Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-02-24
What The Soldier, Bouu, viii Cost

Suppose Congress passes and thD
President signs the biil for what il
called adjusted compensation Os tn,
soldiers Of the Worlds War or, a.
more popularity known the Soldiers
Bonus,
What would it mean in additions.
taxes and where and hov would n,
money be raised?
The Soldiers Bonus will require two
billions of dollars initiflly.
On the income of 1921 the income
tax and the excess profits tax will
not total $1,000, 100000.
If we had no other than these taxes
they would have to be doubled to pay
the boRus.
There are four sources through
which additional revenue might be
raised. They are % increasing pos
tage to three cents, which would add
5000, 900 ,00a in rsvenue; (2) a natAn-
al tax on automobiles; 81 heavier
tax or tobacco, and a. a two-cent tax
on bank checks, irrespective of size.
Even with these the sum obtained
probably would fall short Of require
ments.
In the Judgement If one Of She ma
t%ionalIy known cax experts it would
be necessary also to
Increase the normal tax rate TO II
percent instead Of g..
Increase the CORPORATION tax "a per
cent instead Of ~ 2
Extend the sales tax to a large nam
Der Of articles now exempt.
Inevitably the distribution of two
billions Of dollars to the ~ex-Service
men would bring about a considerable
amount Of reckless spending with a
rise Of many kinds and classes of
goods. Those who got Inone.F rhrsugh
the bonus would have money to spend
but those assessed, and tiey make up
the bulk Of the population, wodld have
less.
Inevitably Liberty Bonds would be
depressed considerably in market val
lie, for there would have to be a govern
mental bond issue to meet tie im-
mediate requirement for ready money
to pay the bonus.
There is other criticism OF the
Soldiers Bonus Bill.
To many persons its provisions APP
pear UNJUST, There is general agree
ment that the Nation cannot Go enough
for the gallant boys who suffered
dreadfuIly in the war through being
gassed, wounded or disabled but why,
1t is asked, should those who never
got to France, who never knew the
horrors of war, be rewarded as fully
as the sufferers? 1t is pointed out,
too, that hundreds Of thousands of
those who never got across got some
thing in their war training which they
never could have obtained. They got
education, physical development and
a broadening Of their mental horizon
that should be Of incalculable value.
1t is pointed out also that millions
Of persons in civil life made sacrifices
IN money and service in War work full
Iy as great as those who never got be-
yond training camps. They do
not ask for pensions or comCensa-
ton, They served no less than those
who went to training camps.
1t may as well be appreciated now
as later that heavier taxation will
delay readjustment not Only in Amori-
ca, but in other countries for upon
REIMBURSEMENT in this country recovery
in other lands depends to a degree.
Increased taxation means added DIFF
flCulties in the conduct of business.
Enterprise is oSled when the greater
effort the heavier the tax penalty.
Today the country is in sore straits
in many departments of its life. It's
burdens have been increased by the
drastic decline in the value of its var
ious products by Reorganization of
foreign commerce and by a large
measur of unemployment. Taxation
today is more of a weight than ever
before in five decades.
But will the Soldiers Bonus Bill
become law? The signs are that it
will pass both houses Of Congrt SIS.
President Harding has declared he
will not approve any bonus legislation
that does not include a measure for
raising the revenue.
The Administration is committed
to reduction of taxation. 1t is com
mitted also to Soldier Compensation.
It is possible to do one of these
but not the two at this time.
What's the answer?