Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-09-27
ThC Bonus and lcCr

wv HETHER Congress will or will not
w have enough courage to couple bonus
legislation with that lcgalizing and taxing
light wines and beer. the fact romans that
& large element of tho American people inn
mcdatcly would reconcile themselves TO tho
bonus outlay. II the prohibition against these
beverages We're removed.
Chairman Fordncy. OF tho House w 'r
and Means Committee. has announced
he will rcintroducc the bonus bill, killed
few days ago by presidential veto. upon
the first day OF tho December session of
Congress- At the same time his colleague
from Michigan. Representative brennan. an
aounccd that he would offer a rider to tho
bonus bill amending the Nolstcad act by
legalzing the manufacture and sale of wine
and bccr and by taxing these products to
pay for the bonus.
Once before a rider was proposed and
was defeated. When the bonus legislation
originally came out OF the Ways and Means
Committee, group of members of the
House proposed that the outlay be financed
Ivy tax upon alcoholic beverages. The pro-
posal was voted down. But that was before
the primaries that began in the spring. That
long before the election to come in
November. 1T was before most legislators
believed that President Harding would dare
veto Legislation directly affecting the in
service men.
When December comes the situation will
have changed. The primaries and election
Will he matters OF history. Members Will
know whether they are to occupy their old
seats after March 4. 1928. They will BIO
less afraid of the prohibition lobby. More
over, they will have some idea Of the extent
OF the wine and beer sentiment throughout
the country inasmuch of candl-
dates for the House and Senate are running
on that issue in this campaign.
Also legislators will know for a moral
certainty that any bonus bill which may be
passed and which does not provide the
money out Of which the bonus is to he paid,
Will again be vetoed They will know that
the enactment of such legislation will be
a waste of time and energy and if vetoed
a second time. the veto will be sustained
second time by the Senate. The Senate
in December will he composed OF the same
men. barring deaths and designations, who
compose the Senate now
Chairman Fordncy fully understands the
futilty Of sending another bonus bill to
the White House without providing In that
/ measure for the funds that are necessary
&c carry it into effect But he is by no
means assured, according 10 his statements,
! that those who would iberaize the Vol
! stead act will be able To muster sufficient
/ votes TO that end. even by tying bonus and
| hecr legislation together.
To meet possible failure in that direc-
| ton, Mr.. Fordney is considering possible
! bond issue as means OF the paying the
| former service men Ii the bonds cannot
I've sold on the market. the Michigan states
man would pass them out directly to the
hcnenciares OF the lcgislation--a bond in
| stead OF certificate. If that measure
should prove unpopular, there is always the
interest OF the foreign debt To fall back
upon. True. not n dollar Of that interest
has hcen collected and not dollar may
be collected in the near future. but that
docs not matter to probonus advocates.