Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-09-22
VETO OF The BONUS
President Acts as Was Expected 0
Him.
REASONS FOR WITHHOLDING APPROVAL
In the First Place the Bill Provides No
Means of Raising the Money-ln the
Second Place Assumption of Such
Tremendous Obligation Would Dis
Einancac


rupt American Finances.
President Harding on Tuesday We
toed the bonus bill, as was expected
of him. His reasons for Withholding
his approval are set forth in the fol-
lowing message:
To the House of Representatives:
Herewith is returned without ap-
proval, H. r. 10S74, bill ito provide
adjusted compensation for the veter-
ans of the World war and for other
purposes"
With the avowed purpose Of the bill
to give expression of nations graft
tude to those who served in its defense
in the World war, am in accord, but
to its provisions do not subscribe. 1t
cannot and never will cease giving eX-
preston to that gratitude.
In ,legislating for what is called ad-
justed compensation congress failed,
first of all, to provide the revenue from
which the bestowal is to be paid.
Moreover, it establishes the very dan
gerous precedent of creating q treas
ury covenant to pay which puts bur-
den, variously estimated between four
and five billions, upon the American
people not for discharge of an obliga-
ton, which the government always
must pay, but to bestow bonus which
the soldiers themselves, while serving
in the World war, did not expect.
1t is not to be denied that the nation
has certain very binding obligations to
those of its defenders who made real
sacrifices in the World war; and who
left the armies injured, disabled or
diseased, so that they cannot resume
their places in the normal activities of
life. These obligations are being glad
ly and generously met. Perhaps there
are here and there inefficiencies and
injustices, and some distressing in
stances of neglect, but they are all un-
intentional and every energy is being
directed to their earliest possible cor
rection. In meeting this obligation
there is no complaint about the heavy
cost. In the current fiscal year we are
expending $51O,000,0OO on hospitaliza-
ton and care of sick and wounded, on
compensation and vocational training
for the disabled and for insurance.
The figures do not include the more
than sS5,000,000 in process of expendi-
ture for hospital construction. The es-
Inmates for the year to follow are ap-
proximately $470,000,000 and the fig
ures may need to be made larger.
Though the peak in disqualification
may have passed, there is growth in
domicilization and the discharge in
full of our obligations to the diseased,
to the governments care, with insur-
ance-liability added, will probably
reach total sum in excess of $685.
600, 100000.
More than $4,000 veterans are now
enrolled in some Of the AS different
courses in vocational training. Fifty
four thousand of them are in schools
or colleges, more than 10000 are in
industrial establishments, and a few
more than 5000 are being trained in
schools operated by the veterans bu-
reau.
Approximately 10000 have completed
their courses and have employment in
all cases where they desire it, and 53,-
600 have deferred for the present time
their acceptance of training. The
number eligible under the law may
reach close to 100000, and facilities
will continue to be afforded, unmindful
of the necessary cost, until every OBJ
legation is fulfilled.
Two hundred and seventy-siX thou
sand patients have been hospitalized,
more than a quarter of a million dis
charged, and 25,67S patients are in our
hospitals today.
Four hundred and sixteen thousand
awards of compensation have been
made on account of death or disability,
and S4S0,000,000 have been paid to dis
| abled men or their relatives. One hun
dred and seventy-five thousand disa-
bled eX-service men are now receiving
compensation along with medical or
hospital care where needed, and n
quarter Of a million checks go out
monthly in distributing the eight mill
lion dollars payment on indisputable
obligations.
recite the figures to remind the
congress how generously and how
properly it has opened the treasury
doors to discharge the obligations of
the nation to those whom it indisputa-
bly, owes compensation and care.
Though undying gratitude is the need
of every one who served, it is not to be
said that material bestowal is an OBJ
legation to those who emerged from
the great conflict not only unharmcd,
but physically, manually and spiritu-
ally richer for the great experience. If
an obligation were to be admitted, il
would be to charge the adjusted COM
pensation bill with inadequacy and
stinginess wholly unbecoming our re-
public
Such a bestowal, TO be worth while,