Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-16
HARDING GETS
|NTOF|GHT To
CHECK BONUS
Puts Tariff and Ship Bill
First; McCumber Will
Iguore Caucus.

Washington. June 15.-A bitter fight
in the senate next week over the sol
diers' bonus issue was predicted in all
senate quarters Thursday night as a
result of numerous informal repub-
hcan conferences Thursday to which
President Harding was a party.
A call for formal party conference
of republican senator's next Monday
morning to discuss procedure with the
bonus and pending tariff bills, together
with the proposed majority cloture
rule, was called late Thursday by SEN
ator Lodge, republican floor leader,
after he had conferred with the presi-
dent and many republican senators.
Also next Monday. if the naval ap-
preparation bill is passed. meanwhile
a motion to lay aside the tariff bill and
proceed with the bonus measure will
be made by Senator McCumber. re-
publican, North Dakota. chairman of
the senate finance committee, in charge
of both bills.
McCumber Backs Harding
Senator McCumber said he would
back his motion with full knowledge
of President Hardng's views that the
bonus bill should be delayed until after
disposal of the tariff measure. and also
regardless of what course the repub-
lican conference should recommend.
Senator McCumber said he did not
object TO the party conference but
would mot be bound" by it's decision.
President Harding, in his talk with
Senator Lodge, was said to have re-
iterated his opinion that the tariff bill
should be pressed The president was
represented as holding this view very
strongly" and his statement was trans
mitted to republican ranks by Senator
Lodge. The president also, it was
said. believed that after disposal of the
tariff bill and before consideration of
the bonus measure, the administration
ship subsidy should be given senate
right of way.
Senator McCumber's plan to move
for consideration of the bonus bill next
Monday was said Thursday night to
insure battle royal in the senate.
Republican leaders favoring preced-
ence for the tariff bill predicted conf
IDENTITY that majority of the confer
ence would vote 30 give the tariff bill
right of way over the bonus measure.
Oratory VIII Overflow
The fight on the McCumber motion
it was conceded among leaders of all
senate factions, next Monday would
furnish one of the most spectacular
debates of the season.
Predictions were made that the pres
ident would again intervene actively in
the bonus controversy by bringing more
influence to bear TO hold the tariff bill
before the senate.
Senator McCumber said he regarded
his plan to call up the bonus bill ehrly
next week as "a matter of honor of
the republican party which he said,
had pledged itself to early enactment
of bonus legislation. Advocates of the
tariff bill stated their belief that if it
should be laid aside. it would mean the
end of the bill for the present session
or at least would greatly lengthen the
already tedious road it has to travel
The cloture question also is on the
calendar of the republican party meet
ing on Monday.
The tariff bill was not before the
senate Thursday, being laid aside 70
give way to the naval appropriation bill