The Holly chieftain., 1922-03-30

TO pay tne DOnuS, winch ls OfnlttSu
from the house bill. Some political
prophets predict deadlock between
the two houses. Nobody pretends
to be able to say whether or not
President Harding will veto the bill.
President Harding, upon his return
from u short vacation in Florida, was
called upon Monday. March 20, at the
White House by delegation from the
house: Floor Leader Mondell (Wyorn-
ing) and Representatives Fordney
(Michlgan), Towner Qowa), Campoell
(Kansas), Longworth (Ohio) and Fess
(Ohio). They discussed bonus leglsla-
tion for two hours, with this result,
according to the official communique:
1.-The legislative situation relating
to the bonus bill was fully presented
to the President, with detailed ex-
PLANTATION of the provisions which re-
move the menace Of excessive drafts
on the treasury In the immediate fu-
ture and avoid any program of added
taxation. The President went over
the entire situation with an appraisal
Of commitments made. He advised
the committee that the legislation is
a responsibility Of congress, and in
view Of expressions previously made
lie did not think 1t essential to offer
any recommendations"
The Presidents Expressions pre-
viously made" were recommendations
Of sales tax to provide the revenue
to pay the bonus or postponement Of
the passage of the measure until the
funds were In hand. The delegation
was divided as to whether the Presi-
dent would or would not veto the bill
II passed.
Everybody was on hand when the
house opened Monday and nobody
seemed to know what Speaker Gillett
intended to do. Garner democrat,
Texas) asked that Mondell be given
two minutes to tell the status of the
bonus bill. Campbell called for the
regular order. The speaker announced
that no one would be recognized that
day to bring up the bill. Then there
was conference in the speakers
office. 1t got nowhere. The speaker
held that he would not assume the re
sponsibility of letting the bill come
up until he had the express command
of the majority members. Democratic
members Of the ways and means COM
mittee made minority report which
called the bill all the financial. eco
nomic and political names on the
calendar. Tuesday definite program
for the passage Of the bill Thursday
by the house under suspension of the
rules was announced by the Republi-
can leaders.
DREsIDENT HARDING has ordered
l all American troops in Germany
returned to the United States by July
l, the beginning of the 1923 fiscal year.
This was the American governments
first answer to the refusal of the allied
reparatiOn commission to pay its bill
for $241, 100000 for the expense of
United States troops on the Rhine up
to May l, 1921, out Of billion gold
marks recently paid over by Germany.
The allies argue this way: The allies
are not bound by the Berlin treaty,
just as the United States is not bound
by the Versailles treaty. Americas
claim is based on the Berlin treaty.
Therefore the allies are not bound
to pay the American claim.
Secretary of State Hughes has made
the governments second answer. In
effect he has served notice on the
allies that they cannot dodge pay
ment Of the Rhine debt by attempting
to hide behind technicality which
doesn't exist. Identical communica-
tions were placed Wednesday, March
81, by American ambassadors before
the governments of Great Britain,
France, Italy, Japan and Belgium.
Secretary Hughes insists that the
right of the United States to be paid
Is not only clearly equitable but free
from any technical objection. He sets
forth in detail this right, as established
Jointly under the terms Of the armis-
tice, the treaty of Versailles and the
States and Germany. He says the
United States will welcome any sug-
gestion from the allies for reasonable
adjustment. And in the meantime will
they please refrain from giving effect
to any arrangements for the distribu-
tion Of German cash payments to the
exclusion of the claim Of the United
States.
Evidently the situation IL one which
requires an able secretary Of state. 1t
apparently has many complications.
In debate In the senate Senator Lodge
said that our claim had nothing to do
with either treaty, that 1t was based