Omaha daily bee., 1922-03-08
Bonus Bill
Approved
by Majority
Republicans Favor Measure
Introduced by Chairman
fordney-Passage Is
Predicted.
May Be Called Monday


promise soldiers bonus bill. carry
ing bank loan provision IN plae'
OF the cash insiallment payment plan
originally proposed and once ap
proved by the house. finally wa
agreed TO today By republican mem
bers Of the ways and means commit,
tee, II was introduced later IN th,
house by Chairman Fordney. whc
announced that il would not b,
called up until next Monday. il then
Passage OF the bill was predicted
By Mr.. Forduey His opinion ap
peared 10 be shared BY members o
the house generally. some OF whom
said that on the final vote party lines
would disappear. There was somt
speculation in house lobbieS aud cor
ridors as TO President Harding's
views OF the compromise plan ant
also as 10 whether he would find
occasion to express those views be-
fore the house voted.
Harding's Stand Unknown.
AT the White House. il was said
that Mr.. Harding had not studied
and. consequently, had not formed
an opinion as to the bank loan pro
vision. He was represented. how
ever, as maintaining the same posi-
tion that he did when he wrote Mr.
Fordney on February 10 that the
bonus either should be paid by q
sales tax or the legislation postponed
Some Of the majority members OF
the committee believe that since the
new plan dcfers Tor three years any
large drain on the federal treasury
the president will not object to it
They say the compromise will en-
able needy veterans to obtain cash
without the necessity OF imposing ad-
ditional taxes on the general public.
lust when the bill will be called
up in the house will not be decided
until after Mr.. Fordney returns from
a trip to the west. on which he start
ed late today. Should the bill be
taken up next Monday, the house
would proceed to its consideration
under a suspension Of the rules
which would prevent amendment. II
taken up later, Mr.. Fordney said.
there would have to be a special
rule. II was expected that this
would be so drawn as to give prec-
edence to committee amendments,
a plan designed to prevent the OPEN
ing up of the bill to general amend
ment.
Similar to House Bill.
MIR. Fordney said the entire ways
and means committee would meet
when the democrats would
haS,s. an opportunity to pass Judg-
nent on the bill. Meantime the
measure VII be printed so that they
and house members generally can
study its provisians.
Aside from they substitution OF the
bank loan provision for the cash pay
ment plan. the bill as introduced is
very similar to that previously
passed by the house. The only inn
mediate cash payments proposed are
to veterans whose adjusted service
pay would not exceed $50. Other
veterans could select one of these
four options:
Adjusted service certificate, COM
bining loan and insurance plan.
Vocational training.
Farm and home aid.
Land settlement.
Cost Will Vary.
The ultimate cost OF the bonus to
the government. it was said, would
deuend upon the number of men
selecting each of the options. 1t was
estimated that the immediate cash
payment to those entitled to not more
than $50 each would be around Sl6,-
100000. The final cost might range
all the way from Sl000,000,000 to
81. S00,00O,O00, the maximum figure
being predicted upon all Of the vet
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