Evening star., 1934-12-19
c. 0. P. IS AL00F
IN BONUS BATTLE
Feels Roosevelt Should Look
to Own Ranks for Veto
Support.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


While the administration continues
to seek some reasonable ground for
dealing with the soldiers bonus ques-
ton, it has become clear that the Re-
publicans in Congress do not intend
to pull the chestnuts out of the fire for
President Roosevelt in the fight over
the bonus at the coming session. That
has been made clear by Republican
members Of Congress now In Wash
ington.
Should President Roosevelt find it
impossible to reach an adjustment
satisfactory to himself as head Of the
Government, and a bill be sent to him
for the fun cash payment of the ad-
justed service certificates, he will have
to rely upon the Democrats to sustain
a veto of the measure.
The administration Is examining
various avenues Of possible compro-
mise on the bonus payments to the
veterans at this time. One Of them,
suggested by Senator Harrison of Mis-
sissippi, proposes that cash payments
be made only where the veterans are
in actual need. Another looks to the
payment Of the veterans on the basis
Of the actual bonus for daily service
in the Army during the World War,
plus the interest which has accumu-
lated up to the present. This would
be q sum greatly less than the face
value Of the bonus certificates call
for.
Compound Interest Added.
Under the bonus law the veteran
Is entitled to 81 day for service in
this country and to $125 a day for
service overseas, after the $50 gratuity
paid in 1919 has been deducted. In
issuing the certificates, however, this
principal sum had added to it COM
pound interest until 1945 and the to-
tai makes up the face value of the
bonus certificates.
The Veterans Administration Is
making survey to ascertain how
many veterans are in need The ad-
ministration asks whether the veteran
is on relief and whether he is out of
job, and for how long. The vet
Grams bloc, however, continues to in
sist there shall be no compromise
They will demand full payment of the
face value Of the certificates, and
probably remission of the interest
owed by the veterans on the loans
they have made up to date on their
bonus certificates.
These loans amount to 81 ,635 ,291 =
947, including interest, from the Gov
ernment, and to another $50, 900 900
from the banks.
House Seen for Bonus.
So far as the House is concerned,
the probabilities are that a cash pay
ment bonus bill will be passed and
repassed by the necessary two-thirds
vote over presidential veto. The
President, If he finally determines to
go to the mat against the full cash
payment Of the bonus at this time, is
believed to have a better chance with
the Senate. While the belief was ex-
pressed today that cash payment
bonus bill would pass the Senate,
doubt was said to exist that such o
bill could be passed over the Presi-
dents veto, although proponents of
the measure insist that 10 Senators,
or more than two-thirds of the entire
body, would vote to override.
Conferences among Republican Sen
ators, many of whom have now re-
turned to Washington, indicate that
the Republicans, with perhaps three
exceptions, will vote to override veto
of the bonus bill if opportunity arises.
The Republicans, from q practical
political point of view, see no gain in
voting with the Democratic President
against q measure which has the
support Of the veterans. Furthermore,
the Republicans say, the G. o. p. Is
historically sympathetic with war vet
Grams and has always supported gen.
erous pensions.