Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1922-09-27
BONUS BILL
GIVEN KICK
Harding Says People Already , re
Burdens Too Heavy To Carr 20.
One of Main Reasons for
Vetoing the Bill.
WANTS THE MONEY FIRST
BEFORE 1T is DONE
President Says Congress Is Passing
Buck; Knows The People Can't
Pay the Money Now.

bonus bill was vetoed by President
Harding Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Outlining the reasons for his veto,
the president said that congress had
failed first of all to provide the
revenue from which the bestowal
was to be paid He added that the
ultimate cost could not be estimated
definitely, but that the treasury
figured the total at S750,000,000 for
the first four years, with final
charge in excess of $4,000,000, 900.
Mr. Harding told congress the pro-
posed service certificates substituted
For the original cash payment would
Z constitute borrowing on the nations
\ credit just as truly as the loans were
made by direct government borrow
ing. He added that this invotves T.
Dangerous abuse of public credit
Text of Veto Message
President Harding's bonus veto
message was as follows:
"To the House of Representatives
Herewith is returned without ap-
proval r. H. 10874 bill to provide
adjusted compensation for the, vet
erans of the world war and for other
purposes.
"With the avowed purpose of the
bill TO give expression of nations
gratitude to those who served in its
defense in the world war, ! am in
accord, but to it's provisions / do
not subscribe. The Unitef States
os,,.. ~, Ses to be grateful; it
tns s-is q wa 7ceass giving
-yc6n,esion to that gratitude.
Il .ep>an legislating for what is called
&C .An<xjusted compensation congress fail
lntiked, first of all, to provide the revenue
from which the bestowal is to be
paid. Moreover, it established the
very dangerous precedent of Great
ing a treasury covenant to pay,
which puts a burden variously es-
timated between four and five bill
lions upon the American people, not
to discharge an obligation which
the government always must pay
but to bestow a bonus which the sol
diers themselves while serving in the
world war did not expect.
at is not to be denied that the
nation has certain very binding OBJ
legations 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 could not resume their places
in the normal activities of life.
"These obligations are being
gladly and generously met. Perhaps
there are here and there inefficien
cies and injuries and some distres
sing instances of neglect but they are
all unintentiona and every energy
is being directed to their earlies
possible correction.
an meeting obligation there
is no complaint about the heavy cost
In the current fiscal year we arr
expending $51O,OOO,OO0 on hospital
izason and care of sick and wound
ed, on compensation and vocatlona
training for the disabled ard for in
surance. The figures do not Include
the more than $35,OOO,0Oo in pro
cess of expenditure on hospital con
struction.
"The estimates for the year to fol
low are approximately $470,000,OOC
and the figures may need to be mad
larger. Though the peak in hospital
ization may have passed, there is
growth in domicilization and tn
discharge in full of our obligation
TO the diseased, disabled or depen
dent. who have a right to the gov
ernment's care with insurance liaoil
ity added, will probably reach tota
sum in excess of $25,000,OOO 600.
"More than 10000 veterans ar
now enrolled in some of the 445 dli
ferent courses in vocational tram
ing. Fifty four thousand Of the1
are in schools or colleges, more tina
90 600 are in industrial establish
ments and few more than o'oo
are being trained in schools operate
by the veterans bureau.
approximately 10000 have con
.,o,od their course and have emplo!
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