The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-02-20
House Ways and Means
Committee Refer Matter
to Subcommittee
WHICH WILL TAKE UP
STUDY TOMORROW
Sales Tax Will Be One OF
the Means Investi-
gated

Washington, D. G. Feb. MAJOR
ity members of the House ways and
means committee referred back to-day
to the special tax subcommittee the
whole problem Of how the soldiers
bonus is to be financed. ltwasan-
nounced the subcommittee would
meet to morrow and would go into the
question of sales tax among other
things.
Opponents OF the sales tax began to
lay their plans to-day for fight
against this proposition. Representa-
tive Dickinson, Republican, Iowa, a
leader Of the agricultural bloc, called
meeting OF Republican opponeats for
late to-day. 1t was said that aside
from referring the finance question
to the subcommittee, the majority
members discussed the Fordney bill, as
originally introduced, and approved
some slight changes, 1t is Indicated
that further action by the majority
would await report from the tax
subcommittee.
The statement was made by White
House official to-day that many let
ters and kilograms had reached Presi-
dent Harding opposing enactment at
this time Of bonus legislation, while
the legislative committee 9f the Amer
lear, Legion made public a telegram
from the Legion's national commander,
Hanford MacNider, asking that the
legislation be no longer delayed
The letters reaching the president
opposinp enactment at this time OF boz
nus legislation greatly ontnumbered
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 opposi-
tion can be traced in nearly every case
TO certain selfish interests entrenched
in great financial centers who have the
most TO lose by defeat and who would
profit the most by victory
The commander said the Legion did
not understand first commitment and
then retractionv on the bonus ques-
tion.
Mr.. MacNider declared the Legion
believes that the issue now being
raised relative to the revenue features
required by the president to be IN
cluded in the bill "are being used sole
ly for the purpose OF misleading the
general public" adding that the Le-
gion a believing that it is expressing
the sentiment Of the people OF the
country when il asks that "a commit
ted administration allow the passage
Of what we believe TO be the most con
atructiye measure that can be devised.
The 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 answer has always
been unmistskably.
Had capital and labor been drafted
when mems lives were drafted, the
telegram continued, "the present ag-
gravated situation would not exist.
When il was a question Of reimburs
ing manufacturers for war contracts
never fulfilled. requiring some three
billion dollars, no such hue and cry
was raised. IL was an obligation and
il was paid. Certainly the services OF
the manufacturers, railroad and ship
ping interests were not so much more
patriotic than that Of the men who
offered their lives.
The Legion feels that the nation
wants "this debt recognized and not
confused or endangered by opposition
TO revenue raising riders and asks that
the iive-fold adjusted compensation
bin be passed" Mr.. MacNider said,
adding that "there Is a cash feature,
but with hundreds Of thousands of ex-
service men walking the streets Of our
cities looking for work we do not feel
competent to dictate to these men
their choice"