Evening star., 1924-03-09
CAN YOUR TAXES BE CUT?
A Series of Articles the Cost of Government;
Where the Money Goes, and Why.
BY JOHN p. SINCLAIR,
.iuthor of "Can Europe Hold Togethers

drawing pensions and 14,7l5 widows
oi spanish war veterans on the pen
sion roll. Over half Of these have
peen ADDED to the rolls during the
war veterans and their widows are
being added to the pension roll at
the rate of about $500 a. month This
is a significant development of recent
origin. For the American people 1t
spells only one thing-a continual
increase of the pension bill.
The average annual value of pen
sion OF all classes is now $f2l.22, but
per month to = 1867 per month. This
last is paid to the widow of President
Roosevelt.
Not all widows of Presidents of the
United States have been treated alike.
Only twelve out of the twenty-eigh'
twelve. the widows of George Wash
ingtop, James Madison, John Quincy
Adams and Zachary Taylor were
granted only the franking privilege
James K. Polk, Abraham Lincoln. L.
S. Grant. James a. Garfield. William
Mckinley and Theodore Roosevelt
were each granted $1,000 annually for
rison was given . single payment OF
$4,000 and the franking privilege.
One of the twelve. Mrs. Garfield, was
given single payment of $4,000
"A
pay Mrs Harding $4,000 year for
life and grant her the frankinS priv
ilege.
Total Payment, 80. .606, 600 900.
The foodgate to the public treas
ury for Spanish American war voker-
ans was opened by an act OF Con
gress September /. 1922. which
broadened and liberalized the con-
ditions under which pensions on ac-
count of service against Srsiin may
be granted. BY an act of September
90, 1922. the benefits of the genera
pension laws were made applicable
to persons admitted itto the mill
tary service after February 8, 1922.
During the fiscal year ending June
so, 1928, Congress passed 2,5o5 spe-
cial acts, granting pensions or in
favored people.
To sum up:
First. Since W. became a nation,
and up to 1917, we called 3,505.e00
men into military service in our sew
eral wars To these men since their
discharge the federal government
has paid out in cash up TO June 30
1928. total of approximately $685.
000,000 In 1928. or ffty-sevep years
after the civil war, 539,Sas s-sHHsioners
States government. Every month
51.e66 checks go to tho state of Ohio,
49,67S to Pennsylvania, 42.S94 to New
York. On the pension rolls these are
the three big states.
Second. The European war period
covers a period from 1917 on. A total
Of S,0iS,S74 men Were in the Army
So far there have been few pensions
and very little expense with these
men in the pension bureau itself. If
our present policy of granting pen
Sions to all veterans who have served
at one time in the Army and Navy
continues there is bound TO be piled
up on the American Ieeple for future
generations cost OF billions and
billions of new additions to the pen
sion total. How much in total this
will amount to no one can even ap-
proximate. 1t has been estimated as
high as $4,000, 100000.
100000 in Two Wars.
Federal pensions today are one of
the large expenses of the national
government. OF every dollar spent
by the government in the fiscal year
1898 a little over cents went for
pensions. AS the civil war veterans
pass on their places will nov be
taken by the 100000 veterans OF the
Spanish American war. And immedi
ately behind them in marching order
come 5e19.s74 world war veterans.
The problem of pensions In the
problem OF war. Perhaps that is why
this bureau is transferred over to
new department of education and
welfare in the new plan of the eff
cheney commission now working oat
de pa rtmental reorganization.
In any case the facts are here
given for the American people to
ponder over.
Copyright 1924, in United States and Gres'
Britain, hy North American Newspaper
Alliance. All rights rsseryed.J
Tonorrsw-What the Treasury De-
PR-tment Costs.