Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-05-11
CONGRESS TOPASS
SOLDIER BONUS BILL
OVER HARDING VETO
Fight Is Test of Executive
Backbone and at Same
Time Proof of Congress
SionaI InsiStenCe
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)
DOWNRIGHT 1927

lCOpyrlSnI, lJZZ.J
WASHINGTON, May 1O.-Presi-
dent Harding will veto the bonus bill
II it comes to him in it's present
form, which seems certain now, as
the American Legion leaders have
expressed themselves as opposd to
the plan suggested by Senator
Smoot and in favor of Senator Nc
Cumber's proposals which are in line
with the house bill.
Should Mr.. Harding veto the
measure, the chances are it will be-
come law any way, as there are
more than the necessary two-thirds
v -es available in the house, and the
f1cient to enact the bill. There may
be change, of course, by the time
the bill comes up for a final vote
following the veto, but if the presi-
dent were to send such a message
tomorrow and the vote were to be
taken Immediately thereafter the
AAAOoouI Z "Oulu UeCOIIlS law ONSl TIC
veto.
Majority Assured In Senate
Enough members Of the senate
hav- committed themselves to the
bonus by public expression or pri-
Vate letters to insure a majority.
Realizing that the real fight might
come after the veto, the proponents
OF the bonus are busy trying to line
up lAore strength for the initial vote.
l. they can commit enough members
Of the senate the first time, they
will have little difficulty after the
veto, as it rarely happens that votes
are changed after a veto message.
The president, ne. :herless, will at
tempt to swing public opinion in his
direction with the letter he is writ
ing to Senator McCumber, chairman
of the finance committee. He will
have another opportunity when the
veto message is written. Mr.. Har-
ding hopes that the tide will turn in
favor Of postponement of the bonus
payments until government finances
are in better condition. He will not
oppose the bonus in principle. He
feels committed to that because of
his campaign pledge. But he in
sists that it should wait.
Speculation On Veto
C-,.Vass of the senate by mem
bers Of the American Legion shows,
however, that tie presidents plea
VII not be needed by enough sena-
tors to postpone the bonus. Nine
teen .:enators have lined up definite
1y and answere3 "r~'' = tie Ameri-
can Legion's canvass, while Sc sena-
tors have said Eyes" Twenty-one
h = not been heard from, but out
r these at least eleven are counted
upon to support the McCumber plan.
This would mean more than the
necessary two-thirds.
Gu Lsly enough, despite Mr..
--arding's positive statement to
Washington correspondents to the
effect that he hasn't changed his
l,rind on the bonus question and
would soon reiterate his views to
members of the senate, s. 'culation
continues as to whether the chief
executive will finally veto the bill.
Some predict that he will not sign
it, preferring to let it becC- law by
the lapse of ten GG!s. Others who
have heard the president express ir-
ritation over the tendency in some
congressional quarters to regard
him as changing with the winds, be-
lie he will give m example of
steadfastness this time and stick to
his original position if for no other
reason than to stand by Secretary
Mellon and to impress congress with
the fact tina. he means what he
saws.
Some presidents have had suf-
f1cient influence with their own par
ty in congress to pr went emba-- Iss-
ing measures from being brought to
v)te by mere threat of a veto. The
inclination of Republican leaders
has been to force Mr.. Harding to
approve measures which he would
just as soon see shelved for other
bills of more vital Importance to the
administration.
The bonus fight is test of execu-
tive backbone, but at the same time
it so will be, proof of congressional
in 5istence.