The New York herald., 1922-02-15
on gaining the support of the soldier
voters in the coming election failed
70 make any progress.

voters in the coming election failed
to make any progress.
The sole avenue left open to them
was to propose TO the President the
adoption OF sales tax. for which
there is a substantial demand in the
industrial centres. but against which
the agricultural interests represented
by the various blocs have set their
faces.
Some of the supporters of the bonus
plan who were staggered by the de-
cision of the President TO frown upon
the bond proposal expressed the opin-
ion tonight that he might consent to
the resort TO short term certificates to
provide the first payments. Secretary
Mellon, however. has pointed out the
inadvisability of resorting TO such a
method under present conditions.
Outside Backers Persist.
The professional outside promoters
OF the bonus plan, who are conducting
an intimate campaign among the
members of the two houses, have not
abandoned their belief that their Con-
gressional supporters will prevail upon
the President to save them from the
wrath of the bonus propagandists.
John Thomas Taylor, the national
legislative agent of the American
Legion. said tonight he still was con-
fident the friends of the bonus in Con-
gress would devise a bill to provide
the money for it that will be satisfac-
tory to the business interests of the
country" He did not say what 1t was
Mr.. Taylor. who is directing the ac-
tivities of small army of officials or
the legion and ex-service men person
ally soliciting votes for the bonus plan,
will not admit there has been any re-
action from the ranks of its support
ors in either house. From the head
quarters of the American Legion the
announcement was made that I'll 900
posts with an aggregate OF l,O00,0O9
members will continue to demand tho
passage of the bonus bill, and that 1t
is up to the Government TO provide
the money for It,"
Critics of the bonus program both
in and out of Congress assert that the
membership of the legion does not
represent more than 25 per cent. OF
the persons who would be entitled to
the bonus, and that of this member
ship not more than 40 per cent. have
attempted to exercise any influence
over Senator's and members of Con-
gress.
Protests Still Pour In.
Spokesman for the legion and the
bonus plan insist that the popular
sentiment of the country is over
whelmingly in favor of the gratuity
proposed. Senators and Representatives
who are beginning to hear from their
constituents do not concur in this
opinion. The volume of protests
against the enactment of bonus legis-
lation without an actual provision not
based upon a bonus issue or increased
taxes is alarming the Congressional
friends of il.
Those protests come from all classes.
One New York member said to-day that
he received more than 1000 letters
from his constituents last week pro-
testing against any bonus scheme that
proposes to impose further burdens on
the Government or the taxpayers.
Senators and members admit that they
have never received so many remon-
strances against a legislative project
before.
Senator Borah. whose smashing at
tack on tie bonus yesterday has
caused it's advocates a great deal of
anxiety. said this afternoon he had
received many kilograms during the
day commencing his position. He
10 Lot
The majority of Senator's and mem
bers are disinclined to give out the
letters and kilograms against the
bonus received by them. at the request
OF the senders.
Opponents Under Fire.
II has developed that the profess
sional propa gandists demanding the
passage Of The bonus legislation have
centered their fire upon the citizens in
various parts of the country who have
protested against it. In one or two
instances bonus promoters have
urged the adoption OF the boycott"
against TIE businesses of citizens who
have communicated their disapproval
of the bonus plan.
W TIL tAS DOiuS pIOpdBdIulSlS threat
ening political reprisal on the one
hand and the already overburdened
taxpayers of the country pulling the
other way the lives of Senators and
Representatives are becoming any,
thing but beds Of roses. A New York
member said tonight: I'VE are be-
tween the devil and the deep sea. If
We vote for the bonus bill the tax
payers threaten TO get square with
us next November. II we don't vote
for the bonus bill the organized ex-
service men threaten US. / wish the
whole thing was some place else"
Legion Charter Provision.
Democratic Senators and Representa-
tives who believed it good strategy to
declare themselves In favor of the
bonus in order to compel the Republi-
cans TO accept the responsibility for il
are not finding as much comfort in
the ituation as they expected Mem
bers representing Southern States have
not escaped the deluge of protests
showering on the two houses. Their
constituents appear to be quite as re-
Sentful against the proposal to i'm
pose further taxes or a bond issue as
arc those in other parts Of the coun-
try.
An additional reason advanced in
support of opposition TO the bonus bv