The New York herald., 1922-03-23
Harding Charged With Bad
Faith in Letter Sent
to Fordney.
RAIDERS ARE CONFIDENT
Concede Maximum of Only 80
Votes To-day to Opponents
Of Treasury Raid.
ny LOUIS sEIBoLD.

BY LOUIS SEIBOLD.
Special Dispatch to THE New YonK HEaALp.
New York Herald Bureau.l
Washington ID. c.. March 22.
Members of the House Of Repre-
sentatives preached and practiced
economy in an unlimited debate over
the Army bill to-day.
Yet the bonus members are in a
wild scramble to pass the $5,000,-
900, 900 raid on the national finances
after four hour gag" rule debate
tomorrow.
In crippling the Army the House
rejected the recommendation of the
Secretary of War, who pointed out
the injury that may result from i'll
advised Congressional economy.
In passing the bonus bill to-mor-
row, the House will reject the recon-
mendations and opinions of the Pres
ident Of the United States and Of
ficials of the National Treasury.
The President and Secretary Of the
Treasury have pointed out the dam
ger that will be done to the business
interests of the country by the raid
en- the national finances.
The leaders In the revolt against
the administration in both cases are
members of the Presidents own po-
litical party.
CNr
Those who are lining up the forces
for the bonus tonight are smugly
confident they will be ablerto put 1t
through without any difficulty. They
profess to have checked up the mem
bership OF the lower House with
minute exactness and declare that
two-thirds of the members present
will record themselves in favor OF It.
The bonus leaders concede maxi
mum of 80 votes to the opposition with
an indicated attendance of 41O out OK
the 435 members. Despite their con-
fdence, however, there is likely to be
more than one surprise in the tabula-
ton of votes in the final roll call; GER
perhaps bitter battle over the measure
which has provoked greater volume
OF protests from the people OF the
country than any legislative enterprise
in many years.
A substantial percentage OF the
members Of the House have not finally
indicated their decision regarding the
bonus scheme. A number intended to
vote for it until the people of the
country. awakened to the Objectionable
consequences recently revealed by
Government officials, THE New YORK
HERALD and other newspapers, pro-
claimed their opposition to II. just
how many members have actually been
influenced by the storm of adverse
criticism remains to be seen.
Insfncerity of Many.
or the members who joyously will
record themselves in favor of the
bonus, probably not 10 per cent. are
really for 1t. Their decision has been
influenced directly by the threats or
political reprisals made by noisy
. minority of ex-service men who have
offered to trade votes for votes "A
sample case is that of a Western State
where a private poll showed that while
every member is against the bonus, all
of them are going TO vote for 1t for
political reasons, and for none other.
Leaders in the bonus fight have en-
couraged wavering supporters with
subtle and covert assurances that the
Senate will accept the certificate loan
bill and that the President will finally
accept 1t. The most diligent inquiry
to determine the basis for these re-
ports to-day failed, for the very ex-
cellent reason that there was none.
Yet a number of members asserted
with manifest conviction their belief
that despite the positive and convinc-
ing statements made by the President
he will sign the certificate loan bill
IL IL ever reaches him. Responsible
Senatorial opinion Is that the bogus
bonus bill which the House Is to pass
will never get through the Senate.
Chairman Fordney's opinion.
Chairman Fordney OF the Ways and
Means Committee was asked this after
noon regarding the reports concerning
the President. He was informed that
he had been quoted as expressing the
opinion that the President will accept
the certificate loan bill. He replied;
II don't know what action the Pres
ident will take. think we have n
good bill--the best that could have
been framed. have been assured by
the Senate Finance Committee that II
will pass that body successfully. The
bill has been changed in a great many
respects to meet the Presidents objec-
Continued on Page Two.
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