New Britain herald., 1922-09-20

for his disapproval were not new. He had stated some of them in an ad- dress to the senate more than a year ago when he asked that body to post pone consideration of the then pend- Ing bonus measure on account of the condition Of the treasury. and had re. peated then with additional details in O, letter written to Chairman Ford ncy of the house committee on Wave and Means last February. | In the Fordney letter the president indicated that he was opposed to Il bill that did not provide means for paying the bonus, and that a general sales tax was the only method of tax ation he could suggest to raise rev enue to meet bonus obligations. Ye- terdays veto message recalled the sentiments expressed by the president in the Fordney letter and showed that he had not abandoned them. The text of the veto message fol- lows:
 To the House of Representatives:
 Herewith is returned, without ap- proval. H. R. 1o,S74, bill Ito pro- vide adjusted compensation for the veterans of the World War and for other purposes"
 With the avowed purpose of the bill to give expression of a nations gratitude to those who served in its defense in the World War l am in accord but to it's provisions I do not subscribe. The United States never will cease to be grateful. 1t cannot and never will cease giving express sion to that gratitude.
 In legislating for what is called adjusted compensation congress failed, first of all to provide the revenue from which the bestowal is to be paid.
 Moreover, it establishes the very dangerous precedent of creating a treasury covenant to pay which puts a burden, variously estkpated between four and Ave billions, upon the Am erican people, not to discharge an obligation, which the government all ways must pay. but to bestow bonus which the soldiers themselves. while serving to the World War. did not expect
 It Is not to be denied that the na- ton has certain very binding obliga- tons 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 ob- legations are being gladly and gener- ously met. Perhaps there are here and ther inefficiencies and injustices and some distressing instances of ne- glect, but they are all unintentional, and every energy is being directed to their earliest possible correction.
 In meeting this obligation there is no complaint about the heavy cost. In the current fiscal year we are zation and care of sick and wounded, on compensation and vocational train ing for the disabled, and for insur- ance. The figures do not include the more than s35,ooo,o00 in process of expenditure on hospital construction.
 Accounts Present Obligations.
 The estimates for the year to fol. low are approximately s470, 100000, and the figure may need to be made larger. Though the peak In hospital iation may have passed there is growth in domicilization and the dis charge in full of our obligations to the diseased, disabled or dependent who have a right to the governments care, with insurance-li liability added, ~k,o %-< i., excess of s25,0o0,0 0,0o0,o00.
 More than oa,ooo veterans are now enrolled in some of the 445 different