Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-29
M'CUMBER SLAMS
BONUS LAND GRANT
Declares Reclamation Idea
Would Add Millions to
Cost of Plan
CAPPER DEFENDS MEASURE
D., hssoef1fSf Press

l
| NcNary land reclamation amendment
10 the Soldiers Bonus Bill. Senator
| McCumber. Republican, North Dakotn,
| I'm charge of the measure, told the oen
ate today that the proposal would auu
hundreds OF millions and perhaps pii-
lions of dollars to the cost OF the oohu'
program. ,,,;oros ve
can attach his amendment anu gre
| tbis bill before the President and have
IL signed" asked Senator McCumber.
II think / can say that the t'resl.
dent thinks more Of this amend!ncnt
tnrted senator McNary. 'If you want
the President to sign the bill the sur
est guarantee is to add this amena-
mcnt.' - .-,o
II cannot imagine. II that be true.
what all the objection of the Preslden.
been about" returned Senator McCuino,, a.,
Der. Both based objection to the bill
ms il then stood upon the cost TO me
Government and the interference win
the refunding of the short-hme Hov-
ernment obligations .,,.
| Senator McCumber declared that
when the enemies Of the bonus como
focking" to the support Of the reclnma-
ton amendment he was "a DIT sus
picious," adding that II It were e., des,reu snei
10 test the "good faith OF the sup
uorters of the amendment it should DC
nut through as separate Dill.
Sterling Opposes Bill
Opposition to the principle Of
bonus was expressed by senator Ster.
ling. South Dakota, who told the Sen.
ate that the bill was 'indefensibie.
He characterized 1t as bad precedent
for Congress to set and at a time when
the Treasury has outstanding some
thing like twenty three billion dollars
in securities.
"And besides this" Senator Sterling
went on, "the terms Of the bill them
selves are vicious. Instead OF encour,
aging thrift. they invite prodisality and
recklessness.
Senators Cameron. Arizona, and Bur
sum, New Mexico, both spoke In sup
port Of the McNary reclamation amend. :.
ment and of the general provisions oi
the bill. the former saying he only re-
greeted that the country could not ar
ford to give the former service men
even greater allotments. Opposing the
bill, Senator Dial, South Carolina,
questioned the motives behind 1t:
81 do not admit that this bill IS one
Of patriotic purpose, SAID senator
Dial. ''It was not conceived IN pa
trotsm. but in politics.
Opposing the reclamation amendmenti
Senator Robinson, Arkansas, charged
that some Senators were supporting IL
in the hone that it would give the Presi-
dent reason to veto the bonus measure.
He declared the service men were sat
isfied with the bill rs reported by the
committee and that the Senate should
not amend it In any important particu-
lar
that land settlement should be part
Of the bonus plan. A similar view was
taken by his colleague, Senator Oddie.
Another warning to friends OF the
bonus that the addition Of the reClamn =
ton project might furnish an 'addi-
tional reason for an executive veto
was given by Senator Lenroot. lie ar
gued that the reclamation project was
important enough to be considered sepa :
rately on its merits. This position also
was taken by Senator Sheppard, Texas,
who declared in favor of reclamation,
but against it as part of the bonus.
Capper Supports Bill
Announcing his support OF the SOL
dlers' bonus as nothing more than
square deal for the boys who did
the fightlng," Senator Capper, Repub
lican. Kansas, told the Senate that
r "the war profteers and the peace prof
itcers owe bonus TO the soldiers OF
the World War"
"There is no better guarantee against
, militnrism than 10 require the men
!, who profit out OF war to pay for II.
' he said Those who remained at
, home made enough here in the United
States to enable us to pay many times
over the debt we owe TO the men who
Il fought our battles. Profteering dur
e ING tho wnr prO1lrpl ma American
: millionaire for every three American
o soldiers killed In France. | would
e like to see the Government recover the
hundreds of millions Of dollars stolen
: from the Treasury by the grafters who
4 profteered off the Government in war
q contracts and then use that money 10
: pay tho soldiers bonus.
o Then there's another way we can
i raise the money. Let's go after the
. billions that the foreign governments
q owe us. collect the interest omptly
: and pay 1t to our soldiers
. Senator Capper said the most pow
erful influence against the bonus was
the United States Chamber OF Com
nerce, which, he charged, had taken
a referendum of its membership not
| upon tho measure before Congress, but
upon measure of its own "concoct
ing
The McNary amendment was sup
ported in speeches by Senator's Dial
a Of South Carolina; Sterling. of Soutt
: Dakota, and Wadsworth. of New York
= all of whom said they would vote
e against tho bill. In each case the,
c contGnded that the AIcNary plan foj
. opening up reclaimed land offered (
- constructive method of compensatin,
=: veterans in n way to benefit the vet
" Grams as well as the country