The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1924-05-22
WASHINGTON LETTER

WASHlNulUN EllM
Washington, May 21-It has beer
said that the situation in Washington
at present may be likened to game
of chess. With the executive and
legislative branches using every form
of strategy to checkmate, an open
warfare has developed with the re-
turn of two important legislative
measures receiving the Presidential
veto. Each side is accused Of having
their acts inspired by selfish political
motives and so the controversy RACES
as the first session of the Sixty-eighth
Congress draws to an end.
The President, in vetoing the bonus
bill and the Bursum pension measure,
stated that the budgetary require
ments of the government would not
permit legislation of this character
without involving heavy burdens up
on the taxpayers. Sponsors of these
measures, both Democratic and Re-
publicans, in criticizing the veto of
the President, say that Congress is
called upon to choose between the
principle of the almighty dollar or the
pursuit of the policy of human con-
sideration of the obligations which
righteously attach to the government
in the discharge of it's duty toward
the veterans" The veto on the pen
sion bill stated that the main objec-
tons sis the unwarranted expenditure
of the taxpayers money. 1t proposes
to add more than rs per cent to the
cost of the pension rolls. The de-
sire to do justice to the pensioners,
however great their merit, must be at
tended by some solicitude to do JUS
tice to taxpayers"
The Presidential disapproval of
the adjusted compensation measure
was attacked by Representative Ran
kin, Democrat, of Mississippi, who
stated that the veto measure "goes
out of it's way to offer gratutious in
suit to the eX-service men. The
President declared that his veto was
inspired by the belief, that, 1--WE
must either abandon our theory of
patriotism or abandon this bill. Pa
triotism which is bought and paid for
is not patriotism. Our country can
not afford it. The veterans as a
whole do not want it. All our Amer
lean principles are opposed to it.
Trere is no moral justification for it. !"
These comments were discussed at
length in the bitter debate which
followed the veto. Many Republican
leaders are deeply concerned over the
effect it will have upon the coming
campaign because of the so-called
"soldier VOTE" Considerable resent
ment has developed among legislators
as result of the veto power exer-
cised by the Chief Executive. Much
sof their criticism is directed against
the Budget Bureau, which is crea-
ture of their own making. The budget
system is a comparatively recent adj
junct to the procedure of the national
government. 1t was established a
few years ago under the direction Of
Brigadier General Dawes, who was
subsequently succeeded by General
Lord. Perhaps its greatest weakness
is the fact that it has never been
properly "sold" to the public, but this
.short-coming may be explained by the
fact that it is exceedingly difficult
to give clear and interesting picture
of the nations finances to the public.
Those who have followed the history
of the national budget claim that its
greatest contribution to the American
people has been the erection and
maintenance of wall against ill-ad-
'vised "pork-barrel" legislation. 1t
has undoubtedly curtailed the power
of the legislative branch over appro-
priations and in many instances this
influence has reacted in Congress
against the executive branch of the
government. Congress is always
Jealous Of its prerogatives, and many
of its members now regret the enact
ment of budget law.
The Senate and House conferees
are now at work on the revenue meas
ure. They have no enviable task, as
pressure has been brought to bear
from all sources to influence their
votes in conference. The situation is
quite acute from a political stand
point as those who have sponsored
certain amendments in the Senate bill
have given notice that they will move
to discharge the conferees and select
Others in the event the conference re-
port is in variance with their views. .
The conferees are also confronted
with the knowledge that their efforts
will 60 for aught if the provisions of
the Senate bill calling for publicity
on tax returns is retained in the final
measure. The Republican insur-
gents of the House have voted to in
struct the conference to keep this
provision intact as well as the gradu-
ated tax on undistributed corporation
profits, another controversial provi-
sion. However, the House and Senate
confereS will do their own bargaining
with view to obtaining Presidential
approval.
The rejection of the Mellon plan
was a keen disappointment to the
Administration but the hope held out
that the conference will make certain
charges to allow the enactment of
the bill into law even without the
approval of the President. BY this it
is meant that tax bill passed by
Congress and not of sufficient merit
to warrant the APPROVAL of Mr.. Cool