The Washington times., 1922-03-20
To
PROCEED
ON BONUS
Announcement Bill Will Pass
Tomorrow Follows White
House Conference.
by International News Service.

BY International News Service.
Republican leaders of Congress
are going straight ahead with
their plans to push the bonus
through the House this week.
This was the net result today Of
a conference between President
Harding and Republican leaders
of the House, which lasted for
nearly two hours.
President Noucommittal.
At the conclusion of the lengthy
conference, in which II is understood
there was "some plain talk" Con-
gresham Mondell, floor leader of
the House, came out of the Presi.
dents office with this statement:
"The legislative situation rela-
tive to the bonus bill was fully
presented to the President, with a
detailed explanation Of the DrOvi-
siOns which remove the menace OF
excessive drafts on the Treasury
I'm the immediate future and avoids
any program Of added taxation.
"The PresiGlnt went over the
entire situation with an appraisal
Of the commitments made. lie
advised the committee that the
LEGISLATION Is n responsibility Of
Congress, and i'm view Of the ex-
pressions previously made, he did
not think it essential to offer any
recommendations.
CONGRESSMAN Mondell would not
state whether the President had
said he would approve the bill, or
whether he had said he would veto
It, If it passed the two houses, as
his friends have said he would.
VIII Pass Tomorrow.
Mondell merely referred question
ers to the statement. and declared
the House was going ahead with
the measure as planned, leaving
auestioners to draw what infer
ences they desired. He would have
to consult with Speaker Gillett, he
said. before 1t could be decided
whether to bring the bonus bill up
under a special rule or suspen-
sion of the rules, but he indicated
that the bill would be passed before
tomorrow night.
Participating in the White House
conference were Mondell, Chairman
Fordney, of the Ways and Means
COMMITTEES; Congressman Longworth
of Ohio, Congressman Fess Of Ohio,
Congressman Towner of Iowa, Chair
man Campbell, of the Rules Com
mittee. After this conference had
been in progress for an hour,
Speaker Gillet came to the White
House and entered the parley.
The White House did not make
known the Presidents attitude,
other than the statement agreed
upon. 1t is the belief of President
Harding's advisers, however, that the
Chief Executive will never be called
upon to either approve or reject the
pending bill. They base this upon the
belief that the Senate will not pass
the bill, regardless Of the action TAX
en- in the House.
House Leaders Militant.
The House leaders left the White
House In a militant mood, as exem-
plified by assertions that the bill
was going through as soon as the
parliamentary machinery could be
oiled to get II through. The Senate's
coOlness toward the bill will have no
deterring effect, they said, as the
House is going to clear its skirts and
make good its promises to pass the
bill.
Formal announcement from
Speaker Gillett that he would not
recognize anyone who wanted to
bring the bonus bill up today was
made during a colloquy with Con-
gresham Garner Dem) of Texas,
a member of the Ways and Means
Committee, after the House con-
vened at noon.