Show Figuring on the tire Bonus milD liE national debt at the end of or March according to T THE stood at 24 24 4 1 United States treasury report been ben reduced 1 1 In six si months it has but whether the reduction is permanent or otherwise depends upon new appropriations and tax legislation officials of or the government say sarI and confined almost almost al almost al- al March payments were most entirely to retirement of certificates o of indebted indebted- ness The reductions in other months were made mado up of both certificates and short term notes Tho present debt is made up of comprising the four Thur issues of Liberty bonds of Victory short term tenn notes in Treasury certificates in War Savings certificates and approximately approximately in bonds issued before the thear war var arIn In tho face of these facts it seems out of tho the question ques tion or exceedingly imprudent to say tho the least to float another largo large of bonds of from om a billion and a half to two billion dollars to meet tho the bonus bonns to each American soldier who served in tho the world war It is admitted by majority leaders in tho the Senate that the matter of a a. bonus for the service ico men cannot be evaded c and the necessary funds must bo be provided either cither by being borrowed or raised by increased taxation The House ways and means committee has adopted a n r resolution offered by bj Representative o Lon Longworth orth to report bonus leg legislation within tho the next month but in all probability it will mIl tako the form of taxation and not of bonds According to report the tho tax ta on sales to meet this extraordinary c expenditure is growing in fator favor favor fa fa- fa- fa vor tor and the paying of the bonus in money in a n lump sum may be recommended by tho the House committee Members of or the tho committee have o estimated that a sales tax of ono one per cent on goods sold under and of five per cent on goods sold over Oter that amount together tog with a tax tID of one-half one of one per cent on the S sales of rc real estate will ill yield yearly without appreciable ap op- pre burden upon tho masses |