Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-11-24
President After
Ills Votes Again
Calls Key Men" To White House
And Urges Passage Of Ship
Subsidy Measure.
Bv Isaac Gregg

Washington, Nov. Z4.-r OF the sec
ond time since he has been in the
White House, President Harding IS
cracking the whip over the heads Of
members of Congress.
The first occasion was when he want
ed votes to sustain his veto of the
bonus bill in September. On this oc-
casion it is because he feIpently de-
sires to pass the ship subsidy bill
through the House that he-i urging
the old ring leader tactics.
In the last few days, president
Harding has been calling h various
members of the House, usually "key
men" in the state delegations, and
putting up to them profuond argu-
ments why they should support the
subsidy bill. Some of his conferences
with members have been described as
being in the nature of "spankings"
for the Republicans who show dis
position to desert him on the ship
ping issue.
One member from a western state
who saw President Harding this week
emerged from the Chief Executives
room with a statement that he had
been discussing agricultural legisla-
tion.
'If | had told the truth" said this
member later, Il would have said that
l had Just been receiving Il good
spanking. The President took me
down the line for refusing to support
the subsidy bin and wanter TO know
what the country would think II
Republican members, fearing the loss
of a few votes in their districts,
should desert him and permit the
shipping bill TO fail.
u told the President" said this
member, that it was all very well for
him to say this. because ne didn't have
to run in my district"
This member of the House described
the Presidents argument for the ship
ping bill as an excellent one.
"He showed an intimate knowledge
of his subject and had | been neutral
could not have failed to have been
won 10 support of the bill. But my
district doesn't want a subsidy bill
and | know it. Therefore. was not
neutral"
The business of cracking The whip
and of attempting to force a recall
citrant Republican majority into line
is something new to President Hard
ING and the belief is here that now he
has started the practice, he will, dur
inc the next two years, resort to such
methods much more frequently.
Going into the White House with
nreconceived notion of the supremity
Of Congress in the American govern
mont the President from the outset
adonted the policy Of letting Congress
do what it chose He had had enough
he thought. Of Executive interference
in the legislative branch OF the natloh
and believes that he could keep nands
off and allow Congress to do " own
bidding. But he has found to ms sSor-
row that conditions are entirely dller-
ont and that he has been compelled ="
enter into the fray if any OF his PEI
measures are to be enacted INTO law
hofore the expiration OF the present
Sirty-seventh Congress,
Amendment Of Furnifold n. Sim
mons Senator from North Carolina
- be minority leader Of the Senate
was believed to have been forecast oY
the action of the Democratic Senator
;aI cancns in naming Senator SIM
Mons No 10 lead the fight against the
S. 900 600 Libnrian loan olli w wnlCn dca
now carries tn" McNary $zo'ooo'ooo
reclamation scheme
Senator Simmons will be the Oldest
Democrat in point Of service N NE sne
Senate Democrats in thew caucus
r,entioned FOR minority leader when
Soator Oscar Underwood, Of Alabama
ne"'oi ,"as elected in this Congress. Senator
Irnderwood recently announced ms m
tention to resign because Oh pooI
boaltb hut his resigation has not oeeh
formally accepted. Iii; oouore
Senate Democrats ! nthem r ea"ccS t,.oas
olso discussed the ship subsidy, meas 3
,,o ,,,so h,,+ ~ car,e to no conclusion about II
sin.a LIN # viii not he before the senate
en- l,ros sor,o+in,e. 1t is taken for grant
~ oJi or Canitol Hill that they will ION
With wi h. radical Republicans IN a flil9ns- nus,
tor ~. On the measure to force the cal.iug
of ~, O' ovtra , session of Congress after
March 4, next.