The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1922-04-05
Mr.: Harding Trusting Senate
10 Shelve Bonus Bill and
Shift Tariff Bill.
REPUBLICANS CALI.
FOR THE BIG STICK
(By Richard Linthicum )

| eoiiIAiAue 70 arise lnVOlV-
ing President Harding with the Re-
publican majority in Congress. The
dlIference between the Executive
ana the agricultural bloc which al
ready exist amount to a split in the
| future legislation.
SO far either by surrender or bv
! compromise the President has avert
ed an absolute break, but it is to
! much to say that the relations be-
tween the White House and the Re-
publican majority in Congress are
badly strained at this writing and
threaten to grow worse.
One element Of discord is the evi-
dent determination of the ReDubli-
can majority to make heavy cuts in
the army and navy, which is opposed
Doth by Secretary Weeks and Presi-
dent Harding. The ''little army" men
so-called want an army Of 115.OOO
and the little navy" men so-called
ns1stupon cut in that branch of
the service to 5000. These, Presi
dent and his Secretary of War and
Secretary Of Navy regarded as dang
erous to the future defense Of the
country. They take the position that
because OF the treaties resulting
from the Disarmament Conference
there is no good reason to render
either the army Or the navy ineffici-
ent.
On the other hand, the advocates
Of the minimum forces referred to
mold that purpose Of the Disarma-
n1ent Conference was to reduce ex-
pense through disarmament agree
nlents, and~+hat If Il these agreements
astuaily insure peace as claimed then J,
thre is no logical reason for continu- !
ing the army are navy forces at the !;
higher figures advocated by the ad- |
officials.
The provision in the army bill by
which Congress undertook to dictate |
to the Executive with respect to the
distribution of troops also nettled
the President and his Secretaries of
War and Navy and although this
provision was afterwards stricken
cut, It was done so with the alleged
is, indignantly denied
and repudiated by Secretary Weeks,
Who also voices the view Of the Pre-
;ident in this matter.
Another element of discord was
he passage of the Bonus bill by the
douse in its present form against the
wishes Of the President.
Who, t he favored any Bonus bill at
his time only favored one with a
ales tax provision for payment. 1t
vas intimated by the Presidents ad-
1rers who shared with him a recent ,
delightful vacation in Florida that
e would veto any bonus bill that did
ot provide for sales tax, and it {
as been generally understood that |
e favored general postponement
L bonus legislation and bonus dis
ussion.
The administration organs are re-
oonsible for the statement that Mr..
larting has been trusting the Senate
, shelve the bonus bill, but on top
this comes the reported determi-
alton of Chairman McCumber of
le Senate Finance Committee to
ash the bonus bill through the Sen n
re just as it passed the House and i
'rce the president to veto it or to 4
his own views to the Re-
1ol1can Congressional majority. If
le Senate passes the bill and the ,
vetoes it he will be in an O
gns it he puts himself in a position o.
here congress would continue to =
animate him and force his hand on "
her matters of Legislation. ="
The Republican opponents of the
mus bill in the Senate are trying
have that measure side-tracked C
r the tariff bill. If they succeed Ii.
ay will lay themselves open to the sh
ckling Of Democratic Senators for e.
eir lack Of courage to meet the
lie promptly and squarely, and vi
20 20 the pressure of the friends gi
the bill ga
The tariff bill itself contains sew M
Il forms Of political dynamite for
) Republican majority. Economists %
) country over regard the Fordneyi
riff bill as it passed the House as me
economic joke. Importers and the
aneial interests are generally op-
ed to the "American valuation' &c
n which nobody understands ap- the