The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-10
SOLONS SEEK
MIDDLE ROAD
IN DISARM|NG
Republican Majority in Lower
House Torn Between Desire
Not To Embarrass Harding
and Constituents Wishes.
SENTIMENT IS STRONG
BY MARK SULLIVAN


WASHINGTON, D. c., June 10
The Republican majority in the low
er house is torn between sincere af-
fection for President Harding and the
wish to make his leadership as un-
embarrassed and as effectual as pos
sible and on the other hand, an equal
ly earnest wish to represent what
they know to be the wishes of their
constituents.
After Senator .'Iorah in the senate,
had introduced his resolution calling
for a conference for limitation of arm
aments and after he had by mastery
management conducted it to a point
where he got unanimous vote in the
senate in favor of it, members of the
lower house we're embarrassed. They
did not think it would look well to
their constituents to observe that
whereas the senate had taken action
in favor of conference for limlta-
tion of armaments the house had not.
Approach Harding
The members of the lower house
were eager to put themselves on rec
ord in favor of a movement which
they know has strong moral and poll
tical support throughout the country.
In this dilemma some of them ap-
preached President Harding and he
is understood to have let them know
that he would. not be embarrassed If
they cared to pass a similar resolu-
ton.
The same conflict between the two
desires arise on the passage OF the
naval appropriation bill. The house
passed a bill appropriating about
$400, 100000. The senate increased
this appropriation to about $50OO0O,-
000 When it came to the house to
decide whether they should stick by
their original sum, or compromise
with the senate there is not any
doubt that the overwhelming majority
Of the house wanted TO stick to the
smaller sum.
House Sensitive.
The house is more sensitive to pub
lie sentiment than the senate, and its
sensiuveness increases day by day.
The house knows there is no political
emotion in the country more obvious
or more powerful than the wish for
action to limit armaments and the
goes to support our own armament.
The house earnestly wishes to respond
to this sentiment, but they have 4
conscientious wish not to do anything
which will embarrass the administra-
ton in the conduct of our foreign re-
lations.
If this element of possible embar.
rassment to a president whom they
like and whom they want to support
we're absent there need be little doubt
that the house would go even longer
way than has yet been proposed in
the direction of reducing appropria-
tions for armament.
Burton Speaks.
Probably there is not an ADLER or
more representative man in the house
than Theodore Burton, of Ohio. Mr..
Burton has served in the senate as
we'll as in the house, and he spoke
from experience when he said, speak
ing of the senate's increase of $780,
nOo,Oo in the naval appropriation
bill:
What have we here? A bill very
carefully considered in this house. It
goes to the senate and 100000, 900 is
added The senate might, if had an
most excellent appropriation; but this
house, where there is earnest and
sometimes acrimonious debate, speaks
most accurately, most correctly, for
the will of 100,000,000 people. The
people are demanding economy, the
duty rests upon this house to promote
economy"
Opposes Increases.
A little later Mr. Burton said: The
who ole world with the mounting costs
of militarism. is threatened with uni
versal bankruptcy. and I trust the
conferees will stand firmly and bring
back to this house report of non
concurrence in these additions, so that
the bill may remain as 1t was in tha
house. Thus we shall do our duty
to the country by expressing the opin-
ion that we are opposed to this mad
race for an increase in military eX-
pense."
1t would hardly be possible to over
rate the weight of these words from
Mr.. Burton. as he probably is the
most thorough scholar in either the
house or the senate. He has been
the president of one of the leading
banks of New York. He is recognized
by economists everywhere as 4 stu
dent and author of high standing i'll
this field. He comes from Ohio. ad,
mires and likes President Harding,
and only the strongest conviction
would lead him to the position he
took
Copyright 1921 by the New York