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Show bills give ex-service men the option of choosing any one, but only one, of the following plans: j 1. Adjusted service pay, cash award. 2. Adjusted service; certificates, insurance. 3. Vocational training aid. 4. Farm or home aid. 5. Land settlement aid. Cost involved in these bills varies as does time in which government must pay. The McCumber bill has made most progress as it has been re- ; ported on favorably by Senate Finance Committee. Bat from , taxpayers' standpoint and for good of the country the Fordney bill is considered best as the government has longer time in which to pay In considering McCumber bill, the Finance Committee believes minimum mini-mum possible cost would be $1,5 60,000,000 if every veteran took: the cash plan. The maximum would be $5,2 73,000,000 if every veteran took adjusted service certificates (insurance). Under what; Finance Committee believes would be real operation of the legislation, legisla-tion, total cost would be about $4,396,000,000 scattered over aj period of twenty years. I Comparing governmental expenditures for all months of fiscal year 1921 with whole year 1914, it is found that federal expenditures expendi-tures were $2,7000,000,000 more than expenditures for whole of 1914. Proposed bonus would be in addition to these expenditures, j For year ending June 30, 1921, expenditures of federal gov- j ernment alone were about $50 per capita or $250 per annum per family against $7.07 per capita in 1914. Taking the 1 7-months period during which we where at war it is found that the various enlisted men received in pay during that i time the following sums: United States, $570.00; France, $27.55; Italy, $33.06; Russia, $7.41 ; Great Britain, $138.70; New Zealand, $138.70; South Africa, $138.70. It is understood Belgium paid a slightly higher rate than France; Canada paid the same as the United States; while Australia paid approximately $42.00 a month, the highest amount of any country. Every state in the nation except six has made provision for bonuses or assistance to , ex-soldiers. These benefits are estimated to total over $184,000,000. In addition, the national government gave cash bonuses at time of discharge. Roughly, the foregoing is a summary of facts involved in the bonus question. It will be for the people of United States to decide de-cide whether in face of such expenditures as have already been made and as are being made to maintain our government as present time, it is wise or necessary to enact proposed bonus legislation for benefit of uninjured veterans, at a cost estimated at from $1,500,000,000 to $5,000,000,000. FACTS ABOUT THE BONUS The bonus question and tax reduction are the two live issues before Congress. Politicians seeking re-election hs:te to commit themselves on either measure at the prese.nt time. Real statesmen have been trying to work out these national problems and give the people the facts. If the people know the facts, public opinion may be relied upon to bring about a satisfacto ry conclusion. The three different measures placed before Congress for a soldiers sol-diers bonus are the Fordney, McCumber aj rd Mott bills. All three |