Evening star., 1924-02-18
MILLER CITES DATA
IN BONUS DISPUTE
Mellon Denies Any Juggling of
Figures of Cost of Pro-
posed Legislation.

Secretary Mellon and Col. Thomas
who is a prominent member of the
American Legion, today lined up at
loggerheads over the soldiers bonus.
Charges by Col. Miller last night in
speech before the pro- bonus meet
ing in New York city were further
explained by him in a statement
made public here today which point
ed to discrepancies" iii figures Of
the Treasury concerning the cost OF
the bonus and government deficits.
Secretary Mellon. when confronted
with reports of Col. Miller's speech
last night. declared that any charges
that the Treasury had "juggled" fig
ures were 'absolutely unfounded and
untrue"
The Treasury Secretary said he was
amazed" at the statements of Mr..
Miller and that his denial could not
be made too emphatic. There were
indications that the Treasury might
give out a formal statement On the
bonus this afternoon.
Charges Wide Variance.
Col. Miller in his statement. said
the Treasury estimates of the cost of
the bonus had varied from S3SOO,-
100000 to $500. 100000. He charged
that when President Harding had
vetoed the bonus bill in September,
1922. "he stated in his veto message
that the country was face to face
with a great emergency. in that it
was fronted with a deficit of
S613.O0O,000 of the government debt.
a nd ct hn
year 1929 with a balance to its
credit of 1915, 100000, showing a dis
crepancy in these figures of over
$1,000, 100000 within the space of a
few months.
This set of figures" continued Col.
Miller. was commented on by the
editor of the Worlds Work. a yigor-
Gus opponent of the adjusted compen-
Satlon bill, In the January number of
that review. that 1.-The Treasury ex-
perts on bonus measures were either
bad guessers or they had deliberately
miSled the public" This was not the
first tinre that the DISCREPANCIES in
these figures have been called to the
attention of the public. not only on
the floors of Congress. but elsewhere.
Says Former Soldiers Wrnthful.
''The figures given out by the Treas
ury Department from time to time
of this measure. For instance, in
Senate report 756, Sixty-seventh Con-
grss, second session, before the Senate
committee on finance, on this bill,
the Treasury estimates that the bonus
cost s3.S00, 100000, and later on Presi-
dent Harding in his veto message
of September 20. 1922, using figures
supplied him by the Treasury De-
partment. states that it will cost in
on, on January 1, 1924, the Treasury
gave out figures that the adjusted
compensation measure would cost S.
100. 100000.
at merely takes a comparison of
these figures, If any one will read
them, to show that there We're wide
discrepancies with regard to the ad-
justed compensation measure, stretch
ing over a period from the spring of
1922 until January 1. 1924.
II also stated that a large body of
the service men were rightfully
wrought up about these discrepancies
and have caused the fight to develop
before the country today. and it
should be decided once and for all at
this time.
This question was before the people
when they went to the polls in 1920-22
and elected senators and representa-
tives to come to Washington, and if
the question is not settled before the
opportunity again. / am calling atten-
tion to these figures in my capacity
as an individual former service man
and as a member Of the American
Legion. and If this action will tend to
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column -