New-York tribune., 1922-03-05
BOnusExtended
TOCOver Kin of
Dead Soldiers
Provision To Be Made 10
Make Adjusted Payments
Part of Estate Of Veter.
ans; Cost Is $25, 600, 900
Report Expected Tuesday
No Caucus Will Be Called,
as No Serious Opposi-
ton Now Is Anticipated

From Tho Tribunes Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, March 4.-Insertion
in the new soldier bonus bill Of pro-
vision emitting the estates of veterans
who have died since being discharged,
or who may died before the enactment
of the measure, to collect adjusted pay
will be recommended by members of
the Ways and Means subcommittee
when they meet next Monday to COM
plete the draft of the bill, it was
learned to-day. Rough estimates by
possibly $25.000,O0O, which, with the
$I6,000,000 in cash payments of $50 or
less to be allowed and the $4,000, 900
for administration of the bonus act,
would bring the total burden upon the
Treasury for the first three years to
SAC 100000.
1t was authoritatively stated that
virtually every member of the sub
committee was committed to the pro-
posal to make awards to near relatives
of dead former service men who were
regularly mustered out. They were
one, it was declared, in the belief that
1t the government was to fulfill an
obligation to those living, it owes a sim
liar debt to the estates Of those who
have died. BY providing in this way
for both, and making the posthumous
payments within the set period be-
tween the date of discharge from the
service and the signing of the bonus
bill by the President, no one, it was
pointed out, would go unrecognizcd.
Payment Plan Unchanged
The method outlined for handling
r-11
provisions for straight cash payments.
service and 81 day for home service
in excess of sixty days. in the military
or naval forces, after April S, 1917, and
before. July /, 1919, the maximum
amount not to exceed for oversca serv-
ice $625 and for home service $500.
Although there was no meeting of
the subcommittee to-day Chairman
Fordney said he expected it would
finish its work in time to report to the
full Ways and Means Committee on
Tuesday for the formal action of favor
able report to the House. That will be
the first opportunity the Democrats on
the committee will have to study the
new bill.
Majority Leader Mondel. Chairman
Fordney of the Ways and Means Com
mittee and other House leaders have
decided, it was announced, as a result
of several discussions on the attitude
with which the House will receive the
measure that it will not be necessary
to hold party caucus before bringing
it up on the floor for consideration
They are confident that members of
both partie. regard it with general ap-
proval ana anticipate only the slight
est opposition, even though it is ad
mitted, there may be desire by many
to make small changes in various Of
its features. Most of the text of the
bill was sent to the Government Print
ing Office to-day that there might be
no delay i'll obtaining copies once it is
reported by the committee.
Discussing the adjusted service GER
tificate feature, Chairman Fordncy
said:
"In this change in The bill are found
three especially beneficial provisions.
1t will give the soldiers an opportunity
to secure a larger lump sum of money
than they would have been able to do
under the provisions OF the bill in its
original form. 1t imposes no imm edi-
ate burden upon the Federal treasury
and it will impose no additional tax
upon the people.
at is hoped and believed that when
these insurance certificates become due
and payable the money may be Sc
cured by the sale Of public property
and securities owned by the govern
ment and without any special charge
to the treasury. This plan seems to
meet the general approval Of the mem
bers of the House of Representatives
as we'll as the public generally"