The Washington herald., 1921-07-10
Bonus Fight Holds Senate.
FOLLOWING President Harding's unexpect
visit 70 the Senate Thursday there were in
cations that the soldier compensation bill wol


and that midsummer probably would be taken
before consideration is given to the forthcoming tax
revision and tariff bills.
The President conferred with Senator Frelinghuy-
sen, Of New Jersey and Senator McCumber, of North
Dakota chief opponent and sponsor of the soldier
BILL and with other leaders, expressing the wish that
final action this measure be delayed pending con-
sideraton Of the revenue bills
Although the vote Of 68 to by which the SOL
der bill taken up indicated its popularity, the
measure had some lumpy shedding following the in
troductory speech Tuesday Of Senator MeCmber who
assaiied the wartime prohteers by whom millions in
profits were harvested while the fighting men were
enduring hardships Of war at $50 month" The de-
bate had reached It's height Thursday, when the Pres
idcnt made his appearance at the Capitol. Secretary
OF Treasury Mellon had advised Senator Frelinghuy
BY letter. in response to specific questions that
to add $40oooooooo or $s,ooooooooo to the tax bur
dens Of the nation the bill calls for. though
the payments be distributed period of twenty
years, would place the government N critical 6nan
cial predicament With great national deficit to
contend with the strain Of the soldier payments would
be too great for the peoplewould increase and
virtually destroy the Administrations program of
economy, the Secretary said.
President Harding favors adequate relief for dis
abled soldiers and some form Of compensation as
madd known in several Of his post-naugural utter
ances but the perils suggested by Secretary Mellon
require sober reflection and if the passage of any
soldier bill could be delayed for while it was deemed
advisable by nany Of the administration leaders as
well as the President N.s
NN Tuesday Senator Lodge, OF Massachusetts,,
minority leader introduced resolution for
I adjournment from Friday to July a. saying
he had been importuned by many Senators to fix
such date in order that they might have little
relaxation, He explained that he thought it better
TO lay the matter before the Senate and allow the
body to express its wishes. After three hours dis
cnssion the resolution defeated by a vote of 28
to "a, after, it had been amended to make the final
date Agust 8 allowing ten days more for Senators
who lived in more distant States. There was evident
disappointment and the feeling prevailed that the
resolution would be rentroduced. 1t was ntimated
BY some, that the recess plan was meant chiefly to
delay action the bonus BILL and strength given
to this by the apparent agitation Of leaders and the
subsequent visit of President Harding in the interest
OF delay on the soldier bill 1t is the opinion of
many leaders that tax and tariff should come ahead
Of the soldier relief measure which would not go into
effect until July !, 1921 but neither Of the revenue
bills is ready for the Senate The maternity and m
fancy bill was the unfinished business when the Z
Senate voted the recess proposition out of the way
but July IS having been set for vote upon the
maternity measure, and its merits having been dis
cussed generally, Senator Kenyon, who has charge of
it, gave way to Senator McCumber for bringing up
the bonus bill This not satisfactory to the ad-
mnistration leaders who evidently had sought to put
off the bonus BILL and efforts made by Senators
have the Norris bill for capalizing farm export
corporation brought up. The Nebraska Senator was
not ready, so there was nothing to do but proceed
with the bonus or soldier compensation bill, which,
under the circumstances, got away to a bad start If
the measure has not been finally acted upon by the
latter part of next week. and the probability is that
it will be recommtted and done for by that time for
the Of the extra session. then the maternity bill
will come to vote and the Senate may recess at
A. NJ ILL
"bloc" composed of more than score OF Senators
from farming States is standing solidy against adj
journment Until legislation for the relief of farmers
has been passed.
~ %OMMITTEESwere active during the last week.
Il the Agricultural reporting the Tincher-Capper