The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1922-03-10
REJECT SALES
TAX FOR BONUS
fordney and Associates, I'm
pressed by Bloc, Now Favor 3D.
nus Bill Minus Revenue Plan.
PARTY LEADERS DISTURBED
Sudden Decision Likely to ProIong the
Struggle, With the Outcome Much
in Doubt-Hope Voiced That Brit
ain Will Float Debt Bonds Here

Washington.-After voting, to 2
against recommending sales tax as
means of paying the soldier bonus, the
subcommittee of the Republicans OF
the Ways and Means Committee, to
which the finance feature of this prob
lem had been referred, decided in
favor of reporting a bonus bill with
out any specific revenue provisions
attached.
Later the subcommittee presented
its decision to the full majority mem
bership of the Ways and Means Com
mittee. Republican leaders urged a
reconsideration of the subcommittee
hction, but after talking over the mat
ter in an indefinite way and listening
to explanations by Chairman Fordney,
who was a leading factor in the action
taken, the conservative members sue
ceeded in obtaining an adjournment
without any final decision.
1t is said that the subcommittee's
reasons were not entirely satisfactory
to some other members of the COM
nittee. The advocates Of the sales
tax expect word will come from the
White House informing the "nonreve-
nue. raisers' that the President will
not approve such a measure. II the
President reiterates opposition to pas
sage of bonus bill now unless 1t pro-
vides revenue through sales tax,
then, according to some expectations,
the opponents of the sales tax are
likely to reverse themselves. = p
After President Harding was in.
formed of the failure Of the Republi-
cans of the subcommittee to take his
suggestions on the bonus matter after
they had sought them, it became
known that his position regarding
bonus legislation remained unchanged
being unalterably defined in the letter
which the President sent to Mr.
Fordney on February 16. 1t was said
that he would veto any bonus bill that
came to him without providing means
for raising the revenue, and that the
only bonus measure acceptable to him
was one that obtained money through
a sales tax.
The situation as interpreted by Re-
publican leaders was that there would
be no bonus legislation until very
late in this session, If at all. If a
bonus bill comes to the Senate minus
a revenue provision 1t cannot, under
the Constitution, supply the lack. Re-
publican leaders said that bonus that
that did not find the revenue to pay
the soldiers would be rejected in the
upper branch.
Party leaders in both House and
Senate were surprised by the sudden
decision of Chairman Fordhey and his
associates which was regarded as a
reversal of policy. 1t was condemned
generally as a move that might defeat
all bonus legislation at this time and
as another sign of the lack of party
harmony.
The five who voted against the Gales
tax were Chairman Fordney and Rep
resentatives Copley of Illinois, Tread
way of Massachusetts, Timberlake OF
Colorado and Watson Of Pennsylvania
Representatives Longwolth Of Ohio
and Bacharach Of New Jersey sup.
ported the Presidents plan for sales
tax for bonus levies.
Mr.. Fordney and his friends were
induced to retreat, it was said by one
of their number, because they had be-
come convinced that the farm-iabor
bloc had sufficient votes in combina.
tion with the Democrats to proven:
the passage Of bonus bill on the
lines of the Presidents recommenda.
tions.
The farm leaders informed Mr.
Fordney that they would not continue
their opposition to bonus legislation ii
the. sales tax was eliminated and the
measure was presented to the House
without taxation features.
Senator Moses of New Hampshire
came out against the bonus in O
speech in the Senate. He is the four
teenth member Of the upper chamber
to take this POSITION