is financially
and physically exhausted. So even in
the bonus question the disarmament prob
lem arises.