BONUSES FOE SOLDIERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18663, 20 March 1924, Page 7

BONUSES FOE SOLDIERS

AMERICAN BILL PASSED. SENATE YET TO VOTE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 7.15 p.m.) "WASHINGTON. Mar. 18. The House of Representatives, by the" overwhelming majority of 355 votes ,to 54, passed the long-mooted Soldiers' Bonus Bill. This provides for paid-up 20 years' endowment life insurance policies, and for cash payments to veterans not entitled to more than 50 dollars in adjusted compensation. The adjustment is to be on the basis of one dollar a day for home service, and one dollar and aquarter for overseas duty, the first 60 days' service not to be counted. The maximum insurance is not to exceed 21000 dollars per veteran. It is computed that if the measure becomes law it will involve an expenditure by the Government in excess of 2000 million dollars, of which 135 million dollars will be expended in the first year. ( The bill now goes to the Senate, where it will face a-stormy reception, although it is believed it will be passed with some modifications. * , ' The bonus proposals have been strenuously opposed both by the late President Harding and Mr. Calvin Coolidge. The former vetoed the bill in 1922, whereupon the House of Representatives passed it over the veto, but the Senate failed to act on it. In official circles it is believed that Mr. Coolidge will promptly veto the bill in accordance with his known attitude regarding it, but the bonus advocates avowedly intend to either win his ' approval or muster sufficient' votes in Con- | gress to assure : its ' passage over the [President's veto. ' ;