The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-21
|CASH-lSURANCE | IS BONUS PLAN OF DEMOCRATS Minority Report Comes After Agreement Was
 Thought Near WOULD EVEN UP
 WARTIME WAGES Bond Issue Under Liberty
 Loan Act Is Part
 Of Scheme

WASHINGTON, April 20.-Senate democrats went on record today for a cash insurance bonus bill in a minority report of the finance committee made public by Senator Walsh, Massachu- setts, although it was indicated on the floor yesterday the. party would sup port the pending straight insurance bill ito assure enactment into law of 8 bonus measure"
 The report declared such plan would cost the government about $1,000, ,000,- GOO less than the pending 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, Utah, refusing because he is op- posed to any bonus bill.
 Thought Way Cleared
 Republican leaders today considered the way clear for passage early in the week of the straight insurance bill. Their 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 cash and insurance measure. Senator W dtSOH, ICDuOhNdug anu OLhCA republican leaders said they would vote to override a presidential veto of the straight insurance plan.
 The democratic plan would allow a choice of full cash payment or 20-year endowment insurance policy whereas the committee measure would provide for the insurance policies with cash payments only to those veterans not en- titled to more than $50 i'll adjusted service compensation. Both measures would allow compensation on the same basis, $1 a day for home service and $1.25 day for overseas service, ex- elusive of the first 50 days.
 Would Issue Bonds
 Funds for payments under the demo- cratic proposal would be obtained, the report explained, through issuance of $1 ,500, 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 i'll a message to senators that the democratic substitute would en- danger enactment of any bill since it could not be passed over presidential veto. The declaration was based on careful poll of the Senate, Commander Quinn said.
 Expldihine tllS psAsp6ss sof she sllsati- tute, the minority report declared
 An adjusted compensation bill is not to give the soldiers an increase in com pensation because of the dangerous and hazardous service-nO one wants or could be sufficiently paid for this. It is to give the soldiers who offered their lives with their service in the late war compensation that will more nearly approach that which was paid the low est paid common laborer who remained at home, secure from the dangers of war and whose compensation was increased from 100 per cent to 300 per cent. It is to meet in part the economic loss that absence from home and Oppor- tunities for participating in the financial gains made by those at home caused those in the service.
 I To Even Up Wages
 During the World war we paid our soldiers $50 per. month; Of $1 per day. At the time the government was paying it's soldiers in camps $1 per day and overseas $1.10 per day, it paid its em- ployes working in its navy yards, liv- ing at home, in comfortable circum- stances, convenience and safety from $6 to SIP per day; in it's arsenals from $6 to $10 per day, on it's per cent plus contracts $6 to SIP per day.
 'To it's civil service employees receiv- ing $2,500 per year or less, it has paid each bonus of $250 per year for the last five years in addition to the regu- lar salary or a total sum of $1 200 each. This is what the government it. self did in the payments of wages and bonuses We do not believe it fair for the government to pay the men at home SIP per day for working on it's ships and to pay |the men fighting on the ship only $1.10 per day. We do not believe employees in it's arsenals should have received $10 per day and the men on the battlefield be limited to $1.10 per day.
 ''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 $S to $14 per day. Common labor in all it's various forms, including labor on the farm, was paid from $4 to $8 per day.
 Paid Own Insurance
 Tt is true the soldier received his clothes and board in addition to his wage, but that advantage was largely neutralized by the unusual reduire- ments compelling him to deduct SC. much for insurance. The business world pays for the insurance of employees. The government required the soldiers to pay for the insurance to protect themselves and their families against dangers into which we sent them. From the $50 per month they received also was deducted the $15 which the soldier was required to send back to his dependents, in ad- dition to the cost of his insurance. leav- ing him balance of from $7 to $9 per month with which to pay his sundry expenses.
 "When he received the $50 payment on his return home to begin life anew he was without sufficient money at the then existing prices to purchase the necessary civilian clothes. He was without his chosen employment to earn even com potency. Stripped of everything he had, material and prospective, he was re- quired to make new arrangements and incur new obligations to enter again into the industrial world from whence he had been so arbitrarily taken.
 Tn the light of the economic pros perity of the country during the war, we believe justice requires that an adjust ment of the soldiers compensation be sary or justified had the economic con. | |. |. T