Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-24
ADOPT SOLDIERS
BONUS BILL, IS
SENATORS PLEA
Justice Demands Enactment
of Legislation at This
Session of Congress, Nc
Cumber Declares.

(By The Associated PressO
Washington, Aug. 2S.--Enact-
ment of soldiers bonus legislation at
this session of congress is demand
ed by every preCept Of financial
Justice and every principle of polit-
zeal honor, Chairman McCumber
of the finance committee, declared
today in opening senate debate on
the amended house bill, with its
bank loan certificate provision in
lieu Of the original proposal for a
cash bonus.
Asserting that the term bonus '
was a misnomer. Senator Nc
Cumber said the purpose was 20
eoualize in a measure the pay of
+he men called to the ColOrs with
that received by those who stayed
at home and profited by what he
characterized as a wild, drunken
orgy of eXtravaganCe that accom-
panied the war"
The finance committee chair
man told the senate the time had
como for congress to show that 1t
was not attempting to play poll
tics with the American soldier,
that it was acting in good faith
when it passed the first bonus just
before the elections in 1920.
1.-THE president in his campaign
of 1920 declared himself in favor
of some kind Of a soldiers COM
nensation bill" he continued. Re
publicans both in the campaign
and on the floor of the senate have
reiterated their determination 10
make good these promises. They
were made in good faith and that
good faith will be manifested By
the vote on this measure
Present Day Conditions.
Referring to the position taken
bv President Harding and Secre-
tarv Mellon last year when the e%-
ecutive asked the senate to defer
action on the bonus bill because OF
the financial condition Of the
treasury, Senator McCumber re-
ouested that they now view the
legislation Gin the light or pres
emit day conditions
These changed conditions Ger
tainly must appeal to the Judg-.
ment for a revision Of the views OF
q year ago, adding that the gov
eminent could meet every dol!ar
this bill will call for without an
additional tax levy and without
the slightest degree affecting
the refunding of any unpaid short
time obligations.
Senator McCumber argued that
the funds necessary for the financ-
ing of the bonus legislation could
he obtained from the refunded for
eign debt, and that If the refund
ing were not completed when II
became effective the interest rom
the British debt, which. he SAID
the British government had al
ready planned to pay, would be
sufficient.
should Settle With Debtors.
In this connection, he declared
that to his mind there had been
an unnecessary delay in funding
the foreign obligations, adding
that there should be a settlement
with the principal debtors, Great
britain. France and Italy, by next
January l. ,-..,o
AS to the cost of the legislation
Mr.. McCumber estimated this at d
total of $3,S45,O00,000 spread over
forty years. For the next calendar
year he placed the cost at 81 .44o'-
$50, increased to $95,l77,129 tor
1924 and decreased to 3,lOu,9o1
in 1925, The cost would run into
several hundred millions in 1926, !
when the veterans could call on the
for loans on the ad- |
iusted service certificates, but he
said that by 1880 the cost annually |
would drop to $21, 100000 with only /
a very few millions thereafter UNI |
til 1913, when the certificates |
would come due.
Provisions of Bill.
Explaining the provisions OF the |
bill as reported, he said, the cash
provision had been eliminated eX-
cept in the case Of veterans entitled |
TO $50 or less, with the total of
these payments estimated at Sl6,- |
100000 to be paid next year ana
that in its place had been suostl-
tuted certificate plan with loan
privileges.
The next plan, he declared, Is
The vocationa. training, under
which the government would al
vance the amount due soldiers on
the basis of 81 d day for domestic |
service and $l25 day for foreign |
service to be applied towards ms
vocational training. The final OPP
ton is the farm or home aid, by |
which the sum due the veterans
would be advanced to them as .
might be necessary to be applied
towards the purchase price of
home or a farm.
The bill as reported is satlsfac-
tory to the soldiers, continued MI !
McCumber. 1t ought not 10 be ma
terially changed.
"Twenty millions given in charity |
10 Russia, $4,000, 600 to salve Co .
lombian sentiment, $20,O0O,OOO for
shin subsidy and not ripple OF
we talk of $l25,OOO,OOo
for good roads, or two or three |
millions to assist railroads, |
all in a single year as II they |
amounted to nothing. Why on earth |
then should we approach this SOL
diers' compensation bill as though /.
it were an obligation requiring a |
special tax levy or as one endan-
gering the refunding of short time |
obligations
Point Barrow, the largest Eskimo |
in Alaska, has seven white |
peope and 500 Eskmos. 1t also
IL. L, Il hi - q