The New York herald., 1922-04-18
Three fOurths of Chamber
Would Like to See
Project Rejected.
SUPPORT ONLY POLITICAL
Finance Committee May Be
Tied Up Should One Repub-
lican Switch to Ants.
BY LOUIS sEIBOLD.

BY LOUIS sEIBOLD.
Special Dispatch TO THE New York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington, ID. g.. April IL.
The bonus raid on the public Treas
ury has split the United States Senate
into three groups or blocs. :
Evidence is accommodating that the
division OF sentiment among the
ninety-six Senators will become more
pronounced when the Finance Conn
mittee enters actively on the prepara-
ton Of a bill to submit to the main
body. The committee will turn its at
tention to the bonus project on
Wednesday. The sixteen members
have before them the certificate loan
bill passed by the House under gag"
rule procedure.
The situation in the committee is of
unusual interest. Six OF the ten Re-
publican Senators are indexed as fa-
voring bonus legislation, though they
are divided as to the terms of the in
strument to be agreed upon. These
Senators are McCumber IN. d., La
Toilette (Wis.), Mclean (Conn.), Curtis
lette (Wis.), Mclean (Conn.), Curtis
(Kan.), Watson Qnd.) and Sutherland
(W. Va.).
Four Are In Opposition.
The Republican Senators osed to
the bonus are Smoot (Utah), Dilling-
ham tvt), Calder IN. " and FIRE.
linghuysen IN. J.). OF the Senators in
favor OF the bill Mclean and Watson
probably will respect the wishes OF
President Harding, who has already
indicated his disapproval Of the GER
tificate loan bill passed by the House.
If either of these two Senators
should join with the opposition the
bonus bill would be tied up and If both
should stand out against it they would
have majority of the Republican
members.
The six Democratic members of tie
committee will undoubtedly strive for
partisan advantage in any Snaneuver-
ing in the committee. 1t is quite
probable that with one or two excep-
tions they will vote with the bonus
Republicans to report any measure
that would accomplish the political
ambitions Of Senators who seek the
favor Of TIE soldier voters.
The final decision on the bonus as
far as the Senate is concerned will
rest with the neutral group among the
Republicans-those who will respect
the wishes of President Harding.
While many of the Senators in this
group would ordinarily support the
bonus for political motives there is
good reason to believe their ultimate
decision will depend on the attitude of
the President after the Finance Com
mittee has prepared and submitted it's
report.
All to Seek HardinE's Advice.
Members of the three groups, favor
ing, opposing or holding a neutral po-
sition, will seek tie advice of the
President before any decisive stage of
the bonus matter has been reached.
The Senators in the neutral group.
OF power on the Republican side, have
purposely withheld their Judgment
until they can obtain definite informa-
ton regarding the Presidents wishes.
for 1t Is upon his opinion that the fate
Of the bonus raid actually depends.
The certificate loan measure was
framed and railroaded through the
lower Eouse In the face of President
Harding's declaration that he did not
favor any bonus legislation unless
financed by the sales tax method.
The House also ignored the statement
Of Secretary Mellon that the certif-
cate loan scheme would precipitate
economic chaos in the country.
The House also refused to heed the
statement OF Comptroller Crissinger
that he would advise banks not TO lend
money on the certificates ito be given
to ex-service men. Protests from citi-
zens In every calling throughout the
country were unheeded.
One Section surely Doomed,
Tho majority of the members OF the
Senate Finance Committee have ex-
pressed their disapproval of some
features Of the $4,000. 1000. 900 bonus
raid bill passed by the lower house
AT least one section of It will be com
pletcly discarded. This is the feature
to set up a reclamation scheme under
the guise OF n land settlement option
OF which bene1ciaries OF the bonus
project may take advantage. This will
go out. That much is certain.
Whether the objections to other
plans contained In the House bill win
be strong enough to compel their elimi-
nation is a matter Of conjecture None
of the members OF tho committee man
ifests any enthusiasm for the House
bin. They describe II as "slipshod,n
"unsound" and badly framed"
Yet I'm the absence OF an acceptable
substitute q number Of members OF
the committee. representing both
parties probably will subordinate their
real convictions and vote to report the
measure to tho Senate. The chief criti-
cism OF the House bill. and in fact