The New York herald., 1922-05-03
BONUS RAIDERS WILL TEST
HARDING TODAY WITH BILL

and his associates will take to the
White House tomorrow. IL was quite
apparent to Senators who refuse to be
intimidated by threats of political re-
prisals from the American Legion and
other bonus advocates that support Of
the Presidents position is increasing
every day Senator's of this frame OF
mind are watching with considerable
amusement the attempts Of Chairman
McCumber and other bonus Senators
to frame a bill which is intended TO de-
ceive the President.
Senator'S who have discussed the
matter with the President entertain
no apprehensions on this score. They
declare the President knows what he
wants, and will not be caJoled by APP
peals to his benevolence to help Con-
gressional candidates use the money
of taxpayers TO win the votes of bonus
claimants.
Senators who are daily made the
targets of the opportunities and
threats of these claimants for Gov
ernment money have united in urging
the Finance Committee to get the mat
ter out of the way as soon as possible.
lhu hutll VI lilclI tiAiC 10 INV tdhCl dP
with listening to arguments of lobby
lists for the bonus bill or acknowledge
ing protests against it.
They believe the bonus controversy
should be settled as soon as sspossibie,
i'll order that they may devote them
selves to the serious business of the
Government, in which fifty times as
many persons are interested as those
in the bonus project. Wherefore they
express the hope that the President
promptly will express his opinion of
the McCumber measure and indicate
OH what terms, if any, he will accept
any legislative undertaking in this
line.
The great majority of Senators are
getting tired of the bonus for two rea-
sons. The first Is they do not believe
any feasible plan which will meet the
approval of the country can be de-
vised by members of Congress solely
concerned in seeking reelection. The
second is they are convinced the
American Legion will have nothing to
do with determining the distribution
of the popular vote for candidates for
seats in either house of Congress.
The bonus raiders played their trump
card to-day in presenting a petition
| (photographed) said TO contain a
million signatures in favor of a bonus
| financed with the sales tax. The en-
terprise was staged by New York
newspaper which rounded up several
Senators and Representatives to be
photographed alongside of the impress
| sive document.
Every Stage Photographed.
The petition was first taken to the
White House and exhibited (photo-
graphed) in front of the Executive
offices. Solemnly escorted by 300 men,
including, a few in uniform and $50
civilian representatives of the negro
race (photographed). the petition was
conveyed down Pennsylvania avenue
to the bare of three brass bands to
the Capitol. Here it was Officially"
turned over to Senators McCumber and
johnson and about a dozen others
(photographed).
The presentation of the ''mammoth"
petition provided an interesting cpl
sode of typical Washington spring
day turning to summer, and that is
about all. In signing the receipt for
the petition McCumber (photographed)
incidentally committed himself to the
support Of the sales tax because it and
the bonus scheme were coupled in the
betting.
The North Dakota Senator has al
ready announced his disapproval of
the sales tax, which is regarded by
members of the agricultural bloc as an
insidious attempt of Wall Street to
unload the cost of Government on the
down trodden farmer.