Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-03-14
HARDING To FORCE
SHOWDOWN WITH
CONCRESStEADERS
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Downright, 1922.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)
Copyright, 1927
:. WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE
showdown in leadership between
President Harding and congress has
come.
Hints from st. Augustine cores
pondents that the president TOOK
trip to Florida at this critical mo-
ment in affairs of state for reasons
other than a needed rest are con-
f1rmed by developments IN the ma
tional capital itself.
"A Mr.. Harding isn't the type OF man
who would have an open break with
the leaders in congress. He does
not like buster and pol1t1cal nre-
works. But The truth of the situa-
ton is gradually coming out-ne II
getting weary Of the estimate Wnlch
certain leaders in congress are plac'
ing upon his leadership.
There is reason to believe thar
the president isn't at all happy ABOUT
the persistence of Representative
Fordney, chairman of the ways ana
means committee of the house. IN
pushin to the front proposals
that may let congress out OF It's OIL.
lenima, but only put the burden OF
q distateful action on the head OF
the party itself.
Believes Sales Tax Sound
MIR. Harding is sorry he commit
ted himself to the principle or a
bonus but he means to go through
With it just the same. What he
cannot understand is why house
leaders insist upon trying what ap-
pear to him to be impossible
schemes for the raising OF the
money.
The president is in favor of the
sales tax for many reasons. He be-
heves it will easily collect the money
for the bonus and he thinks it may
get a trial sufficient to prove to the
country that a sales tax would be
- good substitute for most all forms
OF taxation.
The difficulties between the pres
ident and Mr.. Fordney are by no
means of recent origin. They be-
gan with the start of the administra-
ton itself M1. Fordney insisted on
pushing the tariff issue to the fore
at time when the executive
thought it was wiser to defer action.
Similarly embarrassment arose with
the tax blu carefully framed at the
executive end of the avenue by Sec
rotary Mellon and his experts. The
treasury made a tax bill that would
not mean deficit. Mr.. Fordney,
much against the wish Of the presi-
dent, rewrote the bill and waved
aside the argument that it provided
o deficit by saying the deficit was a
negligible one.
Shows Disappointment
Nevertheless, President Harding
In his address to congress publicly
expressed his disapprovaT of the
revenue law, and indicated that he
wanted changes at the earliest pos
sible moment. Again and again lead
ers have come from congress to talk
with the president in the hope that
he will help them pull political
chestnuts out of the fire, or that he
will take a stand which will mean
increased instead of decreased taxa
ton.
All the statements from the treas
ury to the effect that the govern
ment cannot stand a bonus at this
time unless the taxpayers want ad-
ditional levies made upon them
through sales tax have been swept
aside as merely argumentative by
leaders in congress. The expecta-
etion has been that congress could go
ahead and pass whatever bill it
wished and the president would be
bound to approve it.
When Mr.. Harding announced
that he was not in favor of the
present house bill, men on Capitol
Hill said, ooh, he will come around
to it, all right-let's go ahead and
pass it," This impression of a
wavering executive was carried to
the president, who has been unable,
to conceal his disappointment that
such an idea about him had pre-
vailed in congress.
Stirred by Reports
Stirred by these reports Mr.. Har-
ding decided to stand pat and let
congress take full responsibility for
what happens next, politically or
otherwise.
The same situation exists with ref,
erence to the treaties. The presi-
dent feels he and Secretary Hughes
did the best they could with an in.
ternational complication Of an acute
character. The price of ending the
Anglo-Japane alliance was a four
power treaty. Inc president ana MS
advisers think it was good diploma
cy to get rid of the ,Anglo-J japanese
alliance and substitute what appears
to them harmless four-power pact.
The president has been told the
treaties are in danger Of defeat-he
refuses to lobby for the treaties or
to try to coerce congress.
If congress adopts reservations
do ~ pI1IIifry he ifca1f
Mr.. Harding will accept them. He
does not want to be around while
the pickering is going on if he can
help it. The next two weeks will
see the fate of the treaties decided
and the bonus measure transferred
to- the senate. Mr.. Harding will
{ tackle both when he comes back,
!. with feeling that he has a free