Evening star., 1922-11-18
EXPECT PRESIDENT
TOACT ON BONUS
Some Concrete Proposal Be-
lieved LikeIy-Friends
Urge Him to Lead.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE,

Prohibition and soldier bonus we're
of sufficient Importance In the last
elections as to be considered today
by political Washington as tho lead
ing domestic issues before the coup-
try. President Harding has limited
that there is a shifting of views on
prohibition. and there are rumors
that he himself will do some shift
ing on the bonus.
Authorized spokesmen for the
President say he will veto any bill
passed by Congress similar to the ore
put up to him earlier this year. But
concrete in the way of u bonus pro-
posal may be expected from the ex-
ecutive. Whether mention will be
made of the subject in the message
to be read to Congress, at the regu-
determined. but there are many
among the Presidents friends who
advise him to take the initiative in
the matter of adjusted compensation
for the soldiers and propose some-
thing that his party can unite on.
$3.50 Basis Urged.
The latest suggestion which has
found support in administration
quarters, though it cannot be said
that Mr.. Harding will be won over
to it. is one that looks to the fed
eral government and the states to
enter into combination on a sort
of fifty-fifty proposition just as has
been the case with good roads, The
federal government appropriates on
condition that an equal sum is raised
by state. and the quotas are diveded
according to the needs of the states.
Twenty-seven out Of the forty-eight
states of the Union are willing to give
bonuses: Last week, Illinois, Iowa,
ifornia voted soldier bonuses. Seven
teen states acted earlier. namely, Maine,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan,
Minnesota. Missouri. Nebraska. New
Hampshire, New Jersey. North Dakota,
kota. Vermont. Washington ana Wis
consin. In addition Colorado voted 5000
each to ex-servtce men for vocational
training. New York state went on
record in favor Of q s45, 100000 bonus.
dinlculties. Pennsylvania's legislature,
in 1921. authorized submission Of a con.
stttuttonal amendment involving $685.
100000. but this is expected to be sub
mitted again by the new legislature.
Other States Wait.
Twenty.seven out of forty-eieht rep
resents a majority. but It doesn't reflect
the true extent of the bonus sentiment,
for many states have been waiting on
the federal government, and the bonus
movement hasn't received the impetus
it would otherwise receive 3f the states
were to know they were required to CO.
operate with the federal government.
President Harding is in favor of
the bonus in principle. His whole
argument has been that the federal
government couldn't AFFORD to add to
tended that the United States wasn't
wealthy enough to pay a bonus. but
he has plainly feared the effects of
piling the public debt higher. To i'm
pose the burden on the states, or to
share the debt with the states. would
posais. and there is a chance that
some plan Of this kind would win
executive favor.
Fails in Six states.
Six states-Delaware, Maryland,
Indiana, Tennessee. Texas and Utah
have considered the bonus without
favorable action, but il the federal
government submitted a proposition
of corporation there il reason to be-
lieve the question would receive dif.
ferent treatment. The argument is
made by proponents Of the plan that
the states are better able to finance
the bonus than ia the federal gov
ernment.
Certainly some Of the states have
not yet been made to realize the ne
cessity for economy in the balancing
Of their budgets, and the grant Of .
bonus may have the effect Of making
many states take better account Of
their fiscal conditions. Also, As In
come taxes of the states are not at.
ficiently gathered in all cases. The
appropriation of a bonus would have
q far-reachinG effect on state taxa
ton.
There will no doubt be an attempt
made to make the states shoulder the
entire burden. but the American Le-
gion would hght that tooth and nail,
as It means Il long -drawn-out process
without certainty of favorable action
in the end. One cannot be sure how
the legion would view evsA . COM
bined federal government and state
proposal, but if President Harding
government passed legtslatiosf prom.
probably feel that half loaf was
better than none and would assist In
the campaign in the states.