New-York tribune., 1922-11-17
Foes of Prohibition Now
Plan TO Link Bonus
and Wet Legislation
ii Congress Campaign
White House Silent:
Resents Publicity
DryScoffers SayExecutive
Won't Seek Revenue for
Veterans by Tilting Lid
By Carter Field

!. WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-Strong
iope for light wines and beer
prang up on Capitol Hill to-day
q the result of President Harding's
ater to Mrs. Corinne Roosevelt
sbinson. Silence at the White
Hsuse prevented both vets and drys
hom getting an accurate idea OF
shat the President had really said.
gut the fact that every one hearing
mtracts from the letter read by Mrs.
pebinson got the impression that
he President mildly favored liberal
hjng the Volstead act cheered the
ss.s immensely.
A proposal to finance the bonus by
heavy tax on light wines and beer
#as Immediately advanced by sew
4 eral wet leaders, and before the day
Tas over it became certain that a
4 sght along this line will be made
qhen the bonus bill is b.ought UP.
Two Birds With One Stone
Such plan would not only meet the
Presidents reported idea that the Vol
assd act should be liberaiized, but
wSuld also meet the Presidents objec-
fsa 10 the bonus bill which caused him
d yesa Il at the last session of Con-
eress Tie President insisted then
aat ttiyaesyy financial strain should
4 wik aseed upon the Treasury with
q @fsha same time providing taxes
rss epuld meet II. At that tinrszthe
Prudent suggested enc ssaiss sss. Us
| II aniy measure practicable which
psR surely produce enough revenue.
yAsre is so mucn opposi ition to tho
i ass lax that this plan received scant
sssdcration in Congress, The belief
aCapitol Hill is that this opposition
Sihc sales tax continues unabated,
Pressure for the soldiers bonus, how
sEsr. IS much stronger as the result OF
he election last week. MANY candi-
oates who were retired from public life
list Tuesday say that the, bonus senti-
heHt was responsible for their defeat
The general opinion. for instance, is that
tAis contributed more than any other
clement To the defeat of Albert J. Bey-
sridge of Indiana.
Wet Trend Evident
Last Tuesdays election in many
states also revealed tremendous desire
for amendment of the Nolstead act.
This was evident long time before
the election. Friends of Senator Fre-
linghuysen, for example, realized that
he probably would be defeated because
of his dry stand by the extremely wet
Mr.. Edwards. This is best evidenced
by the desperate effort of the Repubh-
cans OF New Jersey to turn the issue
from booze to road contracts, or any
thing else they could think of. They
knew that New Jersey was wet and
that Frelinghuysen's dry stand was
carrying him down to defeat.
Nov the vets hope perhaps they
can XII two birds with one stone. 1T
tasy can tack w9ist amendment on
the soldier bon1a bill they can con-
esenttate behind that measure all of
the support of the American Legion
ana those advocating light wines and
neeF. Then, too, they solve the eco
hofc objections viii N have hitherto
nsc 50 much weight in opposition to
the bonus.
The vets point out that tax on
lgnt wines and beer is the only tax
weich the country would pay cheer.
saliy and yet which would provide the
auge amount of money needed for the
Drys Ridicule Bill
The drys, of course, ridicule the idea
.s .as' enough votes could be mustered
slther IN the House or Senate to put
=, saen an amendment on the bonus bill.
ps ppass say that the dry Senators and
representatives, no matter how much
saey favored the bonus and no matter
s.w Vigorously they might be opposed
s;.g y any taxes which would raise suffi-
s,sa, sn,, revenue, would nevertheless vote
svsaaiy against beer and wine amend
asns to the bonus bill.
.. So lar as hasty canvass of vets
sa ~ arys now in Washington could re-
the contention of the drys seems
~ y e the more logical. This does not
~. isr the fact that the vets are jubi-
~. Ky as result of President Harding's
s, ssf to Mrs. Robinson and that they
ssgsose ss. to make this fight to tie the
j.as I. legislation on the bonus bill.
was certain, even before the Hard
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