New-York tribune., 1922-03-17
Leaders Await Return TO
Confer With Him and
Learn if He Intends
to Veto the Measure
Firm Opposition
May Halt Action
Fordney Board Reports
$4,O98,7l9,35O Bill;
Caucus Petition Out

WASHINGTON, March l6.-The SOL
diers' bonus bill, estimated TO cost the
government $4,O9S.719.35O, was for
ma'ly presented to the House to day by
Chairman Fordncy OF the Ways and
Means Committee. The report of the
committee strongly recommended pas
sage. With this step in the Legislative
the outcome of the movement for bonus
legislation is likely to depend on the
outcome Of an important conference
which will be held between the House
leaders and the President as soon as he
returns from Florida.
At that conference efforts will be
made by the House leaders to have
definite and final understanding with
the President. Chairman Fordncy Of
the Ways and Means Committee said
he would go to the White House as soon
as the President returns and seek to
reach an agreement. House Leader
Mondell. Representatives Longworth
and Green, of the Ways and Means
Committee, and probably others of the
committee will be present President
Harding will be strongly urged to ac-
cept the bill.
President May Block Bill
The question of utmost interest to
the House is whether at this conference
President Harding will definitely put
his foot down on plans for bonus and
insist on bringing them to a halt. If
ne does so, it is probable, though not
entirely certain, that the bill will be
blocked. On the other hand, if the
President does not take definite stand
against the measure, there is every in
d'cation the House will drive it tn rough
1t seems out of the question to get a
bonus bill passed with the sales tax,
which tho President favors, but it is
probable that if the President serves
notice he is against the bill and will
veto 1t # put through, large number
Of tho House Republicans will align
themselves with him. Furthermore, f
the President definitely and finally re-
fuses to stand for the bill, and the
House does pass it, it is improbable
that 1t will pass the Senate.
Under the circumstances the forth
! coming White House conference is
looked on here as marking the pros
pective crisis in the movement for
Members of the Ways and Means
Committee say openly they are tired
OF the uncertainty about the Presiden-
tial attitude and want to know the
facts as to whether a veto is to be
expected.
May Fight Despite Veto Warning
If the President serves notice Of q
veto. there viii still be a powerful ele-
mcnt in the House in favor Of going
ahead, and a battle is anticipated be-
tween those who would proceed in face
OF certain veto and those who would
not. Leaders of the House organiza-
tlon, however, among them Leader
Mondell, would be averse to proceed
ing in the face of such stand by the
President.
Among the days developments was
movement for a Republican confer
cnce Monday which was begun by Rep
rcscntatiYe lineberger, of California, a
former service man, who is not salts
fed with the pending bill This pro-
posed conference is expected to dc
velop into a stormy session. A large
number of the House Republicans say
they favor taking steps in conference
TO override Speaker Gillett. providing
he attempts to get in the way Of ex-
peditious action on the bonus. Should
the President, by the time the confer
enco is held, have put himself in the
position of unalterablc opposition to
the bin, this will make another large
question for tho members to wrcstle
with and they will be called on to de-
eide whether to proceed regardless Of
the Executive.
Majority Report Approved
The majority report on the bill was
approved by all of the Republicans on
the Ways and Means Committee except
two, representatives. Treadway, of
Massachusetts, and Tilson, Of Connect
cut, who voted against the measure in
committee and who were not present at
the session Of the majority to- day
when the report was finally revised.
The estimate in the report that the
total cost of the bonus would be S4-
| 098.719, $50 was based upon the assump-
ton that 70 per cent of the 4,458,1
veterans who would he eligible for COM
pensation would accept adjusted service
certificates; 2'a per cent vocational
training aid; 10 per cent farm and
Continued on next pase)