The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-18
PARTY LEADERS
WORRIED OVER
BONUS DEMAND.
Republicans Hard Put
to Discover Ways to
Satisfy Both Sol
diers and Big Busi-
ness

1lAO1O Ct11o lis oSt0A
ness
Washington. Feb. 13-The po-
5sition Of the administration as to
how tfe funds for the soldiers
bonus should be raised may DC
made known to congress tomorrow.
PRESIDENT Harding and Secretary
! Mellon had a conference today and
were understood to have discussed
the question.
Two plans have been suggested
bs. naenlberS of congress charged
with the reporting of bonus leSis-
Z lation. One by Republican mem
bers Of the house ways and means
committee conten1plates special
taxes. while under the other put
forward by Chairman Mecunber
and Senator Snloot Of Utah, rank
ing Republican OH the finance COM
ra:ttee. short time treasury notes
or bonds would be- issued, during
the time that the cash payments
8 NtFc.s. UIdOc W Vi iolN1Sis ioSA 'ASS
men.
After the White House confer
! S;enee today il was indicated in
some administration quarters that
the treasury secretary. held the
same views with regard to issues Of
notes or bonds that he expressed
IN his recent letter TO. Chairman
& Fordney Of the ways and means
committee. On the other hand.
CONGRESSIONAL leaders said oppo-
sition to the leyyinG of additional
{ taxes at this time was increasing.
1t was understood that. the tax
program drawn by the house sub
COMMITTEE. met Wtlh instant oppo-
sssien when it was presented TO ma
3osity members OF the senate fin
arce, committee. SsbcemMittees
were named TO yfhresh the matter
OFT and after conference with
Secretary Weeks they were un-
derstood to- have presented the
two proposals to the president.
While the president was consid-
ering the. matter. the ,suocomnit-
tees marked time today. Senator
McCnnlber said he expected to- get
the presidents views tomorrow.
bat added .hact he was not advised
as TO how they -W'en!d be coinnuni-
-cated.
The bonus question was discussed
today beth in the senate and house,
Senator BorSh iRepubiicanl Of
Idaho brought up. the subject in
the senate. declaring :i,at the de-
nlands for q bonus for former SER
vice men who. were not impaired
physically or mentally as result
Z of their war service might en-
barrass the government in taking
s care Of wounded ard disabled men.
The idaho senator declared that
s75.080,000s0o0 was q conservative
estimate Of what it would cost the
government to care for al. disabled
men before the governments obli
CATION to them would be diSc:,ars-
ed. lie said that. l.. his judgment.
il would be q matter OF only ten
Years before congress would be ap-
prepriating Sl.500,000.0 900 annual
~ for the necessities OF disabled
men.
The bonus was brought before
the House by Representative Nc
Gregor (Republican of New
York. who urged that the funds Tor
it be raised by means OF taxes ON
light wines and beer.
Senator Edge tRepublican) Of
New Jersey in formal statement
declared that while he had not yet
taken a final position on the bonus
legislation IF the billions necessary
to pay the proposed bonus are to
be raised through further taxa
ton upon business and industrial
enterprises then l am against it.
and. in my judgment. we are sim
ply putting Off just that much long
er resumption Of industrial and
business activity necessary to les
sen present unemployment"
~ congress would adopt as the
method OF raising revenue" he
added. "a general sales tax. so that
everybody. rich and poor. accord
ing to their expenditures would
thus pay their proportion and the
policy of the sales tax be placed
on the statute books. SO that it
could be used for obtaining Eeccs-
sary governmental revenue in the
future and permis congress TO cut