The New York herald., 1922-02-19
URGE SALES TAN
Legion Agents Confer
With Congress Sup
porters on $1,000
100000 Levy.
HACKERS SEEK ESCAPE
Senators and Representa-
tives Pledged to Gratuity
Plan a Retreat.
PITY FOR DISABLED HIGH
Agitation for Unscathcd Men
Turns Eyes Of Nation on
Real War Sufferers.
by LOUIS sEIBoLD.

by LOUIS SEIBOLD.
Special Dispatch to THE Ngw YORK HEnALA
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. C., Feb. Is.
The promoters of the bonus scheme
to raid the national finances and
business of the country devoted an
off day TO considering plans to save
it from defeat.
Confessing their desperation the
professional propagandists and their
Congressional supporters INDUCED in
many conferences without definite re
suits. The most important feature OF
the conflict between the raiders ON
the one hand and the vast majority
of the people of the country on the
other continued to be a torrential
downpour Of protests against the
whole bonus idea.
The majority of these protests
clearly indicated growing indorse-
ment of President Harding's sugges.
tion that bonus legislation be post
poned if not dropped. The sponsors
for the most stupendous raid ever
projected in the history of the coun
try privately admitted that senti.
ment was swinging away from sup
port of it. They assert. however,
that they have no intention of releas.
! ing their Congressional supporters
from their promises to put through
bonus bill regardless OF the conse-
quences to the country or TO the Re-
publican party.
May Adopt Bloc Policy.
Out OF the confused situation that
existed in both wings Of the Capitol
there developed tendency to adopt
the policy OF the farm bloc in a final
attempt to compel the President and
Congress to sanction the bonus raid
This in effect was threat to defeat
all Government measures unless
bonus bill satisfactory TO the ex-ser-
vice men should be enacted.
The advocates OF this plan urged
the crippling Of the army and navy
by cutting down the appropriations
of those two branches of tie armed
service. Another suggestion was
that President Harding's plan for
ship subsidy of $SO,o0O,0oo be re-
jected.
Realizing that public sentiment is
not only turning away from the
bonus scheme but is becoming de.
cidedly antagonistic to il, the Con
gressional leaders who have com.
mitted themselves TO support OF II
are trying to break down opposition
to the suggestion Of President Har-
ding that sales tax on production
be adopted TO finance the "s5. 5.000,-
100000" enterprise.
Firm Against Sales Tar.
Reaction from the Presidents sug-
sestion in this respect has been any
thing but favorable. The agricult-~sl
sections have instanced their disap-
proval or any kind of sales tax in an
unmistakable manner. The reasons
urged in opposition to IL reflect a con-
fused state of mind. presumably in
spired by lack OF understanding as to
its merits. due TO a very large extent
10 the Misrepresentation OF the leaders
in farm thought. The fact that the
sales tax has proved to be success
in Canada and other countries, with
out aDDrecia blv increasing the burdens
on the people. has been entirely ig-
nored. The sales tax project has many
supporters in Congress who are both
for and against the bonus raid. These
men are convinced that the adoption
Of IL is necessary 10 increase the in
adequate revenues of the Government
for general purposes.
The bonus promoters have seized
upon this tax in their desperation 20
ind some way OF providing the money
for paying the grstuties established
in the i've point soldier compensation
plan They know President Harding
will sign tho bonus bill IL Il carries the
sales tax issue they have the very
best reason for knowing he will veto
any compensation measure which car
ries any other form OF hnanciering
whether based upon bond issues or
other methods OF taxation.
What success, If any, the profes.
sional propagandists and their Con-
gressional supporters will have in beat
ing down the agricultural objections to
the sales tax Is problcmatic. The In
dications arc that Western and South
ern Senator's and Representatives wh3