The New York herald., 1922-07-06

The'result OF their conclusions is thai
the McCumber bill should be dropped
and an effort made to settle on a pro-
, posal which will stand a better chance
Of winning approval at the White
House.
Republican Senator'S who desire to
vote for a bonus bill solely for politi-
cal reasons therefore attached un-
usual lAimportance to a conference held
at the home of Senator Lodge tonight
They had reason to believe the Senate
leader would communicate TO his at
tending associates the unalterable de-
cision OF the President to veto the Nc
Cumber bill or any other measure that
fails TO provide the revenue to meet
the expense.
Senators who participated in the
conference conveyed the impression
that a final effort must soon be made
10 decide on bonus bill that will stand
a chance of escaping a Presidential
veto. Just how the thing is to be ac-
complished, however, was admittedly
a matter Of grave doubt.
Lack Clear idea on Bonus.
The most important feature of the
situation was that few of the Senators
who discussed the subject with their
legislative leader seemed to lack clear
or definite ideas. Even the most
ardent bonus supporters now admit
the scheme to annex the soldier votes
by raiding the Treasury to the tune Of
$4,000, 100000 has lost most Of its at
tractiveness.
They are still insistent that "a bonus
bill" be put through regardless of the
fate of Vt at the White House and in
the face Of opposition which will pre-
vent its repassage by a two-thirds
vote. More than enough Senators on
both sides of the chamber have indi-
Gated their purpose to support the
Presidential veto. Confronted with this
Situation the sole hope of the bonus
Senators is that bill may yet be
produced to meet the objections raised
by the President. Secretary Mellon
and public sentiment generally.
The fight over the cIoture, which
applies with almost as much force to
the bonus as to the tariff, is expected
to result in bringing forward some
bonus plan on which the majority of
Senators can agree. 1t is quite GER
tain that during the controversy over
the McCumber cloture move, the bonus
scheme will be dissected and held up
to public ridicule and condemnation.
Democrats Fight CIoturc.
The presentation of the cloture
scheme. which came at the close of a
day devoted to the discussion of tariff
rates on fish and edible nuts, naturally
provoked vigorous opposition on the
Democratic side of the chamber SEN
ator Underwood (Ala.) led off by
denying responsibility for the delay OF
a vote on the tariff.
THE majority has submitted more
than 1000. amendments to this bill"
he said, "and under the unanimous
consent agreement our side cannot
offer any until they are disposed Of.
This means that under the cloture
proposal the majority would cut out
all amendments coming from this side
and that we would be given less than
half minute for the consideration Of
each majority report"
with Republican Senators with
drawing their support" he said. you
are anxious to get to vote while you
still have a majority for it. This
cioture gesture is pure 'bunkum.' You
are trying to put the responsibility on
us for delaying a vote on the bonus
and other matters"
Senator Lodge declared the cloture
petition had been offered in good
faith. IF you think the tariff bill is
beaten why don't you bring VI to a
vote?" he asked. He contended that
the debate on the present tariff bill
was longer than that INDUCED in over
any OF the seven revenue measures
that engaged the attention of Con-
gress during his membership.
Senator Kellogg (Minn.) declared
only seven weeks were devoted TO dis
cussion of the Underwood tariff bill
and Senator Pomerene (Ohio) asserted
that the reason for il was there were
only Gao amendments to it.
Senator Watson (Ind.), who is an
ardent supporter of the bonus, urged
the Democratic friends of it to make
an agreement on the tariff in order
that there might be speedy action on
the political soldiers hopes. None of
the Democratic Senators indicated
any desire to fall into the Republican
trap designed TO hasten a vote on the
tariff in order that the bonus might
be reached n
Under the Senate rules the cloture
proposition can be debated until 4
O'Clock Friday. The defeat of it. which
is predicted by Senators on both sides
Of the Chamber, probably will be fol-
lowed by a move to invoke limited
clcture by majority vote. This can
be debated as long as any Senator
feels in the mood to talk.