Evening star., 1924-05-03
PRESIDENT VETOES
PENSION MEASURE
Refuses to Sign Bursum Omnibus
Bill on Grounds of
Economy.
OPPOSES EXTRA BURDEN
Similar Legislation Also Disap-
proved by Harding.

President Coolidge today vetoed
the Bursum omnibus pension bill.
The veto was based on the. ground
of economy, the executive holding
that the measure would entail an un-
warranted drain on the Treasury.
A somewhat similar bill by Senator
Bursum, Republican, New Mexico. was
vetoed last session by President
Harding.
Senator Bursum, Republican. New
Mexico, author of the bill, announced
that an early effort would be made to
pass the measure over the veto. He
said he thought there would be enough
votes in both the Senate and the House.
- Reasons for Veto. -. ?
The Presidents statement follows:
"To the Senate: 1 am returning
herewith Senate bill s, AN act grant
ing pensions and increases of pen
sions to certain sailors of the civil
and Mexican wars and to certain
widows, former widows, minor chill
dren and helpless children of dead
soldiers and sailors and TO widows
of the war of 1872, and to certain
Indian war veterans and widows and
to certain Sapnish war soldiers and
certain MANNED soldiers and for other
purposes, my approval
For the next fiscal year the effect
of this act will be to take an addf-
tional s58, 100000 of the moneys paid
by the taxpayers of the nation and
add it to the pension checks Of the
veterans of the wars Of 1912, If 1902
and their widows and dependents.
This is the effect for the first rear,
but the burden upon the taxpayers
will continue for many years to come.
While impossible of accurate estima-
,ss,r-s
states that the proposed addition TO
the pension roll will total approxi-
mately S242, 100000 for the first five
years and $415,00o,000 for the first
ten years.
Holds Expense Unjustifed.
mo conditions exist which justify
the imposition of this additional bur-
den upon the taxpayers of the ma
ton. All our pensions were revised
and many liberal increases made no
longer ago than 1920. Every survivor
of the civil war draws $50 per month
and those IN need of regular aid and
41,000 of them, draw s72 per month
~As others come to need this the law
already gives it to them.
The act also proposes to extend the
limits of the war period from April
13, 1865, to August 20, 1866, so that
and four months of peace now be-
come eligible for the same treatment
as those who fought throughout the
war. There are other questionable
provisions providing for the pension
ing of civilians, and relating to the
pensioning of certain classes of
widows.
But the main objection to the
whole bill is the unwarranted ex-
penditure of the money of the tax
no
25 per centum to the cost of the
pension rolls. 1t is estimated that it
would bring the total pension bill of
the country to a point higher than
ever before reached, notwithstanding
it is now nearly sixty years since the
close of the civil war A generous
nation increased its pensions to well
over quarter of a billion annually
and has already bestowed nearly
s6.25o,ooo,ooe in pensions upon the
dependents. While there has been
some decrease in the annual expense,
II is now proposed by horizontal in
crease to pay all survives $72 each
month, without regard to age, to
their physical condition or financial
condition.
With the other proposals, a new
high record of cost would be estab-
lished.
Need for Economy.
"The need for economy in public
expenditure at the present time can
not be overestimated. am for
economy. / am against every un-
necessary payment of the money of
the taxpayers. No public require
ment at the present. time ranks with
the necessity for the reduction of tax
alton. This result cannot be secured
unless those in authority cease to
pass laws which increase the perma-
nent cost of government. The bur-
den on the taxpayers must not be in
creased; ii must be decreased. Every
proposal for legislation must be con-
sidered in the light of this necessity.
"The cost of commodities is dimin-
ishing. Under such conditions the
cost Of government ought not to be
increasing. The welfare OF the whole
country must be considered. The de-
sire to do justice to pensioners, how
ever great their merit. must be at
tended by some soficitude to do
justice to taxpayers. The advantage
of a class cannot be greater than the
::clfare of +hc nation.
(Signed) CALVIN COOLIDGE