The Washington times., 1922-07-16
.bONUSFOR
| WAR VETERANS
IS HIS SLOGAN
Bursum, Senator From New
Mexico, Outlines New
g.. Plan.
BY J. BART CAMPBELL,
international News Service.

provide without further quibblinp
and delay, but would prove far
more economical than any other
bonus scheme yet proposed.
Would Pay In Cash.
This is the opinion Of Senator
Holm o. Bursum Rep.) of New
Mexico. chairman Of the Senate
Pensions Committee.
PAY those of our ex-service men
who want it--spot CASH. is che
forcible way Senator Bursum ex-
pressed 1t. ... .....
Bursum has offered a substitute
for the McCumber insurance bonus
bill, which would not, only provide
cash payments, but which, he esti-
mated, would not cost the Govern
ment more than $1,000 900 900.
Senator McCumber (Rep) Of North
Dakota, chairman of the Senake
Finance Committee, has figured the
minimum cost of the bonus under
his insurance plan would be $3,S45.-
$685. ,4S1.
80 II would be far less costly for
US to give the world war veterans
a square deal-far cheaper to give
him what he wants, honorably and
cheerfully, than TO force upon him
long-term insurance scheme ike
Senator McCumber has proposed"
Bursum said.
II estimate II all Of those who
served under the American flag In
the world war should elect to take
cash on this basis that the total cost
would approximate not more than
1.5oo. 100000.
From Refunded Debt.
The provision for settlement would
be divided into two installments OF
SO per cent each, except with respect
TO those entitled to $50 or less, who
would be paid In full at once. The
rirSt installment would be as OF
or,ober, 1922: the second payment
would be made five years later plus
3h per cent.
II propose that provision for
meeting the obligation imposed by
my plan shall be made-n IN the
Judgment OF the Secretary OF tne
Treasury the best interests OF tne
country are thereby served-ny tne
sale of whatever securities are oD'
tanned by the refunding OF tne ior'
elgn debt to the Uniteo .ta,
Such a plan would avoid aooi'ioi@'
taxation.
Intere8t NAIS nSuuCpo'
..The interest rate Of Great Britain
has been reduced from to per
cent. The credit OF Great Britain
NAV be expected to reach norma
within a very few months. While
the date of payment Of the first IN
staIlment of the interest due us
from Great Britain 10 fixed Tor oc,
tober, 1922, Il must be borne In mind
that IL will probably be October. 1898
before the muster rolls. service rec
ords and bonus applications OF our
ex.service men are checked up com
pletely, and the bonus actually MADE
YavaiIable for distribution. A lot OF
machinery must be set up and iot
of work performed before the Govern
ment can commence bonus. payments.
But there In one thing We ought
| to keep before us always. We either
owe the veterans something or we
do not owe them anything. That is
all there is to II. I am one Of those
who believe we owe them something,
, and II we owe them debt we
should pay It without further auib-
bling or delay-a hundred cents on
the dollar-no more. no less.
And IL we owe them money, or
IL they want money, certainly we
do not owe them insurance, or their
families an inheritance. and We
should not attempt to settle with
them in that way.
IT certainly object most vigorously
to the veteran being regarded as hh
object Of charity-as the beneficiary
of q gratuity-as one In condition
of want and distress whom we should
provide. reluctantly and apologize
ally, some sort of compensation
any kind Of compensation which
may suit our convenience.
"I believe, II we concede we owe
the veteran q bonus we should give
him the kind he Wants, not the kind
we may think he should have. As
I see the veteran, he stands upon
his rights, merely demanding equality
Of treatment with those who played
their part in the world war-in civil.
ian attire.
Convinced as I am that the coun-
try does owe the veteran something,
that the Government Is indebted to
out haggling. Why is the Govern
ment in his debt? First, we deducted
or withheld from his pay the cost Of
entered the service, which was con.
trary to the common practice in Ill
hazardous employment In civil life.
The usual rule Indeed. 1t Is the law
Of nearly every State In the Union)
is that where an employe Is engaged
in a hazardous occupation the EN-.
ployer is required to assume the risk
at his own expense. Why should
the Government have adopted a diff.
ferent policy?
And where allotments were made
to dependents so per cent was deduct.
ed from the veterans pay. The vet.
eran was also urged-virtually com.
manded-by his superiors to sub
scribe to Liberty bonds at par. The
veteran did Enthusiastically. The
par value Of the Liberty bonds he
bought was taken from his pay, and
how many were the instances Of
where the veteran, after he was die.
charged from the service, was com.
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