Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-04
CIPHER EXPERT TO
TRANSLATE CODE
| MESSAGES MCLEAN
HOUSE WAYS AND
MEANS HEAR FORMS
BONUS PAYMENT


Washington. March 3-The form Of
payment Of a soldier bonus occupied
the attention Of spokesman before the
House ways and means committee at
the opening of a three-day session of
public hearings.
Several propositions. including a plan
to limit the bonus entirely to paid-up
insurance policies for all veterans who
served more than 60 days, were pre-
sented to the committee by members
Of the House who have introduced bills.
The American Legion. through John
Thomas Taylor, vice chairman Of it's
national legislative committee, declar-
ed willingness to accept "whatever
bonus legislation this Congress
enacts"
Some opposition was voiced to the
insurance proposition advance, by
Representatives Fish of New York and
Andrew Of Massachusetts,. Republic
cans. Representative Lineberger Re-
publican. California, urging the COM
, mittee to report out a bill similar to
! the one vetoed by President Harding
and accepted by the American Legion,
I expressing fear that new legislation
would muddy the water and hinder
/ speedy action"
Not a word Of opposition either by
committee members, or those appearing
before 1t was expressed against bonus
legislation, most of the speakers de-
| voting their time to outlining various
proposed methods of bonns payments.
l nf
| Texas. ranking Democrat on the COM
mittec. who voted against the bonus
bill last session, suggested he might
favor bill providing options of a
! straight out cash payment or insur-
ance. Chairman Greene warned that
such legislation might throw mon
! keywrench into the whole proposition"
Mr.. Green insisted the full Fash pay
.ment option could not be placed in the
Mill. contending that the revenue re-
CURED would eat up all government
| revenue collected for q year.
| Advocates of the insurance provision
argued that 1t would spread out the
necessary government payments sys-
tematically over n period of years and
thus might eliminate the opposition
President Coolidge has expressed to-
ward bonus legislation. They also de-
| clared the immediate need for eco
! nomlc aid had passed in most instances
| and that former service men would
| best be taken care of by the insurance
! policies and the, government at the
same time could best dispose OF it's
obligation thereby
| Mr.. Taylor said recent poll OF TO-
| 7S4 members OF the American Legion
had showed that about &C per cent. or
| 1892. had indicated they would prefer
| the insurance option: 30 per cent, or
| 3073, the farm or home aid: and per
cent. or 419. vocational training. The
| latter two options are carried in the
! bill vetoed by President Harding and
! reintroduced in substance by Repre-
sentative Mckenzie. Republican, ILL.,
| nois. Eleven per cent. of those who
favored the insurance policy provision
| Mr.. Taylor. stated. said they would
take advantage of the borrowing priv
| ilege.
] Herbert Hess, American Legion act'
nary. presented figures to show that
| the estimated total of adjusted service
| credit on the basis of the vetoed bill
| amounted to s1.319. 519.O00. This he es-
/ timated would be the actual cost to. the
government IL every former service
| man eligible for n bonus elected cash
option. He figured that 1881, oS2 men
| were eligible for the bonus and the
| average credit for each would he $40o
| The insurance provision would cost 3d.
| 9S0.11O,0OO at n maximum. he said. II
all veterans chose the vocational train
/ ing option, he figured the cost would
be S1,Se4,927, 900 plus sl6,000,000 which
| would be paid those who would receive
$50 or less.