The Washington herald., 1922-09-18
Fate of Conference Report
Depends on Senator
Cummins' Ruling.
EXPECTS BONUS
VETO TOMORROW
Senate Leaders Still Hope
For Adjournment
Saturday.

Although the tariff conference re-
mort has weathered two point-of-order
storms In the House. its adoption by
the senate now depends upon whether
Senator Cummins, president pro tenn
pore, by his ruling. can suppress the
latest storm. aroused by the Demo-
Gratis
Decision by Cummins on the point
of order made by Senator Simmons.
leading minority Senate conferee-
that the conferees had exceeded their
authority in regard to the Prcsiden-
tiaI powers feature of the measure
will be handed down this morning.
a 4 favorable ruling. il upheld by the
Senate, would mean recommittment.
Mellon May Recommend Veto.
The soldier bonus bill, likewise
SCARED by points of order, but spared
the delay of recommittment. is now
in President Harding's hands. He IS
expected 20 veto the measure by to-
morrow. after having submitted 1t to
Secretary Mellon for inspection. In
asmuch as Mr.. Mellon has consistent
ly opposed its enactment because
there isn't enough money available to
meet the $1,000. 100000 charge at
present, he Is expected to recommend
a veto. And leaders in both Houses
are doubtful IL they can muster. a
two-thirds majority vote to override
the veto.
While some delay may be cncoun-
tered in disposinE of the tariff in the
Senate. with a consequent postpone
ment of action on other scheduled
measures, nevertheless the Demo-
Gratis are conscious of waGinE a losing
battle in the face of certain and over
whelming Republican support of the
measure.
Two Sustain Simmons.
Simmons. in making the point Of
order. Contended that neither the SEN
ate nor the House included the mo-
vision authorizing the President to
lchangc from foreign valuation to
American valuation. as contained in
the conference report Senators In
derwood and Harrison have sustained
Simmons in his contention.
Senator La Toilette. Republican in
Surgent. is expected to join with the
Democrats in any opposition debate
today But. Chairman McCumber. in
spite Of this threatened delay. is { m
fdcnt that the conference report will
be adopted by the Senate late today
and will be signed by the Pres len;
b. the middle of the week.
Only consideration Of the con-
ference report on the coal COM
mission bill remains in SO far as
coal strike legislation is concerned
Conferees expect to bring the meas
Ure out early Il. the week.
Speculation on ship Bill.
There is much speculation here
as to what the President proposes
TO do in the ship subsidy.
Three months ago the President
wrote to Congress declaring il
would be necessary for him to call
special session if adjournment
was taken without action on the
merchant marine legislation.
Several weeks ago, after the
Congress had worked itself into a
legislative jam over the tariff. bonus
and other measures and the ad-
ministTation was up to its ears in
the industrial crisis, the President
agreed to change his mind and con-
sent to postponement of action on
ship subsidies until the December
session.
Ten days ago the President again
changed his mind and intimated
that he would call a special session
for consideration Of merchant ma
rine legislation Immediately after
the November election. Republican
leaders did not take enthusi-
astically to that suggestion and
some of them have been trying
to persuade the President not to
call the special session promising
to get busy early in December.
While Senate leaders still insist
adjournment will come by Satur-
day. a well defined purpose on the
part OF Democrats to fight passage
of the Liberian loan and the Dyer
anti-lynchinE law may yet give the
lie to that prediction. Even if all
the calendar is disposed of in time.
there still remains the bonus strug-
gle possibly to he prolonged in an
attempt to round up absent SEN
ators.