The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-06-02
SOLDIER BILL
MAY GO OVER
THIS SESSION
Large Group of Senators De-
termined on Thorough De-
bate-Sales Tax Feature
Still Appears Necessary.
ACTIVITY is RENEWED
ny MARK SULLIVAN

WASHINGTON. June 2.-There Is
renewed activity about the bonus bill,
but there isn't any sign that its real
status has changed. Persons who are
little cynical about all legislation
that comes up at the moment when
congressman and senators are before
their constituents for denomination
and reelection are likely to assume
hat the bonus bill is now a situation
where it is affected more by politics
than by consideration of merit or
conviction
1t has been made clear that there
are about as many political liabilities
az political assets to the bill In sew
eral congressional primaries where
the bonus bill was an issue. or when
me men were up for denomination
who had voted in favor of the bonus
bill, it was demonstrated that il is
not convincing issue one way or the
other
There are two fundamental factors
affecting the bonus bill. One is that
state of treasury and the other is the
position that has been taken by Pres
ident Harding which in turn is de-
tnrmined by the state of the treasury
President Harding has said that any
bonus bill which is put on the statute
books should be in good faith to the
soldiers, and should provide them with
substance. rather than mere appear
ance. This stand disposes of those
bonus suggestions which postpone
substantially all of the benefit to the
indefinite future.
Condition UnaIterabIe.
President Harding has further TAX
en- the position that any bonus bill
put into law should carry with it, as {
part of the bill, some means of raising
the money necessary to pay tht
bonus. This latter condition is un
alterable. The large amount of casf
necessarily involved in any bonus bill
of good faith cannot be taken out o
revenues the government now has. II
fact, the governments present rev
enue is short of enough to pay the
present claims on it.
The rate of taxation that is now i'm
posed on the country is barely suffic
lent to pay the country's present ex
penses. and we'll informed persons WHIT
look the facts in the face know tina
this present rate of taxation cannot b.
substantially reduced for many year
to come, even though there should b.
no bonus bill passed. If there is Il
be a genuine bonus bill, there mus
be further taxation.
} President Harding has said that tn
only new and additional form of taxa
ton which seems practicable to pre-
vide for the bonus would be the sale
VII I,-av,
where it has always been, namely, tn
bonus bill plus the sales tax or n
bonus bill at all. The proposal for
sales tax gains gradual strength, bu
this strength is far short of enough t
Justify any expectation that it coul
be passed by the present congress an
senate.
Long Debate Certain
1t is possible that. as Senator Wa
son of Indiana has said. some kind {
bonus bill may be passed by tn
present congress On the other hant
when the bonus bill comes up for d.
bate in the senate the time consume
in that date is going to be conside
able.
There Is large group OF senator
who are determined, when the situ
oughly on principle Considering thu
a good deal of the senate's time is a
ready mortgaged to debate on the ia
iff bill, it is not by any means ce
tain that the bonus bill will come I
vote before election If it shoul
come 70 vote, it probably would l
passed; but if it is not the sort {
bonus bill that President Harding ha
described as the only proper one. /
may be expected to veto it.
Whether the bill could commar
the two-thrds vote necessary to pa.
it over his veto is doubtful In ar
event. that process would involve
much delay as to make it most douh
full whether it could be done durir
- the present session of congress-
- Copyright. 1922. by the New Yol
Evening Post, IncD