Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-20
HARRINGTON MAKES
PLAIN HIS STAND ON
STATE QUESTIONS
SENATE TO PROBE
MILLER CHARGES ON
BONUS JUGGLING

Washington, Feb. 19-The senate
tok Il hand today in the bonus stir
up. After listening to q fight preclpi-
tated by n declaration Of Senator
Bruce, Democrat, Maryland, that the
compensation proposal was a "squa-
an inquiry into charges attributed
to Colonel Thomas Miller, alien pro-
perty custodian. that the treasury
rad 'juggled" it's estimates of the
cost of Il bonus.
The investigation was proposed in
a resolution introduced yesterday by
Senator Harrison, Democrat, MiSsiS-
sippi, ana which was adopted today
without a record vote and after only
u brief address by the Mississippi
Senator 1t puts the investigation in
the hands of the senate finance COM
mittec
Before Senator Bruce had time for
q breathing spell after his address
on the bonus, Senator Caraway,
Democrat. Arkansas. had called him
a champion of the Jack DemnseyS
Of the war" and n number Of others
were on their feet to take exception
10 some Oh MS FeTldfkS.
On top of this Senator Robinson.
OF Arkansas. the Democratic leader.
charged that Major General John +.
organ had violated the quasi-con-
fIdential relations Of ''Iawyer and
client by trying to use in anti-bOnus
Work the organization built up dur
int: his service as special counsel
with the senate committee which in
yestigatcd the Veterans Bureau.
After Senator Bruce had expressed
the opinion that the bonus was in
defcnsiblc in principle" Senator
Caraway charged that the Maryland
senator had evidenced no concern
when the railroads sought and got
bonus of $1.S00000, 900"
Il remember" said Mr.. Caraway.
that in his zeal to maintain the
Esch Cummins act. he switched his
vote against a member of his own
party. No man who has the proper
American spirit will stand here and
dcnounce the American soldier as a
danger"
Senator Brookhart. Republican,
Iowa, said most of the bonus oprosi-
ton apparently was based on sup
port of the Mellon tax plan. Sena-
tor Ashur$t, Democrat, Ariz.. inter-
pretirg the Maryland senator's re-
marks as critici2ing po-bonus vet
Grams for opposing tax reduction,
said he would consider their service
in defeating the Mellon plan equal
to that which they rendered on the
battlefield"
In criticizing General Organ.
Senator Robinson. also mentioned
activities of the former committee
counsel which he said were in sup
port of the Mellon plan. Senator
Reed. Republican, Pennsylvania,
chairman of the committee. replied
that General Organ mad completed
hi services with the committee long
before incidents referred to by the
Democratic leader
There is n lot of nonsense uttered
here" said Senator Reed, about pro-
paganda. Boiled down, it simply
comes to the fact that one white
nan is attempting to air his views
to the country and they are not in
accordance with ours. General
organ. as n soldier with an un-
usual record, is against the bonus
for the same reason that | am: a
belief that the soldier group. the
earning class. will eventually pay for
it and for tho war loans"
Senator Owen. Democrat. Okla
homa. ended the debate by annOunc-
ing that he had decided to support
the bonus after having been hereto
fore opposed to ii. He gave as his
reason that he was convinced the
treasury had ver-estimated the cost
of n compensation measure by $780,
GOO 600