Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-21


Gratis went on record today for a cash
and insurance bonus bill in a minority
report Of the finance committee made
public by Senator Walsh, Massachu-
sets, although it was indicated on the
noor yesterday the party would sup
port the pending straight insurance
ELL ito assure enactment into law Of a
bonus measure"
The report declared such a plan
would cost the government about ST.
000,000,000 less than the peniing bill
but If it failed to command support
the minority members would vote for
the committee measure. Six of the
seven Democrats of the committee
signed it, Senator King of Utah refus-
ing because he is opposed to any bonus
bill.
Republican leaders today considered
the way clear for passage early in the
week OF the straight insurance bill.
Inelr assurance was based on state
ments of Senator Robinson, Arkansas,
Democratic leader. that the Democrats
feared Republicans would vote to sus-
tain a veto by President Coolidge of a
cash and insu. Ace measure. Senator
Watson, Republican, Indiana, and 9TH
er Republican leaders said they would
vote to override a presidential veto of
the straight insurance plan.
The Democratic plan would allow
choice of full cash payment or a 20
year endowment, insurance policy,
whereas the committee measure would
provide for the insurance policies with
cash payments only to those veterans
not entitled to more than $50 in ad-
justed service compensation. Both
measures would allow compensation on
the same basis, 81 day for home serv-
ice and $1.25 a day for overseas serv-
ice. exclusive of the first 60 days.
Funds for payment under the Demo-
cratic proposal would be obtained, the
report explained. through issuance of
$1,000. 100000 additional bonds under
the second Liberty Loan act.
Support of the American Legion was
given yesterday to the straight insur-
ance proposition, Commander Quinn de-
claring in a message to senators that
the Democratic substitute would endan-
ger enactment of any bill since it
could not be passed over presidential
veto. The declaration was based on a
careful poll Of the Senate, Commander
Quinn said.
Explaining the purpose of the sub
stitute, the minority report declared:
"An adjusted compensation bill is
not to give the soldiers an increase
in compensation because of the dan
gerous and hazardous service-no
one wants or could be sufficiently
paid for this. 1t is to give the soldiers
who offered their lives with their SER
vice in the late war d compensation
.~xl,, l. hot
which was paid the lowest paid COM
mon laborer who remained at home.
secure from the dangers of war, and
whose compensation was increased
from 100 percent to 800 percent
During the World War We paid
our soldiers $50 per month = At
the time the government was paying
its soldiers in camps 81 per day and
over seaSS $1.10 per day, 1t paid its
employees working in ITS navy yards.
living at home in comfortable cir
cumstanceS, conveniences and safety,
from Sc to $12 per day: in it's arse
nails from Sc to $40 per day; on its
10 percent plus contracts from So to
S12 per day. To it's over 100000 civil
service employees, receiving $500 per
year or less 1t has paid each a bonus
of S240 per year for the last five years
III GuultiOH W liiSik ISSul0i VI
a total sum of $1,000 each. This is
what the government itself did in the
payments of wages and bonus to its
employees who remained at home. We
do not believe it was fair for the gov
eminent to pay the men at home So
per day for working on it's ships and
to pay the men fighting on the ships
only $1.10 per day. We do not be-
lieve employees in its arsenals should
have received $40 per day and the
men on the battle field eb limited to
Sl.10 per day.
1.-The high wages at home were not
only paid by the government. but in
the channels of trade in the business
world as well. Bricklayers, masons,
plumbers. carpenters. for eight hours
work received from IS TO S14 per day.
Common labor in all its various
forms, including labor on the farm,
was paid from 81 to Sc per day.
ut is true the soldier received his
colthes and board in addition TO his
wage, but that advantage was largely
neutralized by the unusul require
ments compelling him to expend so
much for insurance. The business
world pays for the insurance of it's
employees
'Tn the light Of the economic pros
perity of the country during the war.
we believe justice requires that an
adjustment of the soldiers compen-
sation be made which would not have
been necessary or justified had the
economic at home been bad"