The New York herald., 1922-07-04

ndrln tneln more tNdN IL WOulu
benefit them. l appeal to you to
offer the most effective resistance
to the bonus scheme now in Con-
gress."
contract in view OF the fact that more
than a dozen projects for giving Gov
ernment cash to men who participated
in the world war have been proposed
and successfully discarded.
There is complete justification for
the claim made by Mr.. Fordney and
Mr.. McCumber, the joint authors of
the bonus bill. that 1T is the best we
can propose" The comments made by
President Harding and Secretary
Mellon combined with the tremendous
opposition of the people generally to
the Fordney-M -McCumber scheme con-
clusively show it is not good enough
TO merit acceptance.
Unable to Deliver Vote.
The Senatorial promoters of the
bonus who still labor under the de-
lusion that the politicians in the
American Legion can elect or beat
them by delivering the soldier votes
know this as we'll as the Senator'S who
are opposed to it. The politicians in
the Legion were not able to deliver
the soldier vote in Illinois, Pennsyl-
vania. Oregon and North Dakota.
II Mr.. McCumber had won the sup
port Of 70 per cent. of the $4,000
soldier voters in North Dakota he
would have been renominated. An
analysis of the North Dakota primary
figures show he did not get 25 per
cent.
Convinced that the American Legion
control the votes of the ex-service
men who would be entitled to the
bonus Senators both for and against
the gratuity scheme are inclined to
disregard the demands coming from
this quarter. Mr.. McCumber and
Senator Capper. the Kansas millionaire
leader of the agricultural bloc. frankly
admitted during consideration of the
bonus bill in the Finance Committee
that they were taking their orders
from the politicians in the American
Legion.
Officials of the organization were
admitted to conferences which re-
suited in preparation of the McCum-
ber bill They were consulted on
every important feature of it and no
move was made without their consent
Lobbyists representing the Legion
politicians enjoyed greater latitude in
supervising the preparation of the
bonus bill than was ever accorded to
any professional propagandists except
those of the Anti-Saloon League.
But the Legion politicians appear
to have had their day in court and to
have lost the power to WELD their
stuffed political club over the heads
Of few tinlid Senator's who had been
led to believe that partisan neces-
stiles compelled obedience. In every
test calculated to prove the political
power of the Legion officials they
failed. That is an unforgivable sin
in politics.
Senator'S who docilely obeyed the
lash of the Legion before the primary
Legion claims now are displaying dis
agreeable independence. They no
longer fetch and carry as they did
month ago. In the preparation of
substitute for the McCumber bill
the Legion politicians will not enjoy
the privileges they did before.
They will be compelled to take what
the majority of the Senators decide
shall be provided in the way of bonus
legislation. Just what this will be is
matter of conjecture. The Legion
politicians are still lined UP back Of
the McCumber project because it is
the most definite proposal to which
the largest number Of their Senatorial
friends are committed.
Another effort to get 1t before the
Senate will be made Wednesday or
Thursday by moving to dislodge the
tariff bill. which is involved in other
complications. Senator's who will sup
port this move admit they do not ex-
pect to win. but they feel that in order
to square their promises they must
make gesture in this direction.
Change of Front shown.
Defeat of the plan which is ex-
pected, probably will discourage SINH.
lar undertakings until the tariff bill
has been voted on. There is little
chance of a decision on the tariff
measure for at least a month, perhaps
two.
The change of front on the part OF
Senator'S who a week ago were de-
manding an immediate vote on the
bonus was clearly outlined to-day by
the statement of Senator McNary
(Ore., Rep). He recently hooked his
reclamation project TO the bonus or
the theory he would get more votes fol-
1t than IL 1t were proposed as an in
dependent venture.
The Oregon Senator said this after,
noon he thought he could make ou
better by offering his reclamation
project separately. After sounding
Senate sentiment regarding the bonu,
Mr.. McNary indicated he would with
draw his amendment TO the bonus bill