Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-09-19
HARDING VETO
Of BONUS NOW
THOUGHT SURE
Large Majority Over
President S Decision in
House Said Certain.
Opponents in Senate
Hope to Prevent Act
From Becoming Law.

Washington, Sept 1S.-Veto of the
soldiers bonus bill by President Hard
ing was expected generally Monday
night by congressional leaders and ad-
ministration officers. Some of Hard
ings advisers said his message prac-
tically had been completed and they
looked for him to send it to the house
Tuesday
Leaders in congress were making
plans with a veto in mind.
In the house it was the intention to
defer action until Wednesday so as to
keep working quorum on hand for
disposition Tuesday of important con-
ference reports on other measures.
A senate vote might be deferred until
Thursday, depending largely upon the
hour of the house vote. Meantime,
however, both opponents and propon-
ents were marshalling their forces with
indications that the roll call would
show the largest attendance of senator's
in months.
Vets Call on Harding
Headed by Hanford MacNider, ma
honal commander of the American Le-
gion, a delegation representing various
veterans organizations called at the
White House Monday to make final
request of the president that he sign
the bonus measure. Some members of
the delegation said the president had
not stated whether he would approve
the measure" while others said they
gathered the impression that the execu
tive would veto the bill now before him.
Commander MacNider told Harding
that I'VE have no threats to make
politically" but that the organizations
h, thn& IS &Ao Ava
people, as expressed by the action of
congress, will be carried out"
Some members of the delegation
quoted the president as saying that he
would be glad to see a bonus measure
enacted into law if he were convinced
that it would not entail greater cost
to the government than $10,000,0O0, 900
and would take care of the able bodied
veterans for all time. They said he
added, however, his belief that there
would be an ultimate outlay of $780,
600, 100000.
Expect House to Override
Apparently convinced that the house
would vote by large majority to over
ride a veto, senate foes of the bonus
redoubled their efforts Monday to OBJ
tain safe margin there. They
claimed "a senator's as certain, with
the probability that by the time vote
came this number would be increased
to 36. or four more than the one third
necessary to sustain veto.
All doubt as to the position of Sena-
tor Weller, republican, Maryland, was
removed with receipt of a telegram
from that senator at Los Angeles to
Senator Curtis Of Kansas, republican,
vice chairman, asking that in the event
of veto he be paired in favor of sus-
tanning the president.
This added one to the 33 senator's
who were announced opponents of the
bonus at the time of its passage by the
senate In addition, friends of the
president claimed one other vote as
certain. Efforts were made to get
pairs for this senator and Senator We'll
Ter, which would mean the tying up of
four senator's favorable to the bonus,
as on two-thirds majority vote two
senator's for are necessary to pair one
against.
Present expectations are that 10 SEN
ators who have been for overriding
a veto will be absent with only four
or possibly five of the opponents.