Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-07-20

WASHINGTON, July 17.-Will
the Federal Government ever be
called upon to pay the bonuses voted
by the various states to veterans of
the World War? This question is
suggested by the fact that the con-
gress once took action of substan-
TALLY that character in connection
with another war, and because so
many states have decided to reward
their soldiers of 1917-191S.
Following the War of the Revolu-
ton the first pensions which may be
regarded as a form of bonus, were
paid by the various states, but in
1889 the congress passed an act
whereby the general government as
sumed the payment of such pensions
as had been granted by the states
and this provision "a continued by
subsequent legislation. There has
been no suggestion as yet that the
burdens and obligations of the states
incident to the recent war be SINH
larly taken over, but one of these
days some worthy congressman may
seek to endear himself to the people
back home by proposing to dip into
the Federal Treasury for the funds
that otherwise must come from the
strong-boXes.
To date twelve of the states nave
paid or r paying bonuses, while in
three othesr all the necessary
steps have been taken except the
raising of the money and in s refer
endums are to be taken on bonus
legislation. In all, the bonus appro-
priations actually made OF proposed
in these twenty-three states aggre-
gate considerably more than three
hundred million dollars-$331,739
900, to be exact, according to de-
partmental figures available in
Washington. This is not a stupen-
dous sum, as Government eXpendi-
lures go these days, but it represents
substantial items in the budgets of
some of the states.
Moreover, practically all this state
generosity has been provided for by
bond issues and the taxpayers of the
| various commonwealth will not
realize fully the burdens they have
! assumed until the bonds come due
and must be redeemed or refunded,
That will be the time when it is
most likely that a proposal Will be
heard TO shunt the load off on Uncle
Sans broad shoulders. OF course it
is improbable that such a scheme
would get by Is long as only twenty
lllltt Sldlto IL IllAtI toltuf u IL q
sufficient number of the other states
place themselves in the bonus col
umn it would be no difficult matter
to get the requisite vote for the con-
Gressional action indicated.
What the States Pay
Allowances by the states to the
veterans take various forms and are
of varying amounts. They include
pensions for the sick and wounded,
assistance for educational and Voca-
tional and vocation training and
cash bonuses, The latter are based
on length of service and range from
so cents to 81 per day, with maxi
mum payments of from 500 to
$500.
In connection with state action
along this line and the proposed
federal bonus it is interesting to re-
view the rewards of war heroes dat
ing back to early colonial days. The
New England militia which Joined
the British Army in the invasion OF
Canada were paid a money bounty
as were. those who wintered at Louis
burg in 1850. When the Revolu-
tioNary War anne OF volunteers il
the Continental Army received
small grants of money and land from
the government, and as the enem,
was especially nDeral IN TINS reSpec
a competition developed hat lee
Washington at one time to fear thu
loss of his army unless the congress
was more generous. The states gave
| bounties of varying values, VirSini;
and New York voting lands, but il
1880 there came a crisis when Wash
ipgton had to offer 5000 each to re
tain his veterans and finally. in or
der to demobilize his army in 17SS
persuaded the Continental Congress
to give the officers a bonus equiva
lent to five years full pay.
Washington himself. by the way
was a beneficiary of the land grant
to soldiers of the French n Indian
war. Lord Dunmore of Virginia wa
authorized to offer bounties of lane
TO all officers and soldiers who hat
served in this war, h grants rang
ing from 5000 acres for field offi
GERS to 5000 acres to captains. 20
acres to subalterns or staff officer
and so acres to privates. Washing
ton secured patents in his w ant
other officers anne for $500
acres, of which his w share wa
$4,000.
These grants were much large
than those promised officers and pri
Yates of the Revolutionary Wa
when colonies were given 500 acres