The Minnesota fiery cross. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1924-19??, 1924-05-02
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD

A T LAST the American ex-service
n man who fought in the World war
seems assured of receiving a bonus, or
as he prefers to call it, an adjusted
compensation. The senate on Wednes-
day passed the bill essentially as II
was adopted by the house, and In
both cases the majority was so great
that there Is no doubt 1t would be
repassed over a presidential veto. But
the bonus provided for is not In cash,
so 1t may be Mr.. Coolidge can see his
way clear to approval of the measure.
He, like President Harding, was op-
posed to q cash bonus for the pay
ment Of which no special financial
plan was offered.
According to the present measure,
instead of cash the former service
man will receive a twenty-year en-
dowment insurance certificate on which
he can obtain loan after two years,
equal to 80 per cent Of the current
cash value of the policy. This loan
will be obtained through a bank which
will be reimbursed by the government
I'm the event of a default. The loan
value Of a $1,000 policy would be $751;
90 at the end of two years, S153.52 In
Eve years, and $5S919 In fifteen years.
Senator Copeland Of New York,
supported by a number Of Democrats,
tried to have the bill amended to pro-
vide for a cash option, but this was
defeated, 81 to 4S, because most Of
the senator's felt It would mean the
certain veto Of the measure and per-
haps Its defeat. However, the
Democratic leaders announced after
passage Of the bill that they con-
sidered 1t an unsatisfactory makeshift
and that next winter they would make
fight for the cash option. II a
Democratic administration Is elected In
the fall they believe they can so amend
the law. With several minor amend
ments adopted on the floor, the bill
was passed by vote Of 81 to II. Eight
Republicans and nine Democrats were
recorded In opposition.
The cost Of the bonus under the In
surancs plan Is expected to be some
whore between $2,202, 467, APO, the
figure given by the actuary of the
veterans bureau, and 1881 ,047, e91,
the amount claimed by the treasury
actuary. The cost the first year would
be considerably In excess Of 500, OO0,-
900.
Under Its terms the basic rate Of
compensation Is 81 a day for home
service and $1.25 for overseas service,
with maximums Of $500 for home serv-
ice and 1926 for overseas service. The
first sixty days Of service are ex-
cluded from the computation. En-
listed men of the army, navy, and
marine corps and officers up to and
including captains In the army and
marine corps and lieutenants In the
navy are embraced within Its scope.
Those entitled to $50 or less receive
cash. Others receive no cash, but are
given twenty-year endowment insur-
ance certificates, the face value Of
which Is the adjusted service credit
plus 25 per cent plus interest at per
cent compounded annually.
Having thus disposed of the bonus,
the senate turned its attention to the
revenue bill, and the prospect was
that the discussion of this measure
would continue for several weeks.
Even so, the leaders In congress now
think 1t may be possible to adjourn
early In June, before the opening Of
the Republican national convention.
EVEN the most enthusiastic prohi-
IL bitionist will not deny the intense
and widespread interest in the hear
ings started last week before the house
judiciary committee which had under
consideration fifty-nine bills to amend
the Volstead act and legallze the manu-
facture, sale and consumption of 2.75
per cent beer and of light wines. First
were heard those who argued for this
liberalization Of the law. and the most
Interesting and perhaps most infiuen-
tial Of these was Samuel Gompers,
who spoke for the 100000 members
OF the American Federation of Labor.
A few Of his sentences were:
"You ask me what influence legal.
Eation Of 2.75 per cent beer would
have on general prohibition enforce.
ment. ! answer In one sentence: II
would transform the people Of the
United States from a whisky drink
Ing to q beer drinking nation"
"The dissatisfied man Is the one
who becomes the drunkard. The salts
ned man becomes the good citizen
And ! say that this prohibition OF
today has caused the utmost In dis
eatisfaction."
mo one wants the saloon. No ons
win DO foolish enough to try to 70
peal the eighteenth amendment. What
We who plead for 2.7c per cent beer
want to do u to get the good that lie'