The Washington herald., 1921-06-10
HOUSESTAlQDS
BY HARDING ON
BILL TODISARM
Loyalty to Chief Prevents
Drastic Legislation,
Says Sullivan.
MEMBERS APPROVE
ACTION BY BORAH
Give President Free Hand
In Planning Foreign
Policies.
BY MARK SULLIVAN.


The republican majority in the
lower house Is torn between a sim
cere affection for President Harding
and the wish to make his leadership
as unembarrassed and as effectual
az possible. and. on the other hand.
an equally earnest wish to represent
what they know to be the wishes
of their constituents.
After Senator Borah In the senate
had introduced his resolution calling
for a conference for limitation of
armaments. and after he had. my
mastery management. conducted II
to point where he got a unanimous
vote in the senate in avor of IL.
members OF the lower house were
embarrassed. They did not think II
would look well to their constitu-
ents to observe that whereas the
senate had taken action in favor of
a conference for Limitation of arma-
ments. the house had not.
Got Presidenfs View.
The members of the lower house
were eager to put themselves on
record in favor of a mavemcnt,
which they know has strong moral
and political support throughout the
country. In this dilemma some of
them approached President Harding.
and he Is understood to have let
them know that he would not be
embarrassed IL they cared to pass a
similar resolution.
The same conflict between two
esires arose on the passage of the
naval appropriation bill. The house
passed a bill appropriating about
$500. 100000. The senate increased
this appropriation to about $780,
100000. when II came up to the
house to decide whether they should
stick by their original sum or COM
promise with the senate. there is not
any doubt that the oxerwhelmine q
majority of the house wanted 20
| suck to the smaller sum.
'House Feels Sentiment.
The house Is more sensitive "a
public sentimept than the senate
and its constituencies increases day
BY day. The house knows there IL
no political en,lfion in the country
more obvious or more powerful
than the wish for action to iimi,
armaments and the wish to reduce
the taxation which goes to support
our own armament The house
earnestly wishes to respond to
this sentiment. but they have q
conscientious wish not to do any.
thing which will embarrass the ad.
ninistration in the conduct of our
foreign relations. IL this-element
OF possible embarrassment to a
President whom they like and whom
they want support were absent
there need be little doubt that the
house would go even a longer way
than has yet been proposed in the
direction of reducing appropriations
for armament.
Probably there Is not an abler OF
more representative man in the
house than Theodore Burton, OF
Ohio. Mr.. Burton has served both
in the senate as well as in the
house, and he speaks from expert
ence when he said, speaking of the
senate's increase of 500 0o0, 900 in
the naval appropriation BILL:
Says People Seek Economy.
What have We here? A bill very
carefully considered in this house
1t goes to the senate, and 10000, goo
are added. The senate might, II IL
had an independent responsibility,
frame a most excellent appropria-
ton bill; but this house, where
there Is earnest and sometimes acri-
monious debate, speaks most accu-
rately, most correctly, for the will
Of 110,0o0.000 persons. The people
are demanding economy. The duty
rests upon this house to promote
economy
A little later Mr.. Burton said. .
The whole world. with the mount
ing costs of militarism, is threat
ened with universal bankruptcy, ana
l trust the conferees will stand arm.
ly and bring back. to this house a
report Of nonconcurrence In these
addidtions, so that the bfli NAV re-
main as 1t was. in the house. Thus
We shall do our duty to the country
by expressing the opinion that we
are opposed to this mad race for an
increase in military expenses.
1t would hardly be possible to
overrate the weight of these words
from Mr.. Burton. He is probably
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
recognised by economists every
where as student and author of
high standing in this field. He
comes from Ohio. he admires and
likes President Harding, and only
the strongest conviction could lead
him to the position he took. 80