The New York herald., 1922-02-28
BONUS Is COMPARED
TO TIPPING SERVANT
American Economist Tariff
League Periodical, Believes
Proposal Is Insult.

Under the heading, "The Bonus Bill
Should Not Pass" the current issue of
the American Economist the weekly
organ of the American Protective Tariff
League, publishes an editorial in opposi-
ton to the bonus. 1t also reprints an
editorial on the bonus question published
in THE NEW York HERALD on February
IA. The American Economist says:
'The American Economist is opposed
to the passage OF the bonus bill. That
is not because we do not favor any
measure calculated for the benefit of the
soldiers, provided such measure is feas-
ible and proper. We can never repay
the soldiers for what they underwent in
the war, just as we have never been able
to repay those who fought in the civil
nor would 1t greatly benefit them.
'In fact we incline to the opinion that
1t would damage more than 1t would
benefit. The service and sacrifices of
the soldiers can never be paid in dollars
and cents. The attempt to cancel the
debt in that manner Is an insult to their
patriotism.
"No man worthy to enter the army
to fight for his country did so for the
money there was in 1t. Therefore the
soldiers in the late war are not entitled
to anything more than the regular pay
ment prescribed by existing law. They
are no more entitled to additional pay
than are the President of the United
States or the members of Congress. A
bonus Is gratuity, a tip such as Is
handed to a servant in addition to his
wages. We do not believe that the great
body of the patriotic soldiers of the
United States want to be in the position
Of demanding tips
1--WE believe that the vast majority of
those who enlisted or were drafted in the
late war were animated by the purest
patriotism, the loftiest sentiments of
service to country and sacrifice of self.
We can never do too much for them, nor
do we think that those who went forth
to offer their lives. IL need be. for the
sake of family and country are now
willing TO turn around and demand that
the country bankrupt itself to pay for
those sacrifices in dollars and cents
1.-The soldiers bonus means increasing
the national Indebtedness by over five
billions of dollars. and that at a time
when we are all groaning under the in
tolerable burden Of debt and taxes Yet
It means little to the individual soldier.
Fifty dollars every three months for a
limited period OF time will not place
sny soldier upon his feet financially.
but we would gladly see the soldiers
receive the bonus, would be glad to
have IL doubled or trebled, IL only the
country were in any condition to pay it,
but 1t Is not. We are already in debt
twenty-three billion dollars on account
of the late war, and the bonus would
or twice as much for the bonus alone
as the total Indebtedness incurred
through the civil war.
What we do favor most. insistently
Is that the Government care for the sick
and wounded soldiers and for the fam
lilies of those who lost their lives In war.
That is the supreme duty of the milton,
and it is the duty OF those soldiers who
are sound in health and limb to sacri-
flee the little that might come to them
from any possible bonus. so that those
who are in want and suffering may re-
ceive the help they so much need. That
is the true soldierly spirit.
Elsewhere in this issue, under the
heading. TO the American People, we
reprint an editorial which appeared In
the February IA issue of THE New
YORK HERALD which very ably discusses
the bonus from an economic and politi-
cal standpoint. We commend its care
full perusal to our readers"