Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-15
a PrcCarious Issue

HE effort on the part OF certain Demo-
cratic leaders, including Senator Sim
mons. of North Carolina, to force the soldier
bonus proposal into the next campaign with
INC Democrats supporting the bonus is an
ll!-adviscd political move. Instead OF win
ming votes for Democratic candidates for
the House and Senate next fall il would
probably react heavily against them.
The fact is, the proposal that the able
bodied survivors of the war with GERMANY
b" paid a cash bonus ms n reward for thoir
services, is an indefcnsibc measure II
cannot be justified either on sentiment n |
or economic grounds, and Democratic lead :
cFs Should go slow in championing such a
proposition, upon the theory that their sup
port of II will net them heavy vote at
the polls.
II might be a bit OF political adroitness
Tor the Democratic leaders of the Senate
To show up the doublc-dcaing OF the Repub-
leans upon the bonus legislation. and there
has been manifest double dealing i'm that
connection With a great shout and hurrah
the President and his party associates FIRST
advocated Il bonus for the cx-servicc men
then brongh, such Il measure into tho House
whore 1t was passed. Thereafter II was
hrought before the Senate. and when II
seemed certain that IL would l,o passed
again. II IL ever came To a vote, the Rcpub-
ii'ans were seized with CONSERVATION.
The President himself realizing that the
movement for bonus had advanced IN n
dangerous point and realizing also that il
enacted, il would almost bankrupt the Fed
eral treasury. hurried TO the Capitol in nor
son and headed off what seemed TO he n
stampede. But instead Of candidly warn
ing the Senate that the bonus should NOT
pass now or hereafter, he merely asked that
consideration of the pending bill he post
poncd
Naturally this sort of dlly-dallyinp in
censcd the campaigncrs for bonus Ia n
greater degree than you'd have frank
statement from tho heads OF the partv in
power that they were opposed to a bonus.
first, last and all the time BY suggesting
that the legislation might come up al some
future date, the President has given Tho
Democratic srategists an opportunity TO
score heavily
This does not mean that the Democratic
party. as a party, should go TO the limit of
advocating a bonus payment to the cx-scr-
vice mon. That move would be serious
binhder The country AT large is unuues-
nohahiy opposed To such legislation Only
a slim minority of the former service mon
themselves want II or have Joined in the
campaign 10 get H. The treasury. AS every
student OF governmental economies knows
IS IN no position 10 meet such "A payment
An enormous increase in taxation would be
necessary III order TO pay the bonus. and
the political party which goes before the
people next year hearing the responsibility
Tor increased taxation will be punished
inc simmons proposition. 10 pay the
bonus on, OF the interest on the deb, owing
America by foreign governments, does moi
meet the situation. There are no such in
'cr"st payments. and il may be years be-
'"ie any are made, il at all. II would he
as rrprehenSbie for the Democratic leaders
- promise bonus payments out OF uncol-
iccleH interest on the foreign debt interest
which may even be noncollec,ible as for
inc Republicans 10 make promises To tho
former service men which the por,v in
power knows cannot he carried ON;