Great Falls tribune., 1922-02-21
on earth for grown-ups and children

would 60 into the question of sales
tax among other things.
4 Opponents of the sales tax began to
lay their plans for fight against this
proposition. Representative Dickin-
son, republican. Iowa, leader of the
agricultural bloc, called meeting OF
republican opponents.
It was said that aside from re-refer-
ring the question to the subcommittee
: the majority members discussed the
Fordney bill as originally introduced
and approved some slight changes. 1t
was indicated that further action by
the majority would await report from
| the tax subcommittee.
Much Opposition
Coincident with the meeting of the
committee the statement was made by
a White House official that many let
ters and kilograms had reached Presl-
dent Harding opposing enactment at
| this time of bonus legislation, while the
legislative committee of the American
| Legion made public telegram to the
president from the Iegion's national
commander Hanford MacNider. asking
that legislation be no longer delayed.
/ The letters reacning the president
opposing enactment at this time of
bonus legislation greatly outnumbered
those favoring immediate legislation. it
was said at the White House. Some
Of the opposition letters. it was added,
showed, however. similarity in form.
Commander MacNider in his tele-
gram declared ''the negligible minority
| in opposition can be traced IN nearly
every case to certain selfish interests
| intrenched in great financial centers." /"
Charges "FaIse Issues"
The commander said the American
! Legion did not understand first COM
mitment and then retraction," on the
| bonus question.
Mr.. MacNider declared the Legion
| believes the issues now being raised
| relative to the revenue features re-
ulired by the president to be included
| in the bill fare being used solely for
| the purpose of misleading the general
| public"
The national commander further
asserted that whenever the people OF
| the United States have been given an
opportunity to voice their feelings on
the question Of the bonus their verdict
always has been unmistakeable.
"Had capital and labor been drafted
when mems lives were drafted the
telegram continued, "the present ag-
ravated situation would not exist.
When it was a question of reimburs-
ting manufacturers for war contracts
never fulfilled, requiring some three
| billion dollars. no such hue and cry
| was raised 1t was an obligation and
it was paid. Certainly the services
of the manufacturers. railroads and
shipping interests were not so much
more patriotic than that of the men
who offered their lives
Men Walking Streets
Mr.. MacNider concluded that there
is cash feature" but with hundreds
of thousands of ex-service men walk
ing the streets of our cities looking
for work. we do not feel competent
to dictate to these men their choice"
In considering the original Fordney
bill, as amended by special sub COM
mittee, no changes in the five options
were made, but the question of max
ing more attractive the insurance, land
settlement. home aid and vocational
training options so as to reduce the
cash payments to minimum was be-
fore the entire committee majority.
Suggestions that the cash payments
be deferred a year longer apparently
have not been received favorably by
leading republicans on the committee.
Chairman Fordney has said that in his
judgment, the bill should provide for
beginning the cash payments next Oc
tober !.
22 Oppose Sales Tax
In an effort to block the sales tax
within the committee, % republicans.
opponents of this kind of levy. met
and framed petition which was freely
1of-
adjourned for the day. Representa-
to obtain sufficient signatures to con-
vince the majority committee members
that it would be impossible to put a
sales tax provision through the house.
The petition declared in favor of an
adjusted compensation, but in oppos
ton to financing it by a sales or man
ufacturers' tax, and sets forth that
it's signers will oppose any rule for
the adjusted compensation that does
not permit separate vote on any sales
or manufacturers tax provision there
in"
Much of the informal bonus discus
sion at the capitol centered around the
question Of whether sales tax provi- |
sion could be voted out of the ways
and means committee. Representative /
Garner of Texas, the ranking democrat
on the committee. said the eight minor
ity members would vote solidly against |
such a tax. On this basis. five re-
publican votes would defeat the pro-
posal and it was understood that pres
ent estimates were that Of the II re- |
publicans would be against it, with two |
others probably doubtful.
Fight In Caucus
Representative dickinson reiterated |
that if the agricultural bloc was un-
successful in its effort to block the /
sales tax in committee it would make |
q determined stand in the republican |
conference which is to be called to
the bill He seemed confident |
Of a victory there but proponents of |
the sales tax believed that they could |
win in the conference and were under |
stood to be counting on administration |
influence as embodied in President
letter, to swing votes to their
side
Should the committee fail to report
out a sales tax, it seemed to be some
what general opinion that the house
would get the bill without any specific
provision for financing the adjusted i
hill in this form il