The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-02
Legion Is
Confident
OF Bonus
BY DAVID LAwRENCE
Copyright by The Inteligsneer)

Washington. Juno 1.-THE American
Leglons legislative committee Is InoE
oughly satisfied with the bonus ollL as
reported by the senate finance commit,
tee. The changes made IN the house Dill
are unobjeCt!onable.
Tho next step Is to insure enough
votes TO give the measure right or way
hard proposition for while the Legion
has enough votes pledged to pass tho
ttll itself there's complication m
volved In getting the tariff displaced,
Some members OF the senate who favor
the bonus may be found voting against
a motion 20 displace the tariff. BY the
time the American Legion's representa-
tlves get through their campaign OF per
suasion--and they have been pretty sI,
fectIve about II thus far-enouBh votes
are expected to be obtained to force
vote on the bonus. Speech-making on
the bonus Is lnevitable-those who are
TO vote against II being as anxious 70
tell their constituents the reason there
fore as the senator's who favor II are
anxious to demonstrate how actively
they fought TO put the measure through.
No Rfttbustsr.
But no rilibuster Is expected. The
sentiment OF the senate ts In FAVOR OF
disposing of the issue this session one
way or the other. Undue delay Is not
for a moment considered, though TO be
sure there may be some prolonged argu-
mcut Oh the motion TO take the matter
up and lay the tariff aside.
The issue Is not partisan. the tact
that three Democrats voted with six Re-
publicans To report the measure TO the
senate Is taken TO mean that the oonua
hill will receive Democratic support
when II reaches a vote. The Democrats
will try 10 impose all sorts OF amend
ments which would appear TO be even
more favorable 70 the soldiers but indl-
Yidually they will not assume response
billty for defeating the main bill.
Certain Of Sixty Votes.
American Legion headquarters here
feels assured OF sixty affirmative votes.
In response 10 n questionna:re sent out
by the Legion. sixty senators. including
Republicans and Democrats, stated posi-
lively that they would vote for the pend
ing bill though several reserved the
right 20 offer amendments. Only thir-
teen senators have told the Legion that
they would vote against the bonus. This
leaves twenty-three who have not an
swered. and II Is predicted by the Legion
men that at least a half oozen more will
climb the bandwagon when the voting
begins. To pax the bill itself only for
ty-nine affirmative votes are needed. J."
pass IL over a presidential veto, sixty
four votes are needed.
Curiously enough the Legion repre-
Sentatives are confident President Hard
ing will not veto the bill. Senator
frSnd and political adviser Of the Pres
ldent. has publicly predicted that Mr..
Harding would reverse himself and sign
the measure. Much Significance Is at
tached to the fact that although the
President hlnted that he would send a
letta- to Chairman McCumber. OF the
finance committee, expressing opposi-
ton to the bill, he failed to do So II Is
contended that II Mr.. Harding intended to
do anything about the bonus bill ne
would have acted while the measure
was in committee.
nrr. EArdtng's Course
The opposite impression Is held by
others who believe Mr.. Harding is really
anxious to get the measure out Of COM
mittee and on the floor of the senate.
where ne can again make an address
urging postpOnement. The question 10
whether Mr.. Harding. who knows what
support the measure has. will risk
conspicuous rundown by the senate.
or whether ne will prefer 10 wait I'LL the
measure comes 10 him a0d express him
self explicitly in veto message In
which ne can put all his argument and
depend upon the effect OF the communi-
cation TO prevent congress from over
riding the veto.
The danger IN such course from the
viewpoint Of those who want 10 see the
Tfeasure fail OF passage Is that on the
first vote probably enough senator's will
become committed affirmative as TO
make impossible a reversal on a later
vote.
All indications now point to the pas.
sage OF the measure despite the efforts
made by interpreters Of recent elcc.
tions to persuade members OF congress
that the bonus is unpopular and vote
against IL will help them next autumn
~ much as II will hurt. Reporting the
bill out Of the finance committee Is n
march OF the bonus through both houses
OF COnRresa