The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-08-23
BONUSDEMAND
MUST BE met,
SEN. M 'CUMBER
Finance Chairman Says Bill
Equalizes Pay of Men Called
to Colors With Those Who
Stayed at Home.
SENATE PASSAGE SURE
(By Associated Press)

actment of soldiers bonus legislation
at this session Of congress is de
manded by every precept of financial
justice and every principle of political
honor, Chairman McCumber of the
financial committee, declared today
in opening the 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 znisnomer, Senator McCumber
said the purpose was to equalize in
measure the pay of the men called
to the colors with that received by
those who stayed at home and profit
ed by what he characterized as a
wild, drunken orgy of extravaganza
that accompanied the war"
The finance committee chairman
told the senate the time had come for
congress to show that it was mot
attempting to play politics with the
American soldier" that it was acting
in good faith" when it passed the
first bonus bill just before the. cleo
tion in 1920.
Uges Debts Used
Senator McCumber argued that the
funds necessary for the financing of
the bonus legislation could be obtain
ed from the refunded foreign debt
and that If the refunding were not
completed when it became effective
the interest from the British debt,
which he said, the British government
already had planned to pay, would be
sufficient
Explaining the provisions of the bill
as reported. he said the cash provision
had been eliminated except in the
case of veterans entitled to $50 or
less, with the total of these payments
estimated at $16,000,0O0 to be paid
next year, and that in its place had
been substituted a certificate plan
with loan privileges. He estimated
that rs per cent of the veterans would
accept the certificate option.
The next plan, he went on, IS the
vocational training aid under, which
the government would advance the
amount due a soldier on the basis of
81 day for domestic service and
S1.25 a day for foreign service, to be
applied toward his vocational training
The final option is the farm or home
aid, by which the sum due the veteran
would be advanced to him as might be
necessary. to be applied toward the
purchase price of home or a farm.
Satisfactory to Vets
''The bill as reported is satisfactory
to the soldiers" continued Mr., Nc
Cumber. "It ought not to be mate
rally changed.
Twenty millions given in charity to
Russia, $25,000,000 to salve Colombia
sentiment, S20,O0O.00O for ship sub
sidy-and not a ripple of comment! !!
We talk of $125,000,00 for good roads,
or two or three hundred millions to
assist railroads, all in a single year,
as if they amounted 10 nothing. Why
on earth, then, should be approach
this soldiers compensation bill as
though it were an obligation requiring
a special tax levy?"
Passage Is Certain.
While passage of the bill by the
senate, eventually was regarded as a
certainty, there was no assurance of
action in the immediate future Nego-
tiations for an agreement fixing 4
definite date for a vote with an inter
veniQg recess of the senate was con-
tinued but without success. Some
progress was made, however, oppon.
ents of any recess aggreeing to a
short vacation providing the bill was
taken up later with an agreement that
is should not be supplanted.
Aside from the uncertainty as to the
time for action in the senate, friends
and foes of the bill alike were in the
dark regarding President Harding's at
titude. The last official word from
the exeeutive-eXpressed just beforc
the house acted last March-was thai
congress either find some means ol
financing the legislation or postpone
its enactment The bill does not carry
/ this means, and some of those close
to the president said he was still dis
posed to veto it.
Friends Optimistic.
Some proponents of the Legislation
were optimistic however, contendins
that since the bill would entail NJ
heavy draft on the treasury until afte
the refusing of the short-time publi
debt had been completed the basis o
the presidents objection to taxles
bill had been removed. They argue'
that the interest from the British deb
would take care of the payments 70
the first three years, at least, AM
looked for the president to approx
such use of this fund.
Another move was reported on foo
TO get a more definite expression fror
the executive but there was doub
whether it would succeed as Mr.. Hare
ing was said not to be disposed to di:
cuss the measure further with senat
leaders.
Opponents of the legislation elaine
strength of 35 votes, not sufficient t
prevent it's passage but more tha
enough to sustain an executive veto.