Arizona republican., 1922-03-14
MAJOR|TYLEADERS MAY.
NOT BE ABLE To FORCE.
BONUS VOTE BY MONDAY.
Representatives TreadlDay and HalUes Ex-
press Opposition to Compromise Bill Unless
Financed by Sales Tax-Frear Replies to
MELONS Letter on Abuse of Government
Credit
TRepubIIcan A. p. Leased Wirel

Republican A. p. Leased Wire1
WASHINGTON, March 15. Re-
publican leaders were confronted to-
day with the possibility that they
might be unable to bring about
vote in the house on the compromise
soldiers bonus bill under suspension
of the rules next Monday. With
favorable report of the measure by
the ways and means committee prom
ised bv Chairman Fordney. they gen
orally were agreed that the bill should
be disposed of by the house early
next week
Inability, however. to ascertain
whether Speaker Gillett. who is in
Florida with President Harding,
would entertain a. motion to suspend
the rules, which would require a
two thirds vote for passage of the
bill, and would automatically bar all
amendments, coupled with reports
that he might decline to do So threw
the whole question Of procedure into
the air.
Republican members of the ways
and means committee, who at
morning meeting decided to proceed
with their plans for a report Of the
measure at the meeting of the full
despite objections to its provisions
voiced by Secretary Mellon and
Comptroller of the Currency Cris-
singer. held a conference later in the
day with members Of the Republican
steering committee and several others
including Representative Walsh, of
Massachusetts, acting speaker and
Representative Fess of Ohio and
Towner of Iowa. 1t was agreed ar
this meeting not to make n final de-
cision as to procedure until the views
of the speaker could be learned In
case he opposed the suspension of
rules program, it was said that the
bill probably would be brought up
early next week under a rule which,
although it would require only a ma
iority vote on final passage and could
be drafted to prevent amendments
from the floor, would permit the Of
fering of a motion to recomn1it.
Leaders said such a motion might
be designed to saddle the bill with
some drastic amendments which was
distasteful to the proponents OF the
measure as it now stands.
Favor Sales Tax Plan
Other developments of the day in
bonus situation were the issuance OF
statements by two members of the
se-Representative Treadwav of
Massachusetts, a Republican member
of the ways and means committee,
and Representative Halves, Demo-
crat OF Missouri-both of whom ex-
pressed opposition to the bonus bill,
and the announcement by Represent
ative Frear of Wisconsin, a Repub-
lican member of the ways and means
committee that he had written Sec
1rrfff n Loft
Of the treasury head to Mr.. Fordney
in which Mr.. Mellon declared the bill.
if enacted, would involve a danger
Gus abuse Of government credit"
Mr.. Treadway declared it was zap
parent that an effort to pass bonus
bill at this time is futile unless fin
anced by a sales tax"
The people, ne contended, want
less. rather than more taxation.
1T was hoped that some satisfac-
tory plan could be found for properly
financing payment Of a soldiers
bonus without embarrassment to the
federal treasury" Mr.. Treadway' S
statement began. "The communica-
tion received this morning from Sec
retary Mellon shows that the new
suggestion is as satisfactory rs prev
ious ones. No one can contradict the
though some OF the statistical infor-
nation may not be borne OUT
The Massachusetts member held
that the new scheme having been
proven unsound financially, the
strong advocates Of the bonus OF
whom Chairman Fordney is the lead
er ought to be satisfied, although un-
successful, and cease their efforts.
'The Presidents position is sound, =
the statement continued. "Either the
proposition must be postponed or a
| sales tax adopted.
Il favor the former plan"
Frear Replies to Mellon
Mr.. Frear made public his letter to
! Secretary Mellon. In it he predicted
/ that the revised bill will be reached
before little opposition and will pass
| the house five to one and subse-
1 quently would be approved by the
4 senate. Adoption Of a sales tax he
contended would eventually shift
one billion dollars or more in income
taxes now paid by the wealth of the
/ country over to the shoulders Of this
consumers Of the land"
"You have objected before The
I committee, Mr.. Frear told the secre-
1 tary, TO any inheritance or gif
taxes or the re-e enactment OF the ex-
I cess pI0LllS laA. Ou nave SuSEeSleC
taxes to which we finally tentatively
agreed, only to be informed that tho
! President. whom you frequently sec
would veto bill if accompanied b.
such taxes.
You objected before the commit
tee to paying the bonus by treasury
certificates as authorized by law ant
as the treasury did when payint
three billion dollars Of Cancelled wa
contracts--to which we were advised
you never objected. The recent bill
to stabilize railway securities, appro
priating $500. 600 600, passed by th
house. was with the approval Of you
department,
"You have objected before tn
committee TO paying any soldiers
bonus out Of foreign debts which tn
soldiers helped to save for us.
In fact many ieicles Of sympath,
(Continued on Pago Twol