Evening star., 1922-03-28
HARDING ASSURED
OF TARIFF ACTION
Leaders in Senate Promise
President Early Considera-
ton of Pending Bill.
BY N. O. MESSENGER.

President Harding has been assured
that prompt action on a tariff bill may
be depended upon. The bill now be-
fore the Senate committee on finance
is likely to be reported within a week.
The desire of leaders in both House
and Senate is said to be. get the bill
on the statute books early in the
summer. as far in advance Of the fall
elections as possible, SO that it may
be analyzed and appraised.
No program for the soldiers bonus
bill is likely to be decided upon just
now, it is thought, or until the tariff
bill gets in full swing in the Senate.
The disposition of leaders is declared
to be not to rush the bonus bill
through the committee hastily. but to
look into its provisions with care and
to sound public sentiment on it.
The four-power treaty is now clear
of the ratification stage of progress,
and the next step will be the ex-
change Of ratifcations and the final
effectiveness of the treaty as the law
OF the land of the nations party to it.
II
pected to come out of the Senate with
the seal of approval in short order
and the others in due course.
Economy Drive to Continue.
The big economy drive of the ad-.
ministration and the Congress will
proceed, looking forward to the max
ing of a record for the republicans
which is expected to be of service in
the fall campaign to the party in
power. There will have to be con-
siderable adjustment between the
House and the Senate and between
the Congress and executive and the
bureau Of the budget. as affairs are
in pretty bad tangie now, but the
problems will yield to compromise in
the conference stage of the appro-
priation bills, it is heId.
Congress. it is said by republicans
in the leadership class, Is intent upon
making a record of legislation which
will commend itself to the voters
There are no indications of dissatis-
faction with the administration"
taking that word as descriptive of the
executive branch, and in Congress it
is expected that the constructive leg
islation now going through the
works will dissipaIe the murmurings
against Congress said to be heard
| througour the country.
Deal Of HarmOnizing Needed.
1t is quite evident that there will
have to be a deal of harmonizing on
appropriations. The House is show
ing signs of taking the subject in its
| own hands and dlsregarding leader
| ship of all sorts. In the case of the
rivers ano harbors bill, now pending,
the suggestion of the bureau of the
budget and the exhortation of the
House leaders were rejected yester-
day and q three-to-one majority had
its way in hosting the appropriations
for river and harbor improvements to
the tune of $15,000.O00.
1t is still fresh in memory how the
House disregarded the advice of the
executive and administrative branches
in the framing of the bonus bill. The
House also is inclined to take issue
with these departments of the gov
ernment on the subject of Army and
Navy appropriations, especially with
regard to the Navy. But it is to be
borne in mind that the last word on
these subjects has not been spoken
Eor will DE until the conference COM
mittees bring in their reports on the
perfected measures.
Leaders More Cheerful.
There is said to be a more cheerful
frame Of mind, politically. among the
republicans in Congress, and in the
party management outside. despite
present embarrassments, which are
accounted by them but temporary
hurries. AS the campaign, in its pre-
liminary aspect looms nearer, the me-