Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-09-20
THE BONUS VETO.

PRESIDENT Harding has followed the expected
course in vetoing the bonus bill which came to him
for his approval last week. Opinion throughout the
country is sharply divided on the wisdom and pro-
priety of the bonus itself as applied to those former
soldiers who are not injured or disabled. That differ
ence of opinion is found among the ex-service men
as well as others. But the presidents veto is not
based on objection to the bonus as such, but to the
policy of assuming a definite obligation without pro-
viding the means to meet it. In his message to con-
gress on this subject some months ago the president
declared squarely against this policy, admitted the
difficulty that existed in finding a way to raise the
necessary revenues, and suggested as the only means
in sight the imposition of a general sales tax. Con
gress was unwilling to levy the sales tax, and in
that it reflected a: strongly prevalent popular feeling.
No other method Of raising revenue was proposed,
and the bill as passed represents a promise by the
government to pay four billion dollars, with nobody
knows how many billions additional in the way Of
incidentas, without any provision as to how the
money is to be raised,
The passage of the bill in its present form can
only be interpreted as an evasion by congress of it's
own responsibilities, which it has attempted to pass
on to the executive department, while it's members
sought to strengthen their-own position by passing
what they believed was a popular measure. The
president discusses the political angle of the subject
very %pointedly in the following paragraph:
49, 1T is worth remembering tina, the public
credit is founded on the popular belief in the
defensibility of public expenditure. as we'll as
the governments ability to pay: Loans come
from every rank in life, and our heavy tax
burdens reach directly or indirectly every ele-
ment in Our citizenship. To add one-sixth of the
total sum of our public debt for a distribution
among less than five millions out of one hun
dred and ten millions whether inspired by CRATE
tul sentiment or political expediency, would un-
dermlne the confidence on which our credit is
buided, and establish the precedent of distribut-
ing public funds whenever the proposal and the
number affected make it seem politically appeal
The future of the bill is at present in douht
1t seems quite certain that the necessary votes can
be secured in the house topass it over the veto. The
situation in the senate is less clear. It is understood
that the executive department. feels satisfied that
the bill will not receive the necessary two-thirds
vote IN the senate, but supporters Of the bill are said
to feel confident of final passage.
Aside from the bonus proposal itself, or rather,
IN connection with it, the presidents passage con
tains some timely information in compact form on
what the government is now doing to meet it's OBJ
hgations to the former soldiers who are actually and
Immediately in need of assistance. There has been
Icrlticism of the. government on this score, and prob
ABLY some of the criticism has been merited. But a
Trading OF the facts presented. by the president must
1convince anyone that the government has BY no
means been unmindful Of the duty that It owes to
Ithose Of its. citizens who have been injured or dis
abled in its service. Hospital work, educational
work and other rehabilitation work has brought d-
rect and timely benefit to hundreds of thousands 81
men, and this work must be continued and enlarged
Regardless of any other. ssMa 2
The presidents message closes with an in.
lpressive reminder that nations can survive only
where taxationsis restrained from the limits 81 op.
IpresDion, |" and that such "A policy makes u country
ibetter worth living TOR and better worth hghfina
better worth living for and better worth fighting