Evening star., 1922-01-29

! training at the expense of the gov
eernment, err equal to his adjusted serv-
Farm or home add authorizes the
veteran to receive from the govern
| ment the adjusted service pay plus
10 per cent to be applied toward the
purchase price of such home or farm.
The land settlement aid" gives the
veteran preference right to take lands
| on the opening of public or Indian
lands TO- entry, and on all reclama-
tfon projects.
| What will such a veterans COM
pensation law cost? This will de-
| pend. in q large measure. upon the
choice Of plan which may be made
fits Of the law. The features of the
| plan, which would entail the greater
| expense, are "a the cash payments
to be made as adjusted service pay.
made on adjusted service certificates
! and ca the payments involved in the
| farm or home aid.
| The Secretary of the Treasury says
/. that "the most conservative estimate
| shows the plan would cost from about
| $500, 100000 Gf the bulk of the pay
| ments were on account Of the ad-
| 5usted service pay, the greater part
of which would fall in the near
| future) to about $3.50, 100000 Gf
most veterans elected to take adjusted
service certificates. the payments Of
period of twenty years."
If at least one-half would elect the
cash plan and one-half the certihcate
plan the ultimate cost, It is estimated
by the Secretary S of OF nth the ana Treasury
In his letter to Secretary Freling-
huysen. dated July 2. 1921, the secre-
| tary of the Treasury said: 1T could
be financed only by adding to the bur
den of the debt and taxes under which
This is not a time to impose several bh-
lion dollars Of new liabilities on an
already overburdened Treasury.
The best interests Of the veterans can
not, in the last analysis. be considered
separate and apart from the best in
Senator McCumber said in his re-
port: I'VE believe the minimum
possible cost of this measure would
be s1,560.0o0.000. This amount Is
based upon the assumption that every
veteran would accept the cash-pay-
ment plan. The maximum. to be
scattered over twenty years. would be.
in round numbers, $5.2T3. .000,0 600. Under
what we believe Will be the real
operation of the legislation. the total
cost will be in round numbers about
"a ,396. 600 00o.''
Senator McCumber suggested that
the interest on the longtime bonds
due the United States from European
countries. would more than care for
the payments necessary each year to
meet the requirements OF thls pro-
posed legislation"
There were 4,262,1o5 men in the
service. in the Army alone. The total
men-days service was 1,427,525.o0o.
Tho average days service per man
was 334. The number In overseas
service was 2,022.635. and the total
men-days service overseas was lo9,.
100000. or an average OF $50 days
service.
and 34.617 in the home service
total of 115,2o2. The number OF OFF,
GERS above the rank of captain was
14,5o0 The total number of deaths
in the Army alone is estimated at
10O.7S5 1t is estimated that 1881, ,s6S
would be entitled to the benefits OF a
soldiers compensation law. The num-
Der in service in the Navy was 551.-
736. The number of deaths in the
Navy is estimated at 4,236. leaving
547,5OO in the Navy who would have
been entitled to the benefits or the
compensation law. deaths Deans at.er isf
$50 entitled to the benefits on Janr-
ary l, 1922.
The total number in the Army and
NAVY entitled to the benefits on July
i, 1922, is estimated at 4,465,71s-
If every veteran should accept the
cash plan it would cost $1,15o, ,166,350.
to be appropriated in three years. IL
tificate plan the total amount in
twenty years would be s5.273.345. .563-
about $21, ,9S0.656 the first year. Sh6.-
s62,190 the second and s4,2so.2so.ooo
the third year. Estimates OF the cost.
according to the probable selection
of options BIZ the veterans. run all the
way from $4,000. .000,0 600 to s5,000,oo0,-
900.
The statistical bureau of the War
Department has figured CUR it n.ha out that a 2
400 days at 81 per day would cost
81. 400, ,0O0. 900, and for $500 even pay
ment. about s1,750, o00. 900. This is
based on an estimate of 3,5o0.000 en-
titled to be paid bonus At the rate
of $1.25 a day the estimated cost for
400 days would be s1,soo.ooo,ooo.
In connection with a proposed vet
Grams compensation law. 1t is inter-
by the United States and other coun-
tries at the time of discharge. Can
ada paid S972 to it's officers and 5000
to its privates. Belgium paid s4s2
to both Its ofncerS ana prlVateS.
France paid $249 to both officers and
privates. The United States paid $50
to its officers and privates. England
paid $141 to its privates, and Italy paid
S64 to its privates.
Obviously it would be unwise to
enact a veterans compensation law
without specifically providing for the
means with which to pay the COM
pensation. The McCumber and the
Fordney bills provide that there is
appropriated such amount as may be
necessary to carry out the provis-
ions of this act.' The vital question
is. how shall this amount be raised?
Several suggestions have been made
for raising the necessary funds. one
that the interest on the foreign debt
due us be used. another that a spe-
cial bond issue be made for that pur-
pose. another that a sales tax be i'm
posed, and still another that a stamp
tax on bank checks be levied.
Congress and the executive appear
to be face to face with a popular de-
mand for soldiers adjusted com
pensation bill. What will be donee