Evening journal., 1922-02-15
Block Versus Block


paying a cash bonus to ex-service
men of several billions of dollars
are not to have their way. But un-
til it is decided by official Washing
ton that it is better politics to con-
slider the whole country rather than
particular class. there can be no
positive assertion that the bonus bill
will be defeated. The bonus bill
with the cash feature, such as is
proposed will. OF course, have a
most serious effect on national
finances and industry, and among
go chief sufferers will be the ex-
service men.
intelligent ex-service men have
pointed out that there are two i'm
portant phases OF the situation. One
3 'he necessity Of taking care Of the
wounded. The other is the necessity
of providing jobs for ex-service men
in good health and willing to work
who prize their self-respect more
than the few dollars that will be
doled out as a cash bonus. Tie Gov
ernment must take care of the
wounded and dependent to the fun
limit Of its powers. Jobs are not
made easy by paralyzing the indus
try and finances OF the country.
"The burden OF taxation inn
posed upon the American peo-
pie is staggering" as our Re-
publican friends said in their
platform Of 1920 Now they are
in panic haste to add to the bur
den. The House Republican
caucus instructs the Ways and
Means Committee to hurry up
with the bonus bill. The Repub-
licans are deliberate about re-
ducing taxation; to increase it
tLey obey the command "dou-
BILE quick" Nobody knows, and
apparently nobody cares, how
the money is 10 be raised. Yet
how are these deliberate and
deep revolving statesmen to
impose taxes amounting to
SS5O,OOO,OOO or more in the next
two years without bringing
complaints from multitudinous
victims? Never mind. Put a
bonus bill into shape. settle on
what means you can agree upon
for paying the piper, and give
the sacred measure precedence
over all m eaner business.
Blessed example of "a policy OF
rigid economy" In frantic haste
our saints of retrenchment vie
with each other in their passion
to swell taxation and to pile
deficit upon deficit. Government
expenditures for 1922 and 1928
must be cut down 100000 900
to prevent deficits So the Sec
retary of the Treasury vainly
tells that noble mass OF legis-
lators which is Congress. Con-
gress proceeds to spend super
huously three times as much as
It ought to save. Such is the
effective economy and construc-
tive retrenchment," to which
the Republican party pledged
itself-New York Times.
There is a great deal Of food 70
thought in the declaration OF tn,
Committee on Costs, Prices and Ad
justments Of the National Agricul
tural Conference that there is a nc
cessits that labor and capital shal
share equally its dehation. The com
mittee pionts out:
There can be no restoration
OF national prosperity until both
wages and capital, which enter
into the production Of commod-
tiles which the farmer buys.
bear their mutual and just
share in the general process OF
readjustment. Probably the
chief source Of relief which the
farmer may rightfully expect is
in the form Of n readjustment
between the prices Of products
which he buys and which he
sells.
There is no doubt that defatio
must be shared equally and in tn
case Of the railroads. railroad labo
must share in the dehation in wage
now affecting all industries. This
voicing a simple economic truth an
a fact which has been obvious {
!
the period Of dehation set in. Tn
action OF certain OF the union lead
ers in opposing wage reductions wa
due either to economic ignorance O
purely selfish motives. Inasmuch a
a deflation OF wages is such an oh
vious necessity. one cannot assum
that even a union leader can be s
fundamentally ignorant Of a simpl
truth. Is there no way OF convnc
ing union leaders that econ omic la
cannot be interfered with withot
hurting the situation? The new:
paper reports OF the conference sal
that Mr.. Gompers made a dete
mined fight against the resolution
No one will assume for a momei
that Mr. Gompers is unaware OF Il
economic necessity OF proceedir
with denation in the way indicate
in the resolutions. Why, therefor
should he oppose resolution viii,
Is based on merely simple econom
facts and necessities?
Certain newspaper headlines r
Gently have attracted great de
OF attention. In view OF our proi
ise to give more attention to hume
Gus matter in this letter. and in co
formity with the good resom ii,
made, desire to quote the followii
headlines.
The first. from the New York II
bune OF January 25th. is as follow
Hines defends u. S. operation
railroads. Former director genei
denies pay rolls we're increased dl
ing war for political reasons.
The second heading is from t