New Britain herald., 1922-01-18
Allied Debt Refunding Bill Will Be First Press- ed At This Session Of Congress, According To Plans
Conference Tomorrow Will Take Up Details of These Two Important Pieces of Legislation.

Washington, Jan. 1S.--Decisons to press first the allied debt refundlnR bill and next a soldiers bonus bill was reported today by republican sen- ators in their first conference of this session of congress. A second con- ference was called for tomorrow to discuss details of the two measures.
 Opposition Develops. Opposition to soldier bonus bill developed but it was announced off, clally that the motion to place this legislation second in the list was car ried by "a large majority" Elimin- nation by the finance committee of the requirement in the allied debt bill for semi-annual payment of interest on the bonds to be accepted from the foreign debtor nations also was dis cussed but a decision in this feature of the bill was deferred.
 Approval Not Voted.
 Senators attending the conference emphasized that the vote was to take up a bonus bill. This means the con- ference did not go on record as ap- proving the measure passed by the
 
 nance committee last July at the re- quest of President Harding.
 Much time was understood to have been taken up with a discussion of the methods of supplying the money to carry out the bonus legislation. No decision was reached but the discus- sion was said to have revolved largely around use of part of funds to be de- rived from the floating of British bonds in the United States and tho imposition of sales tax or some oth- CT form of taxation to bridge the gap until the British bonds could be sold
 It was announced that there was no division on the motion of Chairman McCumber of the finance committee, that if be the sense of the conference that the allied debt refunding bill be taken up in the senate and disposed of. Senator McCumber also offered the motion that upon the passage of this measure the senate take up bonus bill and that the conference de- clare in favor of the passage of such bill.
 Vote Reported 3f to ?.
 It was reported that the vote In favor of passing bonus bill was 31 to ? with several opponents of such legislation withholding their votes. While the conference did not approve the pending bill some republican lead- CTS said the measure to be passed undoubtedly would follow the general principles of the measure now before the finance committee.
 Preparing Bonus Data
 Treasury experts were said today to be at work on a memorandum for submittal by Secretary Mellon to con- gress setting forth the governments financial situation as it bears upon the subject of soldier bonus.
 Secretary Mellon, 1t was said today has not altered his views that passage of legislation for soldier bonus com pensation should await the arrival of better industrial conditions but the mem orandum was expected to confine itself to statement of statistical in- formation.
 No Specific Plan
 Members of the finance committees of congress will be given tabulated estimate of the obligation which the event the proposed legislation were adopted. While MT. Mellon may point out various means of raising revenue it was not believed by high officials that the treasury would rec ommend specific plan for providing funds