Evening star., 1930-12-12
BIG BATTLE COMING
ON SOLDIER BONUS
House and Senate BackerS
Preparing for Showdown
With President.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.


The raising by the Senate of the ap-
preparation for agricultural relief from
S25 900 900 to sec. 600 eco is immaterial
compared to the amount that will be in
volved in the really big battle between
President and Congress when it comes,
as it surely will. The issue constitutes
major politics and is certain to be dra-
matte. The project that is largest in
amount and also most energetically
pressed is an appropriation amounting
to approximately SO, 500 900 900 for war
veterans. This is equal roughly to the
entire annual appropriations of Con-
gresS for all purposes. 1t would amount
to a doubling of the whole Government
expenditures for this year.
The bill for this purpose is backed in
the Senate by Vandenburg of Michigan,
Caraway of Arkansas and some others.
In the House 1t is backed by Repre-
sentative Wright Patman of Texas and
John E. Rankin of Mississippi. These
House hackers of the immense appro-
priation for war veterans have proved
themselves in the asst to be resourceful
and energetic. On the present occasion
Congressman Patman is taking early
action to insure that the bill shall
come to a vote Taking advantage of an
intricate and seldom used parliamentary
rule, he is circulating a petition among
members of the House. If he gets the
signatures of a majority, 218, the bill
will automatically come out of the
Ways and Means Committee onto the
floor of the House once each week until
action is had upon it.
Half Of Sum Raised.
Understanding of the nature of the !
bill begins with understanding of the |
soldiers bonus act of 1924. In that |
year Congress enacted that each vet
eran should be paid a bonus of a dollar |
a day additional for home service and |
$1.25 a day for overseas service. To |
the sum for each veteran thus arrived |
at the Government added 25 per cent !
The sum was not to be paid to the |
veterans in cash. Congress enacted |
that it should remain in the Treasury
drawing per cent interest for 20 years.
The amount is payable either at the
termination of the 20-year period, jan
uary l, 1945, or at the prior death of
the veteran. It will be seen that the
certificates are in effect, as Secretary
Mellon called them. endowment in
Surance policies" The premiums are |
paid not by the veterans, but by the
Government. The veteran pays moth
ing, In 1945 or at prior death the vet
eran gets the amount of the policy. The
average amount for each veteran is
little over $1,000.
|
sum should be paid to the veterans i'm
mediately instead of waiting until 1945.
The amount required is So, ,409, ,304, ,122.
While the Government would be obliged
to raise this sum, only about half of
u would represent additional outlay by
The Government. The present cash
value of the policies, such as any in
surance company would pay, is $1,770,-
900, 900. The remainder, about $780,
100000 would be clear gift by the
Government to the veterans.
Veterans Have Influence.
Any one familiar with veterans leg
islation in the recent past knows that
the probability of Congress enacting
this appropriation is great. Similar
Judgment Is entertained by persons who
know the strong disposition of indi-
vidual Senators and Representatives to
do what they think will please the vet
erans. 1t will be recalled that last
Spring Congress, especially the Senate,
took conscious pleasure in passing an
appropriation for veterans which Presi-
dent Hoover publicly described as bad
legislation" Based on that episode and
on knowledge Of the present situation, it
is fair to estimate that not Is out of
96 Senator'S and not IS out of ABS Rep
resentatives will vote against legislation
If they think 1t would be pleasing to
veterans generally. II passage of the
appropriation is averted, it will be
through parliamentary strategy and
control exercised by leaders in the
House
An argument made in favor of the
bill by Senator Vandenberg of Michigan
is that there could be no greater
economic stimulant in the mass than
the release of perhaps a thousand dol
lars apiece in the hands of some three
million persons" Secretary Mellon ad-
nits this argument in part, but adds
that it would be "a temporary stimula-
ton OF an artificial character" Secre-
tary Mellon is opposed to the appro-
priation because ii would be necessary