The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-08
HARDING STANDS
 BACK OF PLAN ID
 DEFER BONUS BILL
lndorseS View of Mellon That Bonus Legislation Now Would Seriously Embar-
 raSS the Treasury
By Associated Presn

Washington, July 7.-President Harding paid an unexpected visit to the Senate today and, it Is under stood, interposed the weight of his personal influence to defer action on the soldier bonus bill until a clearer understanding of the gov ernment's financial outlook has been made possible by enactment of new tariff and tax laws.
 In an hours conference with the Senate leaders the President is un- derstood to have indorsed the view of Secretary Mellon that bonus leg islation now might be a serious em- barrassment to the treasury, and even to have suggested that all other Legislative business be suspended to permit completion of the tariff and tax revisions as soon as possible. By those who talked with him he was quoted as favoring recess Of Con- gress while the committees in charge are hastening perfection of the two measures on account of which the special session was called
 To Send Special Message It was indicated that MT. Hard ing's views would De set forth at greater length In 6 special message tc Congress, which may be sent to the capitol tomorrow. The document Is expected to deal particularly with the bonus bill, and to set forth that, while the administration regards itself as committed to some legisla- | ton for relief of war veterans, it
 sees no reason for acting precipi- | tately.
 While the President was giving his | opinion to senator after senator in his room Just off the Senate chamber,
 the Senate itself was debating the
 bonus bill with sponsors for the
 measure confident of It's passage. By an overwhelming vote the bill has 1 been brought to the Senate floor as q | special order of business, and the senators in charge were inclined te
 predict that even the opposition of
 Secretary Mellon would not be suf3 | ficient to delay it. | Tonight the outlook generally was
 admitted to be more uncertain.
 Leaders had not yet made canvass | to ascertain Just how much weight ! tho visit of the President might have. and the disposition in most quarters was to await Mir. Hardngs message
 before forcing a showdown.
 To Seek New Vote.
 l After the message has been re- | ceived 1t is regarded as likely that an attempt will be made to send the bo- | nus bill back to committee and then get another vote on the recess pro posal, which failed of adoption sever
 al days ago by margin of four votes.
 l In their opposition to recess the | bonus advocates are excepted to have
 the aid of various other Senate ele ments who want actioh onssome par ticular class of legislation. Not the least potential of these groups, it | generally is expected, win be the az ricultural block. which is determined ! to put through a series of relief
 measures for the farmers. The final | division is expected to be along group rather than party lines
 | Leaders of the elements most anx-
 ious to push particular measures to enactment were among the first to
 be summoned into conference by the | President when he reached his room l at the captoi. Senator McCumber,
 republican, North Dakota. in charge
 of the bonus bill, and Senators Nor l ris, republican,, Nebraska: Kenyon, republican, Iowa; and simmons, dem ocrat. North Carolina, prominent in
 the agricultural group, were said tu
 have been told frankly and emphat-
 ically by MT Harding that he con
 sidered completion of the tariff and
 tax programme the prime duty of the federal government. In each case
 the President punctuated his argu-
 ment by vigorous gestures and rods | of the head.
 MT Harding's conferences on the
 Legislative situation were held after
 he had broken precedent by taking l luncheon with party of senators in the senate restaurant. Most of these
 in whose company he was accustomed
 to take his meals during his sena-
 toriai days were at the table and the | Pfesident made manifest effort 10 l have he XISit in .,l