Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1922-03-19
to
Pass Upon
Bonus Plan
Republican House Leaders to
Confer With President I'm.
mediately After His Re-
turn 10 White House.
Ruling Delayed by Gillett

Washington, March is.-The sol
diers' bonus muddle is TO be referred
TO President Harding again.
Representative Mondell oil Wyom-
ing. the republican house leader, an
nouneed that he had requested con-
ference with the executive for to-
morrow evening after the return OF
Mr.. Harding from Florida tic Smd
he would be accompanied 10 the
White House by such other mem-
bcrs OF the house handling the bonus
legislation as the president might
wish 10 consult.
The specific purpose OF the pro-
posed conference was not disclosed
by Mr.. Mondell, but it was reported
that he would seek to obtain the
presidents views on the compromise
bill with its bank loan provision in
lieu OF cash bonus, as we'll as his
opinion as to whether the measure
should be called up Monday under a
suspension OF the rules as most
house leaders desire.
Mr. Mondelrs announcement fol-
lowed conference between Speaker
Gillett and 27 republican house lead
ers, arranged primarily to discuss the
question OF procedure in considering
the bill.
To Decide Monday.
Mr.. Gillett announced afterwards
that he would not make up his mind
before Monday morning as to wheth-
er he would entertain a motion
to suspend the rules and pass the
bill. Such a motion would block all
amendments and also prevent mo-
ton to recommit the bill with i'll
structions to the ways and means
committee.
The conference in the speakers Of
flee lasted more than an hour and
was behind closed doors. Mr.. Mon
dell was delegated as official spokes-
man and made this statement:
1--WE discussed the question Of the
bonus lrSll its phases. fully, freely,
good naturedly, but did not reach
any definite conclusion or make any
ueHHltc arrangement.
Chairman Fordney of the ways and
means committee said he had moth
ing to add to that statement.
Il want to call up the bill just
as soon as possible" he said. dts
going to be passed quickly. l don't
think we change the crossing of e
or the dotting of an H. We have
a good bill" ....
Petition Held Back.
Representative Lineberger of Cali
fornia, a former service man who
holds petition bearing a sufficient
number of signatures of house ma
jority members to insure the calling
of party conference for next Tues
day evening, attended the confer
ence with the speaker. He also had
a long talk with Mr.. Mondell, but
declined to say what had transpired.
Mr.. Lineberger is Withholding the
presentation of his petition to Chair
man Towner of the house republican
organization, explaining that he hop
ed it would be possible to achieve
without conference, the things that
he and other signers of the petition
expected to accomplish through a
party meeting. When he circulated
the petition he said it was the pur-
pose to have the whole bonus ques-
ton threshed out by the republican
membership.
Preparation Of minority reports on
the bonus bill by both democratic
and republican members of the ways
and means committee was finished
today but will not be presented I'm
til Monday. -.......
Representative Kitchin of North
Carolina, the democratic house lead
er, who appeared Unexpectedly at
the capitol yesterday for the first
time in nearly a year, and other
democrats were writing a report op-
posing the bank loan provision. Rep
Treadway and Tilson
were preparing a joint report for
the republican minority.