New-York tribune., 1922-08-26
President Plans
Special Session
To Pass Subsidy
Probably Will Recall Con.
gress November Is I'm
less IT, ID e ci d to
Recess Over Elections
Tariff May Be Held Up
Leaders Believe Bill viii
Have Better Chance Than
1T Would i'm Short Term
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON. Aug. 25.--President
Harding probably will call a special
session of Congress for November 10
TO take up the ship subsidy bill, it
was said at the White House to-day,
unless Congress- merely recesses over
the election instead of ad5eurning.
The tariff also is likely to go over
until after election, 1t developed te-day
on Capitol Hill. The expectancy now
is. therefore, that Congress may ad-
journ or recess until after election
shortly after passing the bonus bill.
There will, of course, be an effort TO
pass the bonus bill OVER the Preei-
dents veto should that generally ex-
pected stand be taken by Mr. Harding,
but that will not be move which
will require much time.
The Presidents decision that Con-
gress should take up the ship subsidy
bill in November, before the regular
session opens December d. is due to
the fact that passage of such hotly
contested measure is sure to require
considerable time, and the short ses-
sion of Congress has so much routine
work ahead Of it in the brief period
before March 4 that it would be com.
paratively simple for those opposed to
the ship subsidy bill to block its pass
age
At the Capitol this afternoon Sena-
tors and members opposed to the bill
were confident that even the November
meeting plan would not afford suffi-
cient time. Chairman Lasker Of the
Shipping Board believes that there is
q a " hn -,
favor of the bill, but the opposition to
it is strong enough to prevent a three
tourths vote imposing eioture, and
without cioture the strong minority
can prevent vote for very long
time.
Would Utilize Short Session
Adoption of the Presidents plan,
however, would utilize some of the time
early in the short session which is usu-
ally wasted by the Senate, waiting for
the House to get some of the appropria
tiorebills passed and over for consider
alton by the upper House.
Thus the House could put the ship
subsidy bill through with special rule
cutting off debate---an expedient the
House always resorts to on all mpor-
tant measures. Then the bill could be
sent to the Senate, with perhaps, ten
sion of Congress began.
The Senate would have this ten days
and such part Of the regular session
as the House consumed in passing the
first appropriation bill before a fll-
buster against the. ship purchase bill
would have any effect<in slowing down
the legislative wheels.
Only by this November session of
Congress, the Presidents supporters
point, out, is there any possibility of
action on the ship subsidy bill before
the next Congress takes office. The
present Congress expires on March 4
at the end of the short session. An
extra session of Congress called right
after that would be the Congress to
be elected in November, which would
not meet unless called by the Presi-
dent until December, 1923.
incidentally. no one doubts that the
number of Democrats will be largely
increased In the next House, and the
Democratic party is strongly opposed
to the ship subsidy idea, SO that the
difficulty of putting through the meas
ure would he vastly increased by wait
Ing until after March a for the extra
session.
Confident OF Passage
There is no confidence among the
Presidents friends on Capitol Hill that
the ship subsidy could be passed, either
now or in November, even if votes on
1t were forced ia the two houses, but
they agree that the President is en-
titled to have Congress vote on this
measure which the Administration re-
CARDS as so vital to the national IN
terest
Some Of the leaders ia Congress who
have been panicky about vote on the
subsidy bill before election, have NO
objection 80 votes being forced In both
Houses after election. Indeed, those
who were most afraid of the political
effect Of votes on the subsidy bill bg
the House and Senate believe that ths
bill would be much stronger III bost
Houses. bat especially in the House os
Representatives, IL the election were
| just ever instead Of imminent.