The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-02-20
SOURCE FOR BONUS
CAUSES CONFUSION

washington, Feb. 19.-The soldiers
bonus situation continued today to b.
so neubulous that Republican hous,
leaders still were unprepared to ven
ture even guess as to what plar
of financing ultimately would bt
agreed upon. 1t was understood to bt
their disposition to let the question
simmer while longer in the hope
that sentiment would SO shape itself
will frame the measure
1t developed today that beneath the
surface of the storm which has ragged
around President Harding's sugges-
ton that the bonus be financed by a
sales tax there has ben lot of quiet
talk in support of the proposal of
some leaders last week that the legis-
)ation be made general charge
against the treasury with expected
savings through cuts in regular ap-
preparation bills relied upon for the
financing of a portion of the initial
cost.
When first suggested by Represen-
tative Mondell of Wyoming, the ma
jority house leader, this proposal
seemed to meet with considerable
favor among the rank and file in the
house, but the idea became all but
submerged by the wave of talk that
swept through cloak rooms and corri-
doris after the presidents letter to
a Nf hn 4
means committee had reached the
capitol.
Irrespective of the bonus, there ap-
parently was a determination in the
house to reduce sharply the estimates
for both the navy and the army and
that possibly 100000 would be cut
out of the supply bills for those de-
partments alone. Such sum, it was
said, would go a long way toward
meeting the first years cost of the
men.
Views of the majority members of
the ways and means committee on this
plan have not yet been publicly de-
veloped. These members will meet
tomorrow to go into the whole bonus
question, but an immediate decision
as to how the bonus will be financed
is not expected. Proponents of the
~saies TAX, howevef, ere understood TO
be prepared to force their fight in
the committee at the earliest oppor-
tunity.
Some opponents of the sales levy
concede> that there are sufficient votes
among the majority members of the
committee to report out such tax,
but declare the question of expediency
must enter into the final decision.
The first consideration, they said, is
the probable effect of such tax on
the minds Of the people generally, and
the second, the known effect that
will be produced among Republican
members Of the house. If such tax
is proposed to party conference the
opponents assert they will renew the
fight which was waged successfully
in similar conference in 1920 when
the first bonus bill was presented with
sales tax attached. Failing to win
in the caucus, they declared their
fight would be carried to the floor of
the house with the expectation of al
most solid support from the Demo
Gratis.
1t is understood to be the hope of
leaders of the agricultural bloc that
the committee will report out bill
without any specific provision for rails
ing the funds as the senate finance
committee did last year. President
Harding has said that lie could not
look with favor on measure that did
not carry ways Of financing it, but it
was understood to be the thought of
some of the supporters Of such bill
that large sum made available
through reductions in the estimated
cost of conducting the regular gov.
ernment would be created which
would remove executive objection.