The New York herald., 1922-09-06
CONFEREES REFUSE
TO LET BONUS BILL
SIDETRACK TARIFF
Fordney Insists Latter
Measure Is Vital and Is
Sustained 5 to 3.
LEGION GROUP ANGRY.
McCumber's Pleas and Raid
ers' Riot Act Fail to
BE Effective.
CHANGE IN SENTIMENT
CHANGE IN SENTIMENT
Revenue Measure Being Over
hauled With Prospect Of
Passing Before Elections.
ny LOUIS sE1noLD.


New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c.. Sept. 5.
The 5000, ,000,0 bonus raid on the
taxpayers received another setback
to-day which clearly reflects the
change in Congressional sentiment re-
garding 1t.
BY vote of to conferees Of the
Senate and House resisted the pres
sure Of the politicians in the American
Legion to sidetrack the tariff bill to
permit immediate action on the bonus
measure.
The result Of this decision will be
that the scheme to give Government
cash to ablebodied soldiers will have
to wait its turn before being sent to
the White House, where. according to
completely reliable information veto
awaits it.
The discredited tariff bill, which is
being rewritten by the same conferees
having the bonus in charge. may be
disposed of within the next two-weeks
and may not. There is no telling
Just when, how and In what shape
the tariff mess will be cleared up. The
most optimistic prediction Of Its sup
porters is that report accompanied
by revised bill reconciling the differ
ences between the two houses may be
ready within week. A more con-
seryative and logical estimate Is that
"the tariff bill will be reported before
the end Of September"
Cold Comfort Afforded.
This assurance brings cold comfort
to the promoters of the bonus raid;
1t also shows that much OF the en-
thusiasm displayed in jamming the
gratuity scheme through the two
houses has steadily evaporated. The
minds Of Republican leaders in both
houses are now centered on the tariff
and not on the bonus. Most of them
don't care IL 1t ever comes out of the
conference committee. They feel that
they have liquidated their individual
pledges to soldiers whose votes are
needed. and are under no further obli-
cation in that respect.
The certainty of veto has rendered
the statesmen who were panic stricken
a few weeks ago over the prospective
loss Of soldier votes rather callous
and unfeeling in the whole transac-
tion
When the bonus bill was passed by
the Senate last Thursday Mr.. McCum-
ber, it's chief sponsor, declared the
conferees would dispose of II within
a few days" and send 1t to the White
House TO receive the solar pleyus. He
said there was no doubt about 1t. He
further declared no difficulty would be
experienced in eliminating the SIM
mons and McNary amendments read
into the House bill after the equally
Objectionable land feature had been
dropped.
True 10 Form ON One Point.
Cumber destroyed his hitherto un-
broken record as a prophet on the
bonus. The leaders OF both houses
now concur in his statement that no
difficulty will be experienced in throw
ing out the two amendments. But Mr.
McCumber ran true to form In his
prediction as TO the time limit. When
he proposed through his associate ctr-
ferecs to-day that the tarif measure
be set aside for two or three hours
TO iron out the differences over the
bonus he encountered immediate and
stubborn resistance.
No better illustration of the change
OF Congressional view regarding the
scheme to assess the taxpayers for the
benefit or ablebodied ex-service mon
has been provided than the absolute
refusal of Chairman Fordney. the
original sponsor of the bonus to en-
tertain the McCumber suggestion.
Next to Mr.. McCumber Mr.. Fordney
holds the record for being bad bonus
prophet. He declared last March
when the House passed the bonus
measure which then bore his name
that II would pass the Senate and be-
come a law in ten days" That was
1877 days ago. During the tieup ir
the Senate Mr.. Fordney uttered many
disagreeable criticisms of Mr.. Nc
Cumber's management OF the bonus
measure. He persistentiy demarccd
that the Senate pass the lill ~ once
and send 1t to the Presid mt.
Chairman Fordney'. support.
Yet to-day when Mr.. McCumber
called Mr.. Fordney, az 1t were. the
latter "iaid. down." so to speak. Sup
ported by Senator Smoot. Representa-
tives Longworth and Greene, Repub-
licans. and Garner. Democrat, he voted
down Mr.. McCumber's suggestion to
Continued on Page Vine.