The Washington herald., 1921-03-08
Talks to Reporters at
Midnight After Party
Conference.
LEADERS AT ONE
FOR LIMITATION
Announces New Congress
Session Not to Open
Before April a.

broke a white House precedent of
long standing by appearing on the
south portico at midnight. to tell
correspondents Of the results of
conference among party leaders at
a dinner given by the Chief Execu-
tive.
President Harding told the cor
respondents there had been
unanimous sentiment" among the
conferees for a program for the
limitation of armaments, but not
concrete suggestions had been
made.
Places were set for twenty-four
at the dinner which was held in the
state dining room. The twenty-five
guests were all members of Con-
gress. Senator Reed Smoot. of Utah,
appearing as the added starter.
The guest list previously an
nounced had consisted of twenty
one.
President and Mrs Harding pre-
sided over the dinner, the latter
leaving the party to its discussion
of governmental problems when the
cigars and cigarettes were lighted.
From that time on until the mid
night breakup hardly a member left
the dining room.
Hundred Correspondents.
Senator wadsworth, of New York.
chairman Of the Senate Committee
on Military Affairs. was called away
to answer the telephone on several
occasions. Senator Knox likewise
did a little telephoning during the
course of the dinner.
II was Senator wadsworth who
carried to the diners the news that
close to a hundred newspaper cor
RESPONDENTS were outside waiting
for the news. He had noticed them
eongregated below the windows Of
the white House cloak room. 1t
was Immediately agreed that the
President should see the newspaper
men.
1t was on the stroke of IL when
President Harding came ont onto
the front porch. He was nattily
s.tired in a Tuxedo and without a
hat, for the weather was very warm.
Expressing his satisfaction at see
ing the correspondents. many OF
whom had been with him through
out the campaign and since election,
he chatted in a confidential way.
Meantime, one by one the Senate
and House leaders had filed out of
the White House, bidding the Presi-
dent good night.
TT has always been a custom to
leave all announcements on White
To he
said Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania
President Appears.
THE President is going to see
you," advised Senator Penrose. also
of Pennsylvania. Then the Presi-
dent appeared.
II will not be determined whether
emergency tariff legislation or re-
vision of the taxation laws will
be passed first until after canvass
has been made of the membership
of the Senate Finance Committee
and the House Ways and Means
Committee. President Harding said.
No suggestion of a combined
revenue and tariff bill had been
made. the President added.
Replying to question. Mr..
Harding said:
Everybody wants to promote
disarmament. / do not mean dis
armament. but approximate dis
armament.
II suppose you want to know
what has been going on here to-
night" the President said as he
walked out onto the porch and
greeted the newspaper correspond
ents.
These gentlemen (from the SEN
ate and the House) were asked to
come down and talk over a prac-
tical date for the coming extra
session. This was discussed at
great length and from various
viewpoints
Apru 4 Earliest Date.
Il can only say that the extra
session will not be called earlier
than April 4. 1t may be a week
later. "
Following that we discussed the
legislative program at great length
how we shall keep faith with the
people and carry out our campaign
promises"
Asked IL any international mat
ters were discussed, the President
said:
No, the discussion related wholly
to the domestic situation"
Tariff and taxation. he continued,
were only casually discussed" and
the failure of the army and navy
appropriation bills was taken up to
determine what should be done about
them in the next session. I
Il can say this" Mr.. Harding
stated. that we were trying to de-
termine which is the real pressing
thing, emergency tariff legislation
or a revision of the taxation laws.
There was a wide difference Of
opinion.
I'VE passed the matter up for
further consideration after a can
vass of the Ways and Means and
Finance Committees has been made.
This conference was made up, as
you know, of the outstanding COM
mittee chairman of the Senate and
House"
The conference was "a very pleas
ing and interesting discussion" I"
said the President.
I'VE are formulating our pros
gram at once instead of going into
the session without knowing what
we are about.
This Is the beginning of a pro-
gram of cooperation between the
Executive and Congress. 1t is not a
few men arrogating to themselves
"