Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-28
FARM BLOC FAVORS
PAYING FOR BONUS
FROM BRITISH DEBT
Bill Should Be Passed With
out Delay, He Is Told
Members Regard Sales
Tax as Dead

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-The
house 90 I'm bloc favors paying the
soldier bon; chiefly from proceeds
or S: of British war debt bonds,
an issue of which probably will be
given the United States by early
summer.
It's position will be made clear -
the house ways and means commit
tee at an early moment, and its
recommendations probably will in
de, besides the bonds, suggestion
for use of money from the sale OF
war supplies and for utilization OIL
any savings on appropriations which
NAV be accomplished by army ana
. avy cuts. 49,.
The bloc regards the sales tax as
dead. -
In a Joint open letter to Chair
man Fordney of the ways and means
committee, the members said the
use of these bonds would remove a
grossly unjust proposal. prevent the
POLITICAL overturning of congress ana
will be just to the ex-soldiers VINO
saved for us these foreign debts"
.'The bonus should be passed with.
out any obnoxious tax, and should
be passed without delay" added the
letter. which was framed by Repre-
sentative F'rear, Of Wisconsin, and
signed by twenty-nine other mem.
bers, mostly from western states.
House Sentiment
"Your action on yesterday, sup
ported by members Of the subcom'
mittee, in discarding any sales tax
on the bonus BILL the letter said.
will receive the hearty support OF
members of congress generally. we
believe the subcommittee vote OF
seven to two against such tax is
close index of house sentiment on
the subject.
"a sales tax would penalize every
ex-soldier, and compel him to pay
| toward his own meager bonus. Nine
| hundred thousand jobless ex-soldlers
would be obliged Immediately to pay
consumption taxes under any sales
| tax law.
mo sales tax law could get
through the house and senate in less
than ninety days-if passed at all.
| Ninety days more would be required
to secure a clerical force to put the
law in operation, thus taking until
September or October of this year.
congressman Longworth Is au
thority for the statement that when
British bonds are received in june
or July, next, these can be used
with the approval Of the president
to finance the bonus, or several
months before any sales tax funds
would be available.
To Wage Campaign
"Semi-annual interest on this debt
amounting to SIPS, 100000, has been
voted in the British budget. and is
understood to be collectible by June
/, next"
With this letter sales tax oppo
nents gave notice that their cam
raign would be vigorously waged
despite the rejection of the tax pro-
posal by the subcommittee: The en-
tire Republican membership Of the
ways and means committee will
meet next Tuesday to consider the
subcommittee action, and: the fight
of consumption tax opponents will
go on, at least up to that time.
Chairman Fordney declined to say
today whether he would consult
with President Harding before the
committee meeting on Tuesday, but
the impression was gained today at
the capitol that Mr.. Harding would
be advised of yesterdays action by
the subcommittee in rejecting the
sales tax advocated by the executive
and voting to report out bill with
out any provision for providing the
needed revenue.
Some pressure to speed up the DO.
nus Jill IN the house is>being exerted
now, but leaders generally appar.
emily are not inclined to rush their