Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-09
WILL TEST POWER
aOF ADMINISTRATION
Harding to Call for Vote Of Con-
. fidenoe in Congress on Debt
Funding Bill
WOULD SOLlDlFY PARTY

Washington. Jan. "a move toward
party solidarity and an effort to find
: ways and means of increasing the Of
nciency Of the Republican Party In
.Congress, II was learned Yesterday, was
the two. fold purpose of the White
House dinner Saturday night which
Drought together President Harding and
number of representative Republican
leaders
1t may be said that the President has
decided to cnll for vote Of confidence in
his Administration. lie has chosen one
or the most controversial issues pending
In Congress. He will make The trSt on
the Allied War Debt Funding Bill.
Mr.. Harding was said to have indi-
Gated to his party cOunselOrs there
could be no more clear-c issue than
that offered by the Funding Bill. X
the Republican Congress lacks enough
confidence in the President and his
cabinet to derIine to give an Admin
vfstration commission Of five men power
to conduct negotiations looking to the
funding of the $40 900. 900 600 owing
to the United States, then Mr.. Harding
wants to know 1t now.
The fight will BE- precipit0ted at once.
The test will come in the ScLatP. The
House passed the Funding Bill some
time ago. II will be the Administra
lions purpose to Insist on Senate Oc-
ton on the House bill With the eN.
ception that the SO called twenty five
years limitation provision will be
stricken out by the Finance Committee.
Such party managers as Senators
Lodge, BrandegcP, Watson and Curtis
acknowledge no doubts as 10 the out
come. They are sure the President
will win.
Advocates Separate Bonus Bill
1t became known last night President
Harding would not assent at the White
House dinner to plan Of action which
would have brought much additional
strength to bear on the Senate for pas
sage of the Funding Bill. lie disagreed
with the view of Senators Lodge, Wa
son and MCCumber on their suggestion
20 couple the Funding Bill with the SOL
der bonus legislation. They proposed 20
80 write the two measures rs to pro
vide that sufficient amount Of the pro-
ceeds from the sale of the allied war
bonds in this country should go for the
cash payments under the adjusted
compensation scheme.
1t Is well known the Administration,
on receiving from the Allies their bonds
In exchange of the treasury notes now
held for the war advances, intended Of.
fering them for sale in this country,
with the accompanying guarantee. Of
course. of the United States Treasury.
The President was not ready TO agree
that the conclusion of the funding ne
gotiations and the actual receipt of the
bonds IN this country were so certain
as TO warrant the Administration
making the bonus promise TO the former
service men.
$3.50, ,OOO.OO in First Payment
1t was urged that the Inlt.n. pc. .LCnt
M of hn for N psh
bonus would be $3.50 900 900, and that
was, n sum which could be met easily.
although us an added measure of eau.
tcn the date of the first payment might
be deferred q few months to insure con-.
clusion of the funding negotiations.
The President thought il unwise TO risk
the danger of a hitch which might forhe
the Government to disappoint the serv-
icemen.
Mr.. Harding was not outspoken in
mis- opposition to suggestion that the
Bonus Bill carry provision for pay.
ments first out OF the proceeds TO for
eign bonds or from a sales tax. He did
not approve that specifically. His ad
visers insisted the imposition of a sales
tax, even though IL were to be labeled
bonus tax, would be dangerous to
Republican success in the 1922 con :
gressional elections. Party policy will
be determined shortly. Disposal of the
Newberry case will be followed by ac-
tion on the Funding Bill, The bonus
legislation will be next
The conversation developed differ
ence of opinion over the advisability Of
procedure through party, conferences in
both House and Senate. Senators
Lodge and Brsndegee we're opposed to
Senate conferences. They argued that
such meetings gave malcontents Il
chance to buick the traces" and re-
suited in newspapers reporting lack OF
party unity. That view was chal.
lenged by Senator's Watson and Curtis.
who held the public knew perfectly well
there was no party unity in the Senate
but that instead Of such d!Sagrcements
J taking place in party conferences they
y were aired on the Senate floor.