The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-03-26
BONUS ID HAVE
 ROUGH SAILING
 IN UPPER HOUSE
Many Able Senators Will 0p- pose Measure as Passed by House-Is Termed
 Bogus" Bill
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau. The AEe-Herald.

500 Davidson Building.
 Washington, March 25.-(Specail.) The bonus bill in the Senate will be an altogether different story. in it's indicated.
 The House openly played politics. It defied the President, the Secretary of the Treasury, the governor of the federal reserve board and all other administrative officers with knowl-' edge of the financial condition of the country.
 It passed its bill, without provision for raising the money it would ap- propriate, by virtue. of a gag rule. Debate was limited to four Hours. Tho rule made it impossible for the chair to entertain proposed amend nlents.
 In the Senate, 1t will be different. Certainly there will be prolonged de- bate. The House in the meantime Is as happy as a schoolboy. It has shouted its responsibility to an other.
 ADic Mch OppOst oohun
 Very able men in the Senate op- rose the bonus. Some of them oppose the idea of rewarding with money those who served their country from a sense of patriotism and returned uninjured. Others regard the present as an inopportune moment for the country to assume new and prodi- g.ous financial obligations. Others will be deterred through the attitude of the President and his fiscal han dicap the country in caring for vet erans who are still sufferers from sickness and wounds.
 Senator Borah, one of the ablest members of the republican party in the Senate, holds the latter view. A recent speech stressing his idea moved the Senate. Some of the ablest democrats oppose the bonus. Among them are Senators Shields of Ten nessee, Williams of Mississippi, Pom creme of Ohio, Underwood of Ala hama, Both South Carolina senators, on another occasion, opposed the bonus.
 Political Consideration
 The House acted from political consideration. It is regarded as doubtful, however, that it is gooo politics to support the bonus. In the south half of its benedciaries will pc negroes who do not vote. Half of the uninjured southern veterans are not clamoring for payment for thelr services.
 All business men, it is indicated snd the flood of protests reaching members of Congress tends to prove it-oppose the bonus. It's effect on economic conditions Is feared by them The comptroller of the treas- ,,rv has stated that if the certificate scheme. which succeeded in the House ;s made law, he will advise banks to decline loans on such papei "Frozen" credit, he argued, would staenate trade for a long number or years.
 To cap the climax, there is every reason to believe that there VIII pc no bonus Neither house would ac- cept a sales tax scheme Tor the pro- 6uction of essential revenue with ,rhicb to meet the bonus. Without such a tax the President, it is empha- sived by those in position to speak, would veto the bill.
 Chamber of Commerce Opposes
 The United States Chamber or Commerce, bitterly opposing ene bonus. but on account or US impol Isnt membership deserving of an ex- nresslon. has compiled statistics tending to indicate the effect of the bonus bill if 1t is enacted. It says:
 Tt would increase by IT per cent the present public debt. In amount, inc bill is twice as large as the nrs' Liberty loan. It would add ss'Voo'- ooo to the average mortgage or soo, ooo 100 on every congressional sdis' t,ict It would increase by S2O0 the
 s.an+ mortgage indebtedness or avery family in the United States which now Is s1,135. The per capita debt which jumped from ss.Ss Tn 1918 to s21s.73 in 1921 would Jump to s260"
 The democratic national commit, tee terms the bonus bill which passeo the House the bogus" bill. Tne president likewise views-pernaps terms-it.