The Monmouth inquirer., 1922-07-13
ABANDON SHIP
SUBSIDY BILL
Conference at Lodge Home
Votes to Inform Harding Meas
ure Has No Chance to Pass.
BONUS BACK TO PRESIDENT
Senate 5aIks at Sales Tax-Tariff
cioture Sought, but Will Press
Act, Anyway--Anti-Lynch
Law Is Dead.


abandonment Of the
ship subsidy bill has been agreed upon
by the Republican leadership of the
senate. At an all night conference at
the home of Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge. Republican leader, program
was r1npped out for the rest of the
session which not only scraps Press
dent Harding's pet merchant marine
measure. but kills off the Dyer anti
lynching bill and leaves the bonus
situation very much up in the air.
Prospects for the speedy passage Of
the bonus bill are less bright than at
any stage thus far.
Unless President Harding can force
the leaders to reverse themselves the
ship purchase bill probably is dead un-
iii the new Congress, to be elected in
November, comes into office. The first
regular session Of that Congress does
not convene until December, 1923.
President Harding has made it clear
several times that he thought the ship
Subsidy bill so important that If no
vote were obtained on it he would call
an extra session. This view was ex-
pressed at time when it was thought
the session might conclude its work
and go home early this summer. Now
that the schedule calls for Congress
running through the summer anyhow.
on top of the fact that it Is impossible
to hold the lawmakers in session dur
ing October in campaign year, this
threat fades so far as the present Con-
gress is concerned.
The short session, beginning this De-
cember and expiring by law on March
4. will not have time to put through a
measure to which there is anything
like the amount of opposition that ex-
lists to the ship subsidy bill. The
Christmas holidays and the necessity
of passing all the regular appropria-
tjon bills limits the time of this session
so sharply that determined filibuster
could prevent the passage of practical
" any measure.
All doubt that the ship subsidy bill
will become an important issue in the
congressional campaign this fall is re-
moved by this decision. President
Harding already has expressed salts
faction at the idea of members of the
house getting in touch with the senti-
ment of their districts on the bill be-
fore casting their votes. This followed
his hearing that majority could not
be mustered in the house for the ship
subsidy bill. Now it is apparent that
the Issue will be carried to the polls
in November, with the whole strength
If the administration pounding for the
measure.
President Harding also will find the
bonus bill back on his doorstep. The
Republican leaders at the same confer
ence decided to consult the chief exec
utive. Immediately ON his return and
make another attempt to reach an
agreement with him, so that they can
frame a bonus bill which he will sign.
They agreed that they did not want to
force through measure which he
would certainly veto.
In telling of their discussions and
decisions, however, the Republicans
did not carry much conviction as to
the compromise which might be reach
ed and which might be satisfactory to
I ne President On the contrary, they
aIked again at the sales tax, the one
measure to provide funds for the bonus
which the President has Indicated his
Willingness to accept. and failed also
to agree upon any plan for raising the
money which the President might ac-
cept.
s. The truth seems to be that the Re-
publican leaders have very little hope
=. reaching an agreement with the
president ON the bonus bill. but that
they will ask him to repeat his public
ly expressed desire for further post
Ionement of the bonus legislation.
This, suffering under the same phys
lcal difficulties just described with re-
gard to the ship subsidy bill, would
postpone bonus legislation until the
new Congress.