The Washington herald., 1922-09-20
Representatives to Over
ride it A to 1; Senators
To Sustain.
HARDING OPPOSES
CASH PATRIOTISM
Sees Fearful Drain on the
Treasury With Pensions
And Rehabilitation.

Exercising his veto power in en-
phatic manner. President Harding
yesterday dealt the soldiers bonus
bill what happens to be death
blow. He not only rejected the bill.
but in his message questioned the
policy of regarding patriotic serv-
ice with cash.
Nothing short of a political mir
acIe can save the bill. Its sup
porters practically have given up
hope of miracles.
The House undoubtedly will over
ride the veto by wide majority
today but N the Senate anti-bonus
forces appear to have control by
two or three votes
Only thirty-three votes are needed
to sustain the veto and the canvass
yesterday indicated there would be
thirty-five or thirty-six votes to
support the President.
President Explains Action.
The President in explaining his
action said:
Il confess a regret that 1 must
sound a note of disappointment to
the many former service men who
have the impression that it is as
simple a matter for the government
to bestow billions in peace as 1t
was to expend billions in war. /
regret to stand between them ano
the pitiably small compensation
proposed dislike to be out of ac-
cord with the majority of Congress
which has voted the bestowal. The
simple truth Is that this bill pro-
poses a government obligation of
more than $4,000, 100000 without a
provision OF funds for the extraordi-
nary expenditure, which the execu-
tive branch of the government must
finance in the face of dificult finan-
cial problems"
He further declared "a peace be-
stovai TO the former service men.
a. Though the supreme offering
could be paid for with cash. is a
perversion of public funds. a re-
versal of the policy which exalted
patriotic service in the past, and
suggests that future defense is to
be inspired by compensation rather
than consciousness of duty to flag
and country"
Mr.. Harding took occasion to call
attention again to the money spent
on disabled veterans which he said
In the course of time would exceed
s25, 900, 100000. He predicted in
years to come Congress would be
called upon to appropriate money
for pensions to world war veterans
and added that this would cost
more billions than I venture tc
suggest" The governments ability
to meet this prospective outlay
would be seriously impaired. he
argued. if the bonus bill became a
law.
L. 8. Faces Dehcit.
To mphasize further his conten-
ton that the Treasury cannot bear
the additional burden of the bonus
the President stated that the gov
ernment was confronted by a de-
felt of $3.50. 100000 for the current
: fiscal year and "a further deficit for
the year succeeding. even after
counting upon all interest collec-
tions on foreign Indebtedness
which the government is likely to re-
ccive."
To add to our pledges to pay" he
must seem no less than government
tai folly"
The House heard the message in
silence. There was a feeble ripple
of applause. principally fror the
Republican side. 1t was plain the
House was ready to pass the bill
promptly over the veto. but upon
motion of Representative Mondell
of Wyoming. Republican leader, ac-
tion was deferred until today to
give members an opportunity to
study ii and to enable absentees to
return
Mondell announced the question
today will simply be: Shall the
bill become a law. notwithstand-
ing the Presidential veto?" A
two-thirds vote will be necessary.
but in spite of the fact that many
members are absent it was esti-
mated that the vote will be to /
in favor of overriding the veto.
May Choke Debate.
Debate may be shut off by
Leader Mondell, but this will not
be necessary, il was understood
Some time will be given to the
Democratic leader, Finis Garrett,
an opponent of the measure. after
which the bill will be voted upon
and sent to the Senate within an
hour and a half after the House
has met.
Proponents intimated that moth
ing will be done to alter the meas
ure in the House to provide means.
1t was admitted the Presidential
objection might be partially re-
moved by providing payment
tax. but no such expedient will be
considered. it was said.
The. present bonus bill was re-
ported to the House from the
Ways and Means Committee March
Is, and passed March % by a vote
of 353 to 90. 1t reached the Senate
June S and was passed August 81
by a vote of a TO 90.