Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-26
SENATE WILL VOTE
ON BONUS TUESDAY
Unanimous-C Consent Agreement
to Push Measure Through
Speedily
REED IS AGAINST BILL

Washington. Aug. GA unan-
nous consent agreement TO take up
the Soldiers Bonus Bill Monday and
push 1t to final vote was entered into
by the Senate.
Tuesday It was agreed that after q
y. NJ. Monday no Senator should speak
more than once nor longer than twenty
minutes on any amendment.
Reed Against the Bill
Senator Reed. Republican, Pennsyl-
vania in his maiden speech yesterday
in the Senate. declared his opposition to
the bill. Speaking as former serv-
ice man. he declared veterans who had
given the matter study were more anx-
ious to see the national debt paid off and
taxes reduced than they were to see the
bonus bill passed.
Il am not willing. in army slang. to
pass the buck to the President.' said
senator Reed. land I therefore shall
vote against this bill now.
Senator Reed told the Senate II was
idle to say that the men should be paid
for the dangers they encountered on
the battlefield, adding that this service
could not be appraised In dollars and
cents. He asserted also II was idle to
say tn1t 1lle lutH Lhuot pt buib "
sure their loyalty"
Senator Reed had refused to commit
himself respecting the bill. and his vote
was claimed by both sides. Now he has
made known to the Senate just how he
regards the measure.
The Senator s vote Is Of the greatest
Importance. not because II can prevent
the massage Of the bill, but be-
cause II the bill is vetoed by the Presi-
dent II will give the opponents of the
measure sufficient votes 70 sustain the
veto. The latter claim that they have
rositive assurances from the President
that he will disapnrove the bill, and
because Of those assurances they we're
extremely anxious 10 gain Senator
Reeds support for their side. Senator
Pepper had declared himself against
the bonus when he first became n mem
/ Der Of the Senate.
Won't Override Veto
/ Advocates Of the proposed additional
! comncnsat!on to the ex soldiers declare
! that the bill will pass the Senate by
! Mt least a two.thirds vote. They
feared. however, that several of those
who will vote for the bill in the first
! instance will not aid in passing II over
presidential veto. The belief is,
therefore. general in the Senate that,
( with the accession Of Reed to the oppo-
sition. the bill will be vetoed. and will
{ therefore fail to become n law.
Senator Reed. in his speech against
tho bill said in part:
II am not unmlndful Of the wise
custom Of the Senate which dictates
! silence 10 Il new member. but because
! of the fact that | served throughout
! the war with troops feel 1t is my duty
( to state my reasons for the attitude /
! shall take upon this bill.
The passage of this bill. I believe,
! is favored by a majority Of the ex-
service men of this country. They
served their country we'll, and at very
meager pay. while the railroad men,
the munitions workers and the ship
yard workers of the country, who
should have been drafted instead of
being wheedled. were getting a pay in
crease almost every time they asked it.
Almost every day was Christmas in
the shipyarlS. but it was not in the
army. The contrast was shocking, and
| believe that II Is because of that con-
I try are so easily induced TO favor this
measure.
Nevertheless I am going TO vote
against this h!ll. The plain fact is
I that the country cannot afford TO grant
This request People ar" staggering
under q burden Of taxation that has
never been paralleled and ! believe it
is our duty To refrain from adding one
/ ounce to that burden of taxation on any
excuse whatever.