The New York herald., 1922-02-19

Hence it is that the farm bloc holds
the key to the bonus situation. If the
supporters of the bipartisan agricul-
tural groups can be converted to the
sales tax bonus bill which will stand
a fair chance of Executive approval
can be passed.
The trouble is that the agricultural
blocs have not up to date exhibited
any tendency to withdraw their oppo-
stfon to the sales tax, in order to keep
their promises to the promoters of the
bonus raid, The feeling over the mat
ter is deep rooted and intensely bitter.
The professional propagandists of the
bonus,scheme have summoned all their
reserves from various parts of the
country to center their fire on the
agricultural groups.
Protests Balance CIamor.
The volume of protests against the
bonus, which now exceed in number
the demands from professional sources
that it be provided, is running pretty
close race with the sulphuric remon-
strances pouring in on Congress
against the sales tax.
Aside from the organized propagan-
da engineered by the American Legion,
Endorsements of the bonus plan are
negligible.in quantity and almost iden-
tical in the matter of arguments ad-
vanced in support of it. The howls
against the sales tax generally come
from farmer organizations and are
not conspicuous for originality OF
thought or for reflecting other than
carefully prepared but trite prejudices
regarding it,
The protests against the bonus
comes from all sorts of people of the
country. Republicans and Democrats
in approximately equal numbers, and
almost as many women as men. Some
of the most vigorous arguments urged
against the bonus come from ex-sol-
diers and men who were wounded or
physically incapacitated during the
war.
From West and south.
The volume of protests from citi-
zens in the Northern and Western
States, who describe themselves as
Republicans, is not any more impress
sive than those that come from men
and women Democrats in the South.
The charge made by the professional
rropagandists that opposition to the
bonus "comes from Wall Street and
other financial agencies and is virtual
ly confined to Republicans, is clearly
disproved by the opposition presented
by Democrats who live in Southern
States which do not contain any large
r1ai iny~ffN W
the people are engaged in agricultural
pursuits.
Republican Senators Wadsworth of
New York, Nelson of Minnesota, Edge
of New Jersey and Brandegee o. Con-
necticut are not any more vigorous in
their opposition to the bonus raid than
are such prominent Democrats as
John Sharp Williams of Mississippi,
Oscar w. Underwood of Alabama.
Carter Glass of Virginia and William
II. King of Utah.
A Southern Democratic Senator who
for the moment does not desire to dis
close his name, expressed tie opinion
to-day that larger percentage OF his
Democratic constituents living in rural
communities had made known their
opposition to the bonus than had been
expressed by the Republican citizens
of New York engaged in mercantile
and industrial pursuits.
Legion Men Confer.
I The officials of the American Legion
who held a series of conferences to-
day with, their Congressional support
ers turned the searchlight of criticism
away from President Harding and
focused on the agricultural bloc. The
walking delegates of the legion
covertly voiced the suspicion that
some of their Congressional support
crs we're more afraid of the wrath of
the peaceful agriculturists than of the
militant propagandists for the bonus.
Otherwise, they argued, the Sena-
tors and members to whom has been
promised the support of the ex-service
men in return for votes for the bonus
raid would take the President at his
word and fall in line for the sales tax.
The professional propagandists have
made 1t entirely clear to everybody
that they do not care how the money
70 finance their prospective raid is
provided.
Consequently they have launched a
movement to bring the farm bloc Into
line with the sales tax idea. They at
tach great deal of Importance to the
support given their various schemes
by Chairman Fordney of the House
Ways and Means Committee. Mr..
Fordney, whose committee is charged
with the responsibility of raising rev.
enue to support the Government and
10 effect as great a saving as possible,
has assumed the active direction of
the fight for the bonus. His activities
in this respect have provoked great
deal OF criticism among the officials
of the Administration and leaders Of
his party.
Republicans Opposed.
Proof OF this statement is contained
in the downpour of protests against
the bonus bill which have come to
Chairman Adams of the Republican
National Committee. For ten days the