The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-06-14
BONUS MACHINE SET IN MOTION
 BY PRESIDENT
Issues Directions For Ad- ministration Of Com
 pensatiOn Law

WASHINGTON, June 13-Direc- tions for administration of the bonus law, despite the failure of Congress to appropriate funds for the purpose, were given today by President Coolidge in or ders to the government heads affected.
 Director Hines of the Veterans bu- reau was instructed to apportion his appropriation for salaries and expenses during the fiscal year 1925 50 as to make aYAilable for the first six months com Ineneine July amounts for. the ad. ministration, of the law to be used by the war and navy departments.
 In letter today to Secretary Weeks recalling that the bonus became a law over his protest the President said
 1T am not willing, however, to lot the administration of this law remain practically in abeyance until Congress again convenes simply because would be justified under existing conditions in so doing"
 He added that the law, in his opinion, imposed certain obligations upon the ex- ecutive branch of the government" which do not permit of delay in performance.
 Advises Against Delay
 If this law is to be carried into ef- feet" the letter continued, ''so as to permit of the cash payments being made within a reasonable time after March, 1925, as contemplated by it, and if the other provisions of the law are to be given reasonably prompt administrative action, it is essential that the applica- tion forms and instructions pertaining thereto be placed in the hands of the veterans and dependents without delay,
 Arrangements have previously beea made for the printing of these forms and they are now ready for distribution. It is equally as essential that when the completed applications are received from the beneficiaries of the law they may be given the administrative action which the law prescribes. Otherwise your department will become the storehouse of millions of applications which can receive little or no attention until Con gress convenes next December and makes an appropriation of the funds necessary to give them administrative action. The same situation, though to a modified degree, will obtain in the navy department.
 Action Already Taken
 Action has already been taken to give you sufficient additional men with a view to distribution of the applica- tion and instruction forms and to meet the administrative action which will be required on the completed applications which may be received from the hene- of the law during the remain der of this fiscal year.
 This leaves for consideration the matter of meeting the administrative requirements of the law for the first six months of the next fiscal year, which involves not only your department but the navy department and the Unit ed States Veterans bureau. To meet this requirement. am today instructing the director of the Veterans bureau to his appropriation for salaries printing and binding, fiscal year 1925, 80 as to make available for the six months commencing July l, 1924, the following amounts for the administra tion of the World war adjusted com pensation act, namely, war department, salaries and expenses, $1, ,S00,OO0; and printing and binding, $14,000; navy department, salaries and expenses, $250,, OO0; and printing and binding, $7,5O0.
 Your requisition for personnel, sup plies and equipment and printing and will be forwarded to the direc- tor of the United States Veterans bu- reau, who will honor them to the ex- tent of the amount herein mentioned. It is my desire that your acquisitions be kept to a minimum consistent with and proper administrator and that 50 far as possible your requirements for supplies and equipment be obtained from the surplus stocks of the general supply committee and any available war stocks. am today advising the Sec retary of the Navy of the arrangements set forth in this letter"