Evening journal., 1922-08-28
BONUS SENATORS
in Vote GAMBLE
Continued from First Page.

and blame their incompetent Con
gressional leaders or the Democratic
minority for their failure to provide
an acceptable tariff bill, carry out
the pledges OF economy and protect
the resentful taxpayer from the avar-
ice and mendacity of harassing NIL
nority groups.
More excuses and explanations,
4. unsupported by legitimate reasons,
will probably be offered by Repub-
lican candidates than in any previous
Congressional campaign. IT will
largely be the case of blaming the
other fellows for what they them
selves promised but failed to do.
With the incomplete tariff bill
tucked away in conference for an in
definite period-possibly until after
the elections-the immediate con-
Germ of actual or potential candi-
dates for reelection or denomination
to Congress revolves around the S5,-
900. 100000 bonus bill
Torn by conflicting emotions be-
tween personal ambitions TO win the
support of the soldier voters of the
country and fhe taxpayers. the Sem
ate will probably dispose of the Nc
Cumber proposal to pay Government
cash TO able-bodied eX-service men
during the next three or four days.
No legislative project in many years
has caused so much anguish TO in
dividual Congressman who gave
their individual pledges TO put
through a bill legalizlng the bonus
undertaking.
The distress of some OF the
Senators who attach importance 10
the political support of the soldier |
boys demanding the bonus is
pathetic. The knowledge that
veto awaits the McCumber
enterprise at the White House |
is held TO be less important by the
supporters OF the measure than the
possibility Of reprlsals at the hands
of taxpayers who, in the last analy-
sis. viii be called on to pay the bill.
II the majority of the Senators for
the McCumber scheme were assured
the soldiers claiming the benefits
provided were able to supply more
votes than the taxpayers can with
hold, the problem confronting them
would be easy OF solution. The rub
is that the Senators who have gone
out on limb" as it were, are less
confident of the military element to
deliver the goods than they were five
or six months ago. The majority of
them are going to take a chance
anyway depending on the organized
soldier element either to outvote tn
taxpayer or mollify the latter on
election day.
In permitting 10 TO be known that
he will veto the bonus bill the Presi-
dent has furnished members of his
party in Congress with another
grievance against him. They believe
he should have permitted them to
the soldier voters that their
individual pledges to put through
bonus bill imposed an obligation on ,
their respective parties. A great I
many members OF Congress believe
their personal pledge Is actually
party obligation.
The trouble is thirty-three OF the
ninety-six Senators hold an entirely ,
different view on the subject. This
is not, of course. enough TO ,
prevent the passage OF the McCur.-
ber BILL II the matter rested there ,
he Senators and Representative /,
seeking reelection, the soldier vot-
srs demanding a bonus and their
would be completely :
iatisfied-everybody in fact, except :
'ossibly the taxpayers.
Hard Nut to Crack.
Getting the bonus bill through the {
Senate is not, therefore, difficult s
problem. Repassing it over the
Presidential veto presents a hard h
tut to crack. It requires two s.
birds vote to repass a bill on which +
President puts the Indian sign, as II
Mr.. Harding has already indicated n
lie will put on the bonus bill. The e.
most ardent Senate supporters of Il
he bonus know that their side can r,
lot muster the number of votes nee o
ssary to override a veto. o
This is because somewhere be- a
ween five and twelve Senators who d
will vote for the measure in the in
rst instance will finally accept the
Judgment of the President and re- W
use to repeat. Senators Of this h
rame OF mind believe that by vot- Fl
lg for the bill in the first instance m
hey will have squared their account al
nth their soldier constituents ci
The objections of the President
nd members of his Cabinet to the III
onus plan are based mainly on It.
grounds The President tn
-ould probably like nothing better ro
ian to be able to comply with the pl
emands of the minority soldier m
roup. He would cheerfully afix ID
is approval to bill to award Gov Sc
cash to every man and wo- NJ
ian who rendered military service an
uring the world war If there was II
ny cash on hand to give them. ID,
As the Treasurer is burdeDed with
4 immediate deficit of $500. 900 600 ST,
stead of a surplus of $4,000, 0OO.- wi
'O' which would be required to liy
TRY out the terms of the McCum- re
n bill, he is forced to disregard Pc
IS amiable inclinations in the mat ed
r. The President and Secretary ba
ellon have pointed out that the -
ily way to provide the stupendous ~.
mount that would be required to -.
lance It would be to impose fur ~ ~.
er burdens of taxation on the ~ ~
'ople of the country. li
Every attempt OF the supporters pr
the bonus in both Houses TO de- ar
'lop source ofrevenue aside from cla
creased taxation to finance the no
mus bill has failed. Hence the tht
mplexities of the situation
But even the facts relating to the 90
)vernment's financial condition pie
I'VE failed TO sWerve the ,,,aio,.f.,, ser