The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-03-08
Soldier Bonus Measure VIII Be
Z Little Changed Now.
Harding Satisfied With Plan,
House Committee Believes.
VOTE MARCH 20 PROBABLE
Proponents of the Sales Tax
May Open Fire.
BiIPs Opponents Say 1t VIII
Initiate Credits.

Washington, March S.-A delay OF
ninety days in enactment of the bo-
nus legislation was suggested by Pres
ident Harding late today as an alter
native for the imposition OF a sales
tax. Representative Hawley of ore
gon, a Republican member OF the
ways and means committee, said.
I'm making the bill effective on
October 1, 1922. or four months be-
yond the suggested ninety days" said
Hawley. the committee has met that
suggestion. 1t was stated that the
president had approved the optional
plans of the bill, but it was not known
whether the bank loan provision had
been placed before him.
Washington, March s.-Republican
leaders disclose today that they were
considering a plan to put the soldiers
bonus bill thru the house under a sus-
pension of the rules, which would
shut out amendments OF any kind and
limit debate to forty minutes.
Under this plan a two-thirds vote
would be necessary to pass the meas
ure, but leaders believed on the basis
of present sentiment among members
that this majority could be obtained
with votes to spare. Monday. March
20. will be the next rules suspension
cay.
May 10 over Week.
The army appropriation bill will be
taken up before the bonus measure, it
'. as sad, probably next Tuesday This
probably would mean that I'm any
event the bonus bill would be put over
until the week following
Despite some criticism of the meas
ure in and out of congress Chairman
Fordney and his co-workers believe
it will encounter only comparatiyeIy
feeble opposition in the house unless
there is an unexpected reaction
among the great majority OF members
who have been insistent that some
sort of bonus legislation be enacted at
this session.
Expect Fight for Sales Tax.
just what will happen to the bill N
the senate appears at this time prob
leinatical. There the measure will he
open to amendment and also TO un-
limited debate and it is regarded as
more than probable that it will be
subjected to change in some impor-
tant particulars.
Since President Harding advised
the house committee to pay the bonus
with sales tax or POSTPONE the Iegis-
lation, it is expected that sales tax
proponents in the senate Will renew
their fight.
Among house members generally
mere was more discussion today as 10
how the president viewed the bill than
mere was about its probable fate after
Trainers Believe Harding Satisfied.
Framers of the measure appeared to
DC fairly confident that IL would not
meet with the executives disapprovaI
because II removed what they said was
the funfRmental objection to the cash
bonus plan-an immediate drain on
the federal treasury
Some opponents of the measure I'm
the house predicted that the bill would
be unsatisfactory to both the country
and service men. They contended ibat
1t would not enable the men TO gtt
as much cash I'm three years as they
would have received under the original
cash plan, and that the proposed ad-
vances by the banks. IL made. would
initiate credits to the extent of half a
billion or more dollars over the period
of the bank loans, thus increasing iiv-
ing costs.
Say Balance Would BE Kept.
Proponents of the bank loan plan
argued that thru this provision the
men could obtain Immediately a far
larger sum than they would have re-
ccived under the cash installment' pay
ment plan originally proposed and this
without the imposition of any addi-
tional taxes.
They contended also that when the
treasury would begin to pay out money
it could reasonably be assumed that
there would be funds TO IN eet the pay
ments thru reduced government ex-
penses and receipts from the refunded
foreign loan.