Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-08
Taxation Faporsd
for Bonus Funds
Continued from Paee one

1aflohS from mAktnB lnfoaos on tne
Il that time organizations like the
Soldiers and Sailors League and
others which have since passed out Of
existence or been gradually crowded into
the background were leading the eight
for bonus, and basipg their appeal Tor
members on this fact. 1t was this pol !.
icy on their part that compelled tho
legion--for self f-preservation--to get
into the bonus fight. This was ac.
knowledged privately by officers Of the
Legion.
At, first the Legion adopted the slo.
gan of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, now
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy:
Don't put the dollar sign on the
flag"
, At subsequent national convention
| its members declared service men
SHOULD not be pcnalized financially
for serving their country.
Leave 1t to Government
When the bonus came up in the last
national convention, in Kansas City,
the I.esionaires, after a lively debate.
adopted Il resolution leaving It to the
Government. This was after Presiden.
Harding had asked the Senate to
''pigconhole' the McCumbcr bill.
NuHN VI tIt I"HlVl IcdutTS, UtlHx jill .
dividually active in the Republican
Party, did not desire to embarrnss the
| Administration by passing Il resolution
demanding n bonus in the face OF the
| statements made in opposition to 1t by
President Harding and Secretary Mel
Ion. and were nble to hold the more
radical of their associates IN check
when the question came to vote.
Since then, Of course, the Legion has
CONS to the front in lobbying for a
bonus, and, as the largest veterans or.
| ganization In exIstnce, exercises an
! important influence on members of Con.
gress. individually and collectively, in
the interest Of the adjusted Compen.
sation'' Bill now pending.
SO thorough and accurate IS its check
on individual members that its Ma
tional legislative Committee is able to
say at n glance whether any particu.
lar member il likely TO vote for or
against bonus legislation. whether nc Is
committed either way, what his sym
p0thics are, and how ne voted before
If he yoted-when the Bonus Bill
passed the House IN 1920.
Campaign Conducted Openly
No secret is made Of this tabulation.
1t is the method employed by woman
cuHEdSlSlS ull
their respective campaigns. 1t Is the
eress'' by organizations interested in
special legislative programs.
The national officers of the Legion
do not work under cover. They are out
| in the open with their demand for
bonus. welcome publicity at all times
and are able to keep the pot boiling by
appeals to their own members and other
veterans whom they can reach indi.
rectly through the press.
Through the American Legion Week.
ly. the Stars and Stripes. published
here, and innumcrable State and local
veterans papers the Legion and other
veterans organizations keep in close
touch with ex service men and con-
etantly stimulate interest on the bonus
by published editorials and statements.
Statements issued from national
headquarters here and elsewhere also
find space in the metropolitan and
country press and serve further to i'm
press veterans and legislators alike with
the activity and influence of the ma
tional organization.
II. II. Racge. member Of the Ma.
tional Legislative Committee Of the
Legion. which is leading the fight for
today the Legion would not admit the
possibility that bonus legislation could
fail in Congress.
Refuse TO Admit Defeat
"In France" he said. " the Ameri.
can army did not know the meaning
Of retreat. That word was stricken
from its lexicon. The same spirit ami
mates us now. We have gone over the
top and we won't stop until we reach
our objective. won't assume for
II moment that the Bonus Bill will
fail. We are going to put It over.
That's all there is to it.
This statement came in response to
a question rs to what the Legion would
do If the legislation were to be de-
When the Bonus Bill came up in the
House May 90. 1920. it was passed by
vote of $50 to 92.
II think we could show n slight in
crease if vote were to be taken now,'
Itaegc declared.
Legion officers are equally confident
of the Senate, where only eleven mem
bers are counted among the 'irrecon-
cilablcs' certain to vote against the
Bonus Bill.
When President Harding addressed
the Senate last summer. requesting that
the Bonus Bill be sent back to the
Finance Committee. the Legion and
other veterans organizations accepted
tho situation and temporarily halted
their agitation for the legislation. Re.
Gently they have taken heart at state.
mcnts by Chairman Fordney. Of the
Ways and Means Committee Majority
Leader Mondcll, of the House. and
other congressional leaders that the
Bonus Bill will be passed this session,
and again are active in presenting their
ide0s as to the form the legislation
should take.
Passing the Buck
BY common understanding, nll the
veterans organizations have declined
to suggest how the money should be
raised, They have Joined cheerfully in
tie pastimc of passing the buck on
this question.
at is up to Congress-" they say on
this point.
Congress has sought to pass the
buck to the President. The latter has
refused 70 accept it and referred the
problem back TO legislative leaders.
1t is recognized that to impose sales
tax to pay the bonus would be dan.
gerous political experiment and that
to link up the bonus with the refund
ing of the foreign debt would be a dam
gerous economic experiment and might
prove equally disastrous politically.
, Unable to find way out Of this
/ dilemma and with insistent veterans
! organizations on one side and grumbling
/ taxpayers on the other, Congress is IN
agony. Members say it's case Of
4