Evening journal., 1922-05-30
BONUS DEADLOCK.
end IN SIGHT.
CONTINUED From First Page }

I
were Smoot (Utah). Frellngh
IN. j.. Calder IN. ", Dillingham;
(Vt.) and Mclean (Conn.). These
were Joined by Senator John Sharp
Williams Dem, Miss.). The Re
publican Senators who sided with
Mr.. McCumber were Curtis (Kan.),
Watson Qnd.), Sutherland wv. Va.)
and La Toilette (Wis.). These were
Joined by Simmons IN. CO., Jones
IN. NJ, Gerry (R. ID and Walsh
(Mass.). Senator Reed (No.), who
is for the bonus. was represented by
proxy.
The newly-formed alliance of
Democratic and Republican Senators
was dictated solely by a desire to
win the support of bonus claimants
among the ex-service men for indi-
vidual Senators. This desire is pred
icated on the theory that the voters
of the country generally do not In
dorse the adverse opinion expressed
| by the citizens of Illinois, Indiana,
/ Pennsylvania and oregon regarding
the IS 1000. 900 900 looting enterprise
The most significant development |
of the muddle over the bonus in the /
Senate is that there will not be Re-
publican votes enough to put II over |
in the first instance and probably !
not a sufficient number to override
a presidential veto, which Is ex-
pected by both sides.
The important thing is TO get the
bonus to a ballot to give candidates
for reelection an alibi, which they
believe will save them from the
threatened political reprisals of
doubtful number of ex-service men
who place a commercial value on
their patriotic services.
Under the terms OF the deal which
the bonus Republicans have made
with the bonus Democratic Senators.
1t is hoped to present the scheme to
the country as a bipartisan produc-
ton. The fact is. the action of the
Democratic Senators in indicating
their approval of the Republican
bonus scheme fixes the responsibility
for imposing further and stupendous
burdens of taxation on the people
squarely on Democatic shoulders
despite the charges of waste and ex- {
travagance against the majority. /
Democratic members of the ]
Finance Committee who indicated
their readiness to help report out a I
bonus bill frankly admit they do l
not like any of the projects con- /
cocted by the Republicans in the
House and Senate. They will seek !
to amend the moDgrel Fordney-Mc- {
Cumber measure to provide for the
payment of cash down to every serv-
ice man who would be entitled to it =
under the measure.
They will then offer all sorts of
absurd proposals designed to hood
wink the ex-service men into think
ing the Democratic party would be
more generous in recklessly squan-
dering the taxpayers money if they
had the power. OF course, they
would do nothing of the sort II they
did have the power, but they be-
lieve these gestures will impress the
service voters as sincere.
Alternative Procedure.
Failing in these efforts to throw
the Republican Treasury wide
open to the bonus raiders, two r
thirds of the Democratic Senators (
will support the McCumber pro- !,
posal. which will Immediately i'm 7
l..
taxpayers and at the end of three r
years compel the raising Of nearly \
S4O0. 100000 more. The McCumber a
proposal would cost the country
SO. 500, 100000. which. with the ad-
and interest charges,
would amount to around S5, ,OOO,OOO,- q,
OOO .
The larger the tax on the voter, y
the greater will be the pleasure of y
the Democratic Senators. They en-
tirely overlook the fact that they II
will be held Indirectly responsible G.
FOR their own votes, with which the
raid can only be legislatively legal
zed. Nothing could illustrate bet
.er the Generalization of the Demo- II
,ratic eparty in Congress at least a
han the pronunciation Of the pol fl
cies of the Wilson Administration =
n dealing with the subjects OF Ia
bonuses and pensions growing out ia
II the late war. OF
Mr.. Wilson and Mr. McAdoo urged CT
he adoption of the war risk plan
md the creation of a bureau to pro- do
'lde for the MANNED, sick and dis in
lbled soldiers as substitute for We
NE Government has already ex- th
Iended $500, 900, 900 In caring for va
isabled veterans. &C
Democratic Senators who have
repudiated their leaders IN
throughout the present Congress. h;
re inspired by a two-fold purpose be
giving aid and comfort to the Re- at
ublican bonus Senator'S who want of
ne Government to pay their per- w
onal obligations of a political char to
cter. ia
The first is to force the Republi- sw
an party to repudiate its pledges to on
ractice retrenchment and economy bo
, the administration of the Govern tn
,ent. The second theory on which
10 Democratic bonus Senators are tn
roceeding is that the votes of ser tn
ce men may give them control of ar
,e next House of Representatives ha
nd. in a remote contingency. OF the an
snate. th'
The fallacy OF such expectations re,
as already been pretty well ex- fill
loded by the voters OF Pennsyl- of
ania and other States which have gr;
elected candidates for the Senate an
nd the House committed to the sui
onus and elected those of pro- the
ounced opposing Views act
Absolutely no mention was made Is
t the conference of Republican and mo
democratic Finance Committeeman ne
,day of a method for financing the of
onus raid. Republican and Demo- pu
ratio Senators both in and out of
he committee, did not appear to re- Gu