Evening star., 1923-12-11
Tax Relief or Ronusf

When President Coolidge, In his an
faual message to Congress, said at the
close of the paragraph devoted to care
OF the veterans of the. government,
ts'put I do not favor the granting of q
bonus" it was generally felt that he
would undoubtedly follow, in another
communication, with statement of
his reasons for thus disapprovfng "ad
jvsted compensation for soldiers Of
the world war. This explanation has
come in the course OF his message
transmitting the budget. In this sec
ond, supplementary message, the
President states his reasons clearly
and plainly. He says that the, $780,
10000 surplus which has been &C.
leumulated during the last few years,
and the S39o,000,O00 surplus which is
expected in the course of the next
fiscal year, should be utilized as a
basis for sweeping reduction of
taxes, so that the taxpayers, who are
Stockholders in the business corpora
tion of the United States" may share
In the governments good fortune
and be benefited materially and imme-
diatelv.
The President makes plain that any
money that is distributed by the gov
ernment to any class of It's citizens
must be taken from the. pockets Of
the people. including the veterans
themselves. He notes that the coun-
try is prosperous, and that remunera
tive employment is available for the
ahie.hodied veterans as well as for
other citizens.
For the disabled veterans Of the war
and for the dependents OF those who
fell the country, says Mr. Coolidge,
cannot do too much. It has already
spent nearly 81 900, 900 900, and is now
spending nearly $4,000 900 annually
In their behalf. THAT Obligation he
urges, Sit must and will continue to
fuifil in fullest measure, and it is one
OF the most important duties and
privileges OF the Chief Executive TO
minister to the wants and needs of
these wards and creditors of the ma
tion. But the. 1T and able-bodied vet
Arans are offered the opnor rturities
open 10 every, CtneT CltlZeu. -.
This clearly draws distinction be-
tween a bonus to be paid 10 every
man enrolled during the great war.
regardless of the nature of his service,
.os the risks he ran, Of the hardships
he endured. of the disabilities he in
Cured, Of the losses he suffered, and
proper care of and compensation for
those who in that service were in
jured, whose earning power was di-
minished, whose opportunities for en-
ployment and self-sustenance were
lessened. For these latter the coun-
try cannot. as the President says, do
too much. II must continue as it has
begun, and IL possible increase its
gifts and bounties and means Of sue
sor.
& II consideration Of the bonus
IS put upon an economic and not a
sentimental basis it is plain that the
country cannot undertake a general
undhscriminating compensation for all
who served in the war without taking
an immense sum from the Trea sury.
with an indefinite total, or without is
suing bonds to be repaid hereafter. In
either case, tax reduction cannot be
effected. Secretary Mellon has plainly
shown that fact. The President re-
states it in explicit terms.
Thus the issue. is presented to Con-
gress In a manner that admits Of no
misunderstanding. On the one side is
the possibility of material relief to
the taxpayers of all degrees, amount.
ing to over $500, 600. 900 a year, with
out impairing the solvency of the gov
ernment or causing a deficit. On the
other hand, there is the possibility Of
paying a; large sum as. q. bonus to
all veterans of the war regardless Of
their physical and financial condition.
q sum that Is certain to be duplicated
H< the years to come, perhaps in con.
SANITY increasing volume.
The country's reaction to Secretary
MELONS statement Of this matter is
tiunistakable. The reaction to Presi.
dent Coolidges brief reference to it II,
bis annual message was equally plain
and strong. There is little doubt that
tkis feeling will be intensified by the
More explicit. reference to it in his
budget message.