The New York herald., 1922-05-17
HARDING UNWILLING
| TO Be BONUS GUIDE
He May Not Make Further
Suggestions for Such
Legislation.
TO LET RAIDERS STEW
McCumber Is OH Anxious
Bench, but Still Enter
tains Hopes.
rs INsISTENT ON ACTION
Believes Finance Committee
Will Report Bill-Perhaps
Compromise Measure.
Special Dispatch to THE NEW YoHK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c.. May l6.

Special Dispatch to THE NEW YonK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. G.. May l6.
The bonus situation seemed more
confused than ever to-day. Word
from the White House indicated that
President Harding does not intend to
make. any further suggestions con-
cerning the proposed legislation. Call
ers on the President also received that
impression.
Members Of the Senate Finance
Committee still believe that the Presi-
dent will confer further with them
over the pending bills, and hope he
will indicate his position on the differ
ent proposals.
Chairman McCumber of the Finance
Committee said to-day he had not
heard from the President since the
latter's return from New Jersey, and
he intimated that he was anxious to
see him about the bonus bill.
I'VE do not wish to crowd the Presi-
dent he added. "yet we hope he will
see At to talk matters over with us in
the near future. 1t may be, however,
that the President has no further sug
gestions to make"
McCumber Talks on Plans.
Asked about his plans in the event
the President does not see fit to discuss
the bonus bill further with members OF
the Finance Committee Senator Nc
Cumber replied:
I'VE will probably report out one or
the other Of the pending bills, perhaps
compromise measure, in the near fu-
ture. Personally I shall favor laying
aside the tariff bill temporarily for i'm
mediate consideration OF the bonus bill.
In my judgment 1t would require little
time to secure action on 1t in the Sem
ate"
EARLY In the day Senator Watson
Und) said that at the suggestion Of
Senator McCumber he intended to get
in touch with the President to see when
he intended to have another conference
with Finance Committee members on
the bonus bill. Later Senator Watson
announced that the program had been
abandoned and that the committee was
not sure the President intended to dis
cuss the question further.
There is an insistent demand from
the bonus advocates" said Senator
Watson, that we show some progress.
Now we have been marking time and
we must do something. We must either
20 through with It or abandon the pro-
gram. There Is no middle course"
Watson Preparing n Speech.
However, Senator Watson explained
he was giving to the bonus question
little consideration, as he Is devotng all
his spare time and serious thoughts to
the preparation of a speech to be deliv-
cred next week in Indiana at the Repu5-
lican State convention. where he will
sound the keynote for the Beveridge
campaign.
Senator Curtis (Kan.), another Nom
ber Of the committee, intimated he ex-
pected some word from the President as
a guide for further deliberations Of the
committee on the bonus question.
Senator Lenroot (Wis.). a bonus IL
vocate. said there was much dissatisfas-
tion among the ex-service men over .he
tardiness of the Senate in acting on the
bonus question.
motion is possible any day in the
Senate to discharge the Finance Com
mittee from further consideration of the
bill, according to the leaders. In that
event a majority would vote In favor OF
such action. a poll Of the Senate by the
bonus advocates shows.