OCR Text |
Show SEN. THONHS I ATTACKS TIE I BONUS BILL H Government Facing Deficit of H Growing Size at End olF H Fiscal Year. I WASHINGTON, April 30 Renewing H I his attack on soldclr bonus proposals H (in the senate yesterday. Sen, Thomas, i (Democrat, Colorado, arraigned con-jgress con-jgress and the American public alike B I for what he termed their indifference . I to the government finances. H) "A deficit of growing size faces the V i government at the end of this fiscal ypar," he said, "but the spirit of in-H in-H difference to federal finances contin-H contin-H ues to control the senate. Absentee- jJsm synchronizes with the appearance of appropriation bills. A quorum of a I senators can only bo kept here by con-m con-m slant quorum calls. ,rLast week the Fuller pension bill H I increasing the payments to civil war I I veterans and their dependents by $65.-I $65.-I 000,000 a measure many of us think I unjustifiable went through with 12 I senators voting upon it. Deficiency I 1 appropriation bills have been passed: I ' two more aro preparing, and when the I polls close next November the signal I will be given for another series of I them to emerge. I "But these dwindle into insignifi I , canco compared with the bonus pro I 'posala. The last scheme now resolved N ' upon tvIII cost the American people I ! $6,000,000,000. An organized and clani- D orous demand dooms to disaster those who challenge its justice. That sets ( L a new precedent for the transfer of Ka , noney from the pockets of one set of li - people to the pockets of another. The V i crushing burden can and will go only III one place on the already bent backs of the American consumer." ; y Soldier Relief Causes Break. j WASHINGTON, April 30. Opposi- tlon among house Republicans for a i I sale tax for raising a part of the $1,- 800,000,000 needed for soldier relief U legislation, led yesterday to a break at the final meeting of the Republi- 0 can members of the ways and means v committee, called to complete the (1 draft of the measure. Representatives Young, North Da- fc kota, and Frear, Wisconsin, bolted and fif Joined in conference with Republican Ej insurgents to lay plans for the opposi w tion fight at their party caucus tomor-' K row night. Their withdrawal from Y the ways and means committee con- j g ferenco left the Republicans with a j majority of but one In the full commit-tee, commit-tee, if the bolting members vote with 3 tho Democrats. Republican committeemen finally completed tho committee draft of the! ) relief bill today, making lew changes in the general scheme. In adopting ' -the sales tax of one per cent on gross I ft monthly business, the Republicans de- J m elded this levy would not apply un- . less tho aggregate sum exceeded $1,000 J w instead of tho previously adopted limit y of $500. Other forms of taxation ap- j proved by tho Republicans include a (Ojr lax on all stock exchange transactions and Increased taxes on incomes, to- fra I bacco and real estate sales. I ,i Taxes, it wasfcdecided today, would ' (fi be effective next'January 1, with the , j cash bonus payments to be made in;2j installments, beginning April 1, 1921. For tho other forms of relief, includ-' ing land settlement, home purchases, ! pfl vocational training, and paid-up insur- K2 ance, the Republican committeemen feu decided to appropriate $25,000,000 to $ be available for carrying out these plans -when the bill is approved by the president. 3 Tho sales tax, the Republican com-mltteemen com-mltteemen also decided, should apply V I to hotels and restaurants, but by in- fa creasing the exemption limit to $1,000 w a month, they pointed out that only the 5 big caterers would be subject to this (g Iovy- K |