Evening star., 1922-06-01
SENATE BONUS BILL
SATISFIES LEGION
Changes in House Measure
UnobjectionabIe to veter-
ans-Passage Expected.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

The American Legion's legislative
committee is thoroughly satisfied
with the bonus bill as reported by the
Senate finance committee. The
changes made in the House bill are
unobjectionable.
The next step is to insure enough
votes to give the measure right Of
way over the tariff. This is admit
tedly a hard proposition for. while the
Legion has enough votes pledged to
pass the bill itself. there's a compli-
cation involved in getting the tariff
displaced. Some members of the Sen
ate who favor the bonus may be found
voting agsinst a motions tR dispisse
the tariff BY the time the NmsFfuata
Lsnrion1s representatives get through
thsir campaign Of persuasion-and
tHSE shax1 h4en pretty effecttys about
1t thus fat-enough votes are ex-
pected to be obtained to force vote
on the bonus. Speech making on the
bonus fs inevitable-those who are to
vote against 1t being as anxious to
tell their constituents the reason
it are anxious to demonstrate how
actively they fought to put the meas
urs through.
No Filibuster Expected.
But no filibuster is expected. The
sentiment of the Senate Is in favor Of
disposing of the issue this session one
way or the other. Undue delay Is not
for a moment considered. though. to
be sure. there may be some prolonged
IN fol
matter up and lay the tariff aside.
The issue is not partisan. The
fact that three democrats voted with
six republicans to report the measure
to the Senate is taken to mean that
the bonus bill will receive democratic
support when 1t reaches vote. The
democrats naturally will try to inn
pose all sorts Of amendments which
would appear to be even more favor
able to the soldiers. but individually
they will not assume responsibility
for defeating the main bill.
American Legion headquarters here
feels assured of sixty Affirmative
votes. In response to a Questionnaire
sent out by the legion, sixty senators.
Including republicans and democrats,
stated positively that they would vote
for the pending bill. though several
reserved the right to offer amend
mentS. Oniy tnlTteeH ScudloIS nave
told the legion that they would vote
against the bonus. = This leaves
twenty three who have not answered,
and ii IL predicted by the legion men
that at least q half dozen more will
climb the band wagon when the vot-
ing begins. To pass the bill itself.
only forty-nine Affirmative votes are
needed. To pass 1t over presiden-
tial veto, sixty-four votes are needed.
No Veto Looked For.
Curiously enough. the legion rep
resentatives are confident President
Harding will not veto-the bill. Sena-
tor James watsozz6f Indiana, an in
innate friend and political adviser Of
the-Pfesident. publicly has predicted
that Mr.. Harding would reverse him
self and sign the measure. Much sig
nifcance IL attached to the fact that,
although the President limited that
he would send letter to- Chairman
McCumber Of the finance committee
expressing opposition to the bill. he
failed to do so. It Is contended that
il Mr.. Harding intended to do any
have acted while the measure was in
committee.
Tho opposite Impression il held by
others who believe Mr.. Harding 10
really anxious to get the measure out
Of committee and on the floor of the
Senate, where he again can make an
address urging postponemeEt. The
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