The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-04
COOLIDGE VETOES
PENSION BILL
TO SAVE TAXES
BursuIll Measure Entails
'Unwarranted Expense,
He Tells Congress

WASHINGTON. May 3.-lBy As
ls0eiafad Press sxerciEin8 me veto
power fef the first tiueS President
1 {soAiif&e returned To the senate today
/ without his approval the Bursum tiilef
| Omnibus pension bill The president
| IN doing 10 informed the Senate that
Ne objected primarily to the bill because
III would entail an s'unwarranted ex-
pendItsire aF the money Of the taKpay-
| ersr at q time when "the burden on
| the Taxpayers must net be increased
but must be decreased.
-The desire TO do justice to pension
ers, however great their merit, must be
attended by some soiicitude to do justice
| to taxpayefs," the executive said in his
message. 1.-THE advantage Of class
canned be greater than the welfare Of
the nation"
The Presidents message reached the
| Senate soon after it convened but was
not taken up until late in the day.
After it, had been read. Senator Bur
sum, republican, New Mexico, who with
Representative Fuller, republican, Hill
nois, Is author Of the bill, moved that
the matter be laid on the table TO be
taken up next Tuesday. Senator Bruce,
democrat, Maryland, proposed that the
bill be taken up Immediately but the
| presiding officer ruled that Senator
Bursums motion had precedence.
Senator Bursum, pointing to the vote
Of 81 to 10 which the Senate passed
the bill April /. deeared the measure
would be passed over the President's
veto, but republican leaders both in
the Senate and House expressed the
belief that the chief executive would
be sustained. The House approved the
measure without a record vote.
Vet0ad BY Harding
The veto given the measure today swae
in effect the second executive disAp-
proyal Of the bill. A similar measure
was passed by the last Congress and
vetoed by President Harding on the
grounds Of economy and also on the
grounds that 1t was loosely drawn and
would have put on the pension roll al
most every widow of a Civil war vet
erai, regardless Of when she was mar
ried.
The bill provides for increases in the
pensions of the veterans OF all wars
up to and including the Spanish
/ American war and OF widows and de-
pendants of veterans of all wars from
1872 to 1902, Civil war veterans would
have their pensions increased from $50
to So month and their widows, now
getting $50 a month. would receive
$50 and $46 month, dependent on
age Spanish American war and other
wars, excepting the World war, vete-
rams and their widows would receive
proporttonate increases and a few
MANNED World war veterans would re-
ceiye additional Compensation,
The President estimated the bill
would cost 5000. 600 annually and
bring the total pension bill to a point
higher than ever before reached.
The measure had the Endorsement
OF veterans organizations, including
the Grand Army Of the Republic and
the United spanish-American war vet.
Grams.
Headed By Carmi Thompson Of Ohio.
one OF the Coolidge Campaign mana
sers, a delegation Of representatives Of
veterans organizations recently urged
the President to approve the bill.
The Message
The veto message sent to the SEN
ate by tins President was as follows:
am returning herewith Senate
Bill five an act granting pensions and
increases Of pensions to certain sol
diers and sailors Of the Civil and Mexi.
can wars and TO certain widows, for.
rner widows, minor children and helm
less children Of said soldier and SAN.
ors, and to widows Of the War Of 1912,
and to certain Indian war veterans mad
widows and to certain Spanish war
soldiers, and certain MANNED soldiers
and for other purposes without my
approval.
For the next fiscal year the effect
Of this act will be to take an additional
SOS, 100000 Of the moneys paid by the
taxpayers OF the nation and add il 10
the pension checks OF the veterans 81
the wars from. 1912 to 1902 and their
widows and dependents. This 4 the
effect for the first gear, but me bur
den upon the taxpaEefs WIN continua
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