Evening star., 1921-07-20
NEW SENATE SNARL
ON APPROPRIATIONS.
President May Have to Make
New Trip to Capitol to
Protect Funds Saved.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

President Harding may have to take
another trip to the Capitol or in some
other way apply the brakes to the
tendency of Congress to appropriate
for new purposes all the monay that
has been saved by the careful prQn-
ing Of the budget.
The Senate is in a snarl again. AL
though Mr.. Harding pleaded with his
former colleagues to sidetrack not
only the bonus but other legislation.
excepting the tariff and taxation, the
bill providing $100.000.900 to finance
farm exports now is up for consid
Grafton. 1t means. II passed. a spend
Dawes. director of the budget, an
nounces has been saved. In other
words. just as fast as saving is ac-
complished at one end of the National
Capitol means Of spending an equiva-
lent amount are found at the other
end. And on top OF it all the new
Shipping Board finds it necessary to
ask for $300.000.000 to salvage the
wreck on its hands. Thus the Presi-
dent finds himself in the awkward
situation Of appealing to Congress di-
rectly or indirectly to concentrate on
the tax program and let alone other
matters.
Farm Export Bill Pushed.
The agricultural bloc in the Sem
ate Is pushing the farm export bill
with the same vigor that the bonus
was pressed. The President himelf
has not said anything for or against
the farm bill. and there is no doubt
aided in just such a practical way,
but the question Of establishing a
precedent and giving $10O.000.O00 to
one class is a perilous one. Other
industries may come forward with
requests for aid. Furthermore. the
sible appropriation of a billion dol
lars eventually. as it IL progressive
thing, with 500. 100000 to start with.
Mr.. Harding has asserted his lead
ership. somewhat to the discontinue
of some elements in the Senate. but
closest friends would welcome an
other trip to the Capitol. They in
sist that the Senate has no leaders
powerful enough to override the
wishes of any bloc or group.
The demands of different sections
ditional influences of the party lead
er. The call to party is not as strong
as it used to be. Mr.. Harding is
being told he is the only man who
can lead the Senate out of the wilder
ness of it's variegated interests and
taxation and revenue.
Only Higher Taxes Prevented.
AS it looks now about all that has
been accomplished in general way
by government economy has been the
prevention Of higher taxes than last
year. Were it not for the efforts at
economy made through the budget
committee and the appeals of Presi-
dent Harding to his cabinet the gov
ernment would be faced with the ne
cessity of increasing rather than de-
creasing the tax rate for the calendar
wear Of 1921. Unless some drastic
cuts are made in government ex-
penses on the one hand, accompanied
by a few vetoes of congressional de-
sire to spend more money. the tax
rate will remain unchanged. This,
the political advisers of the adminis-
tration fear, will react against them.
They promised to reduce taxes, and
unless a gradual reduction can be
nut into effect so that a convincing
is made of the repub-
lican purpose to keep its pledge. re-
nubiicans themselves admit they will
enter the congressional elections with
a gloomy prospect. President Hard
ine's Intervention in the Senate sit
nation is again regarded as inevitable.
Copyright. 1921