The New York herald., 1922-02-28
Mondell and Fordney Con-
fer With Executive, but
Disclose No Decision.
FORMER ADVISES DELAY
Tells House 1t Would Be Wise
to Avoid Action Without
a Certain Plan.
BY LOUIS sEIBOLD.


Special Dispatch to THE New Yonx HERALD
New York Herald Bureau
Washington, ID. C., Feb. 27.
The chief actors in the fight for
and against the bonus raid on the
national finances and business of the
country admitted tonight that the
most critical stage has been reached
Both sides attach much Importance
to the conference tomorrow morning
at the White House between Presi
dent Harding and Commander Mac.
Nider of the American Legion, who
has come to Washington to taks
charge of the fight for the bonus. and
who said to-day:
I'VE are just as determined as ever
that there should be no DELAY in the
passage Of the bonus through Con-
gress. II the money cannot be raised
by the sales tax of the five point
plan proposed by Chairman Fordney.
then some other method must be
found to pay the bonus"
Most Logical Guess.
The result Of to-morrow's confer
ence between the President and Com
mander MacNider probably will be-
reflected in the decision of the Ways
and Means Committee later in the
day regarding the character ami
scope of the bonus measure which
American Legion officials demand
shall be put through without further
delay. The most logical guess to-
night is that the Ways and Means
Committee will decide to report the
five point plan which the legion IA
vors and to finance which no rs.
tional or acceptable scheme yet has
been devised.
BY far the most important actual
development in one OF the most re-
markable contests that has ever dis
tressed national legislators was the
significant settlement made by Rep
resentative Mondell. leader of the Re-
publican majority in the House. this
afternoon. Mr.. Mondell and Chair.
man Fordney or the Ways and Means
Committee conferred with the Presi-
dent this morning when Commander
MacNider called at the executive Of
fees to request an interview with
Mr. Harding. He was told TO cone
back tomorrow morning.
Later at the Capitol Mr.. Fordnt
the actual leader in the bonus fig a.
referred all inquiries regarding the
interview that the President lad
granted to Mr.. Mondell and him; ~
to the majority leader. limiting ais
own statement to a prediction tst
a bonus bill will be framed a
passed by the lower house.
MondeII Contributes surpris
Mr.. Mondell contributed sur
in expressing the opinion that
might we'll be the part of wi i0a
not to press the bonus matte icr
immediate consideration" This was
interpreted to mean the majority
leader had been brought to President
Harding's view that the logical al.
ternative OF the unpopular sales tax
suggestion made by him would be tn
postpone consideration OF the bonus
raid for the present
The statement Of Mr.. MondelI
caused a great deal of comment
among both supporters and opponents
OF the raid. II was generally re-
garded as presaging a concerted
move by the Republican leaders in
the Senate and House 10 set aside
the matter unless. OF course, Prest
dent Harding Is won over by the
demands and arguments which Com.
mander MacNider expects to advance
at the interview tomorrow. The
Mondell statement coming so soon
after his interview with the Presi.
dent makes ~ highly improbable that
the Presidents attitude will be
changed.
Some or tie bonus advocates assert
that the President IL "wobbllng" agate,
and say they would not be surprised
II he did not fall in line with the ana
bitions OF Senators and RepreswK-
tives who fear the political conse-
quences to themselves OF any move 20
defeat or sidetrack the raid legislation.
To offset this opinion is the growing
lnsistence on the part OF opponents %
ti-o bonus scheme that the matter bs
fought out now and settled for tbs
present session OF Congress. A
The avalanche of protests rccrNed