The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-12
MUST HOLD BONUS
President Harding Pleads With
Senate for Postponement.
Declares Government Has No
Real Obligation.
MUST CONSIDER FINANCES
Claims Taxes and Tariff Re-
vision Are First.
Only Real Debt O. S. Owes
Veterans Is to Wounded.

Washington. July 12.-President
Harding conveyed a solemn warning
to congress today that the condition
of the nation will not permit the pas
sage at this time of legislation grant
ing the adjustment of compensation
to soldiers who served in the world
war.
For congress to pass the contem-
plated legislation now, the president
warned, would hinder every effort of
restoration and greatly imperil the
financial stability of our country"
Harding Not Optimistic.
The president took this appeal per-
sonally to the senate and delivered a
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 a mighty
struggle toward restoration and he
emphasized that this restoration can
only be brought about by careful
financing and reduced expenditures.
The presidents message dealt chief
1y with the bonus question and the ma
tion's finances, but the president took
occasion to warn congress that there
sis much confessed disappointment
that so little progress has been made
in the readjustment and reduction of
war time taxes" and urged early ac-
complishment of this. The president
also urged quick action on legislation
for reorganization of the war risk and
vocational training.
Ho Cites Figures.
"I want to emphasize the sugges-
ton that the accomplishment of the
major tasks for which you were
asked to sit in extraordinary session
will have a reassuring effect on the
entire country" the president said.
The president cited figures showing
in detail the amount expended to date
and what has been done for the SOL
diers in the way of equipping them
vocationa1ly to resume their places in
civil life.
The text of President Harding's
message to the senate this afternoon
was al follows:
| Mr. President and Gentlemen of the
..There has come TO my attention the
pending unfinished business before the
senate and it is an imperative duty tS
convey to you the probable effect of tht
| passage at this time of the proposed act
providing for adjusted compensation to oul
service men in the world war.
IF this measure could be made effec
tive at the present time without disaster t
ance to imperative readjustments of oul
| taxes, 1t would present an entirely differ
ent question than that which is before
you. In a personal, as well as a public
manner, which ought to be plight OF
good faith, 1 have commended the policy
! of generous treatment of the nations de
| tenders not as part of any contract no
as the payment of debt which is owing
| but as a mark of the nations gratitude
Every obligation is to the disabled and de
pendent.
'In such reference as has been made t.
general compensation, there has been
reservation to the earliest consisten'
time for such action IL it is taken Ever
without such reservation, however a modi
fled view would be. wholly justifiable a
| the present moment because the enact
/ ment of the compensation bill in the mids
restoration would hinder every effort ant
( greatly imperil the financial stability o
4 our country.
| "Imperil Our Finances"
More, this menacing effort to expent
billions in gratuities will imperil our ca
pacity to discharge our first obligations
| to those we must not fail to aid.
81 am addressing the senate directly be
cause the problem is Immediately yours
! as your unfinished business but the ex
executive branch of the government owes i
| to both houses of congress and to tn,
country frankly to state the difficulties
we daily are called upon to meet and tn,
added peril this measure would bring.
| Our land has its share of the financia
chaos and the industrial depression of tn,
world We little needed the growth o
Indebtedness or the limits of expenditur
during the war because we could not stol
to count the cost Our one thought, then
was the winning of the war and the sur
vival of the nation. We borrowed an,
iloaned-individuals to the nation, and tn
government to other governments and L
those who served the nation. with littl
thought OF settlement 1t was relativel!
easy then because national life was a
stake.
'In the sober aftermath we face tn
order of reason, rather than act amid tn
| passions of war, and our own land AM
the world are facing problems neve
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