Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-09
SOLDIER BONUS DEAD
IN THIS CONGRESS,
BUT IS INEVITABLE

BY DAVID LAWRENCE
+ (Leased Wire Service to The Journa1.)
Copyright, 1929
WASHINGTON. July 8.-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 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 soldier bonus. He
is on record to leaders of the Amer
lean Legion advising them mot to
worry about the bonus" But he
could not give it his approval at
this time. Secretary Mellon, of the
treasury department, who. has just
written the senate a letter arguing
against the passage of a bonus bill,
had the full support of Mr.. Harding
before he communicated with con-
gress. Mr.. Harding was unable to
run counter to the advice given him
by the treasury department and for
the present, at least, the legislation
will be deferred.
Even without Secretary Mellon
letter there was no assurance that
the soldier bonus bill would pass
both houses. The plan was to- rush
it through the senate, and it may
yet go through that body for moral
effect, but it is doubtful whether
house leaders would have let it
through at this time. Mr.. MELONS
letter makes it easier, however, for
administration forces in congress to
answer the demands of constituents
for action on the bonus. They can
make Mr.. Mellon responsible and ar.
que that as a financier and business
what will not hurt the business sit
uation.
Not Disposed OF
But the interesting fact is that the
soldier bonus question is by nc
means disposed of, either by Mr.
Melons letter or the attitude which
congress may assume.
The movement has grown rapidly
and while conservative minds inside
the American Legion have doubted
the wisdom of a bonus, the rank
and file have been enthusia stically
in foU Of a
ministration knows that sooner OIL
later, either just before the con
gressional elections of 1922 or the
presidential election Of 1924, a sol.
der bonus bill must be passed tt
prevent the soldier block from voting
in a body against the Republicans
next time.
Nine out of ten political prophets
hereabouts admit soldier bonus leg
islation is inevitable, The only ques-
tior is when it can be passed con.
sistent with the condition of the
nations finances. The trouble 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 the money, home
Steads, insurance or vocational train.
ing-and there is no way of telling
whether the total cost to the gov
eminent would be a billion and halt
dollars or four billion dollars. II
might be either figure.
There are in congress at least fif-
teen different bills proposing how
the money shall be raised. These
suggestions go all the way from
plans to recover money received by
the so-called war profiteers" to tire
use Of the billion dollars of interest
owed by foreign governments to the
United States on the war debt
Radical Plan
Nobody knows exactly how money
already spent by so-called war pro-
titeers" can be recovered and that
suggestion hasn't much support eX-
cept in the radical group in \con-
gress. AS for the interest on the
foreign debt, there is no sign OF
money from that source and the
chances are it will be from three to
five years before any payments are
made.
evertheless, the administration
will have to think up some way
of providing revenue some day Sto
meet the demands of the soldiers.
They feel that while they were
abroad lighting thos who ct&yc4 uc
home either made money or Ere
served their opportunities in life To
the argument that the government
is already overloaded with war debt,
the usual answer of the American
Legion members is that there should
be a reduction in the amount of
money spent to run the government,
and not few of the legion leaders
are heart and soul behind the dis
armament movement, thinking that
the government could we'll afford to
pay the soldiers a bonus instead of
preparing for war at a time when
the whole world is financially and
physically exhausted. So even in
the bonus question the disarmament
problem arises.