The New York herald., 1921-07-14
THURSDAY, JULY IA, 1921.
MIR. Hardins's Bonus Message.

President HARDING has asked Con-
gress to lay aside the bonus bill with
reason which is unimpeachable, and
he has shown why il must be laid
aside with arguments which are un-
apswerable.
This Government cannot go on run
ming into debt by the billion without
cracking it's credit. 1t cannot thus
impair its credit without increasing
its borrowing costs stupendously. For
the new bonds it put out for bonus or
any other purposes it would have to
pay heavier interest than it had to
pay even to fight and win the war.
Then for the refunding of the seven
and a half billions OF war bonds fall
ing due in about two years it would
have to pay more interest by stag
sering figures than it has been pay
ing on the old securities.
This Government cannot go on pour
ing out rivers of money as IL there
were no end to it without increas-
iuk ldAdllOH w hAhNNA
business from getting on it's feet
again and to postpone the day when
the nations unemployed can go back
to work.
This country cannot go on print
Ing money to distribute broadcast
without making il as worthless to
the man who works to get it as the
printing press currency of debt rid
den governments in the bankrupt
countries of Europe has become to
those who work to get theirs.
This country cannot go on being
bled white by the tax collector and
drowned in deprecated money with
out the public's cost of living going
up again instead of down.
Furthermore. there is a soldier
debt which this nation must dis
charge faithfully and unfalteringly.
cost what it may. It is not a petty
national load. 1t Is. as President
HARDING has merely outlined in his
message, towering burden, and it
Is destined to grow greater with the
wears. But whatever the magnitude
II reaches. it must be the first and
the most sacred war obligation OF
this Government and this people.
1t is the obligation of every man
and every woman. themselves bear
ing no scars of the battlefield, to
those aged parents and helpless wives
end children that were war bereft of
their natural protectors and support
ers; to those soldiers battered and
broken that have come back to us
forlorn and helpless, with their limbs
mangled or gone. their eyes made
sfghtless, their health shattered, per.
haps their minds darkened.
To the last of these, so long as ever
they may need the care of their
country, they must be served. Presi-
dent HARDrNG has told what this min
istration, always to be performed
with an eager gratitude, already
means in money. But forget the war
risk compensation settlements which
up to now amount to nearly half a
billion ofo dollars. Forget the allot-
ments and allowances which count
more than half a billion of dollars.
Forget the hundreds OF millions OF
dollars that have gone into hospital
construction and maintenance and
into hospital cases. Forget the mill
ions so far put into vocational training
and rehabilitation expenditures. For
get all that is done and past, and
think only OF what must continue to
be done in the fulflment to the last
penny of this first and highest ma
tional obligation.
There is Government insurance in
force to the extent of four billions OF
dollars. and the Governments share
OF this cost. whatever IL may be. must
be kept up. There are more than
$4,000 men receiving vocational train.
ing and rehabilitation to-day at a
maximum cost OF $3.50 a month a
man, and this must be kept up. The
rumber of such wards will grow
and still the work must be kept up.
For this new fiscal year. contem
plating the treatment OF an average
of $4,000 disabled men, IL is esti
mated there will be an expense o'
800, 100000 more than Congress hat
appropriated to carry on this. as Mr.
HARDING calls IL. noble work; but this
deficiency fund must be and will b,
gladly provided. MIR. HARDING say
that with the increase of availa
bility to training, as urged upoi
Congress. the additional expenditur,