Evening star., 1922-06-08
Williams, Democrat, Refuses
Consent Necessary to Put
Measure on Calendar.
SLIGHTLY CHANGED PLAN
EXTENDS OVER 43 YEARS
New Estimate Reduces Figure
$3.50, 900, ,O00-New Taxation
Deemed Unlikely.

!
bonus bill to the Senate today was
! blocked by Senator Williams, demo-
ctat, Mississippi
CHAIRMAN NcCumber of the finance
committee. gave notice that he would
make another effort later in the day
to get the measure to the Senate
| calendar
because of the parliamentary pro-
cedure under which the Senate was
operating unanimous consent was
| necessary to present the bill and the
report, which earlier in the day had
been made public by Senator McCum-
ber Senator Williams. a member of
the finance committee. and an op-
ponent Of the legislation. refused such
consent.
Ashurst Urges Action.
! Asserting that Congress had paid
the claims against the government OF
war profteers" and that every time
an effort was made to pay compensa-
ton to the soldiers there was objec-
E! tion, Senator Ashurst, democrat. Ari-
zona, urged Senator McCumber to
move that the bill be received.
The time has come for the use OF
| pluck and grip and courage and.
Senator McCumber explained that he
could not offer such motion be-
cause there was a gentleman's agree
mcnt that the tariff bill would not be
laid aside for controversial measures
without advance notice being given.
May Cut in on Tariff.
In arising to present the bill and
Z he a NJ iDr rPnnTf.
Senator McCumber said that after
| consultation with members on both
| sides of the chamber he would ask
later to lay aside the tariff bill and
| take up the bonus measure. Senator
Borah. republican. Idaho. an oppo-
nent of the bonus interjected that he
| hoped that opponents as well as pro-
| ponents on both sides would be con-
/ suited.
The finance committee chairman
said he did not know when the
| measure would be called up. He
| went on to say that he hoped the
bonus would not lead to partisan
| fight.
An American Bill.
This is an American BILL" he told
| the Senate. And / hope we will
! be able to dispose of it as an Amer
| lean measure in the same spirit that
we voted the necessary appropria-
| tions during the war.
| Announcing his opposition to the
| measure, Senator Underwood of Ala
hama. the democratic leader. said he
| would be very glad" II the bill
| went over until after the November
elections SO the American people
! could voice their sentiment with re-
! gard to the measure.
! Il realize that the people are be-
| hind the soldiers" continued the Ala
! bama senator, land they ought to be.
for these boys are the heroes of our
time. But you are bringing before
the Senate bill that will put
charge of from four billion to seven
! billion dollars on the American tax
payer. and you have so framed this
bill as to pass on that charge from
the present to the future. These
young men. If they make good in life.
must be the ones who carry this great
burden in the future"
Senator Underwood asserted that
the bill would not take effect until
next year in any event. and that IL II
were passed at this time the only ef-
feet would be political
| The soldiers bonus bill was formal
ly presented today to the Senate by
Chairman McCumber of the finance
committee, with an ACCOMPANYING re-
port placing the probable cost to the
federal government at s3.s45,65e.4S1.
spread over a period of fory-three
years from next January l. This is
approximately s250,000,000 less than
the estimate under the House bill.
which was S4,O9s.719.35o, payable
over twenty yeyars.
The Senate bili estimate was pre-
pared by Treasury experts, and is
based on the theory that rs per cent
of the 4.45S.199 veterans who would
be eligible for compensation would
elect the adjusted service certificate
! ontion: 2215 per cent farm. home and
land settlement aid, and 2La per cent
vocational training aid. Should all of
the veterans select the certificate
nlan the total cost would be $4,4S6,-
| 545,9I5.
Additional Taxes Not Expected.
With reference to financing the
legislation, Chairman McCumber's re-
port said it was hoped that the re-
duction in governmental expendi-
lures, plus the payment of interest
on the refunded foreign obligations,
would be sufficient to obviate the inn
position of additional taxation.
"If it does become necessary to i'm
| nose additional taxes" the report
continued, ".it is believed We can bet
ter determine the amount OF the
necessary levy and the methods OF
distributing such burdens for the fu-
| ture at later date. when the future
condition of the Treasury will be
more accurately established"
AS to the refunded foreign obliga-
tions. the hope was expressed that
! these soon would be obtained ana
+; that it will be possible for the for
eign governments to provide for the
Immediate payment of interest there-
on so that such interest can be used
toward defraying the expenses au- =,
! thorized under this act.
Tried to Cut Cash Payments.
| Senator McCumber explained that
an attempt had been made to reduce
to a minimum actual cash payments
| under the bill during the next three
wears while the Treasury is engaged
in returning the nearly seven billions
| of dollars of maturing government
| obligations The estimated cost OF
the bonus for those three years was
$242, 100000
After its presentation to the Senate
the bonus bill went to the calendar
| where IL will remain until there is
an agreement to call II up. Senator
| McCumber and some other proponents
desire early action. but several re-
| publican leaders are opposed to side
| tracking the tariff bill. as they ex-
! meet the fight over the bonus to con-