Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-03-01
Republicans of House Com
mittee Plan to Eliminate
Immediate Payments.
EXPECT TO DRAFT BILL
SOME TIME THIS week
Fordney Hopes to Remove All
Cause of Controversy-Sub-
committee Named.

elimination of the cash feature of
the soldiers bonus virtually was
agreed upon today by republican
members of the House ways and
means committee.
Chairman Fordney announced that
special subcommittee of six had
been named by unanimous agreement
to work out some plan that would
not entail any large drafts on the
federal Treasury within the next two
years"
Such plan would make unneces-
sary any immediate bonus financing
and would remove the cause of con-
troversy in the House over the bill.
The special subcommittee will
meet this afternoon, and Mr.. Fordney
said it was the belief that a measure
could be made ready certainly within
two or three days. He added that
1T was possible that details OF the
bill could be worked out at the first
session.
Mr.. Fordney heads the su5conl-
mIttee, and the other members are
Representatives Green of Iowa; Long
worth of Ohio: Hawley of New York:
Ireadway of Massachusetts. and
Copley of Illinois.
Before deciding to appoint the
subcommittee the majority members
again canvassed the whole situation.
The compromise finally reached was
said to have been by unanimous con-
sent.
While the majority members were
in session, Representative Fish, re-
publican. New York. laid before Pres
ident Harding today suggested
amendment to the proposed soldier
bonus measure. which would limit the
lGfYG rafnRa
cipients of vocational training those
drawing compensation for disabili-
ties and to veterans who certify to
their unemployment in making appli-
cation.
Three-HOur Talk Fails.
Il am authorized TO say that the
committee has come to no conclusion"
said Chairman Fordney of the ways
and means committee. after the re-
publican members had spent three
hours trying to adjust their views re-
garding soldier bonus proposals that
could be presented to the House with
recommendations that they be passed.
There is nothing to be given to the
newspapers today" Mr.. Fordney
added.
1t was understood that there was a
general discussion of the whole ques-
tion of finances. acrimonious at times,
and that at the finish the situation
was just where il was before the spe-
cial subcommittee tentatively agreed
upon a special tax program, which
subsequently, was disapprcved by
President Harding.
1t was said that the possibilities in
cluded a poStponement Of the whole
question for month, in the belief
that the delay would serve to clear
the atmosphere, but several members
were understood TO look upon such a
program with diSfaVor
Sales Tax Plan Blocked.
The discussion yesterday was re-
ported to have revolved largely
around the proposition to write into
the bill some kind of a financing pro-
vision that would meet the Presi-
dents views at least half way. The
sales tax suggested by the President
and rejected by the special committee
last week by an overwhelming vote
was not pressed particularly, it was
said, and the impression went out
that some members had in mind a
special tax program.
Sales tax proponents We're under
stood to be hopeful that this program
would be worked around 10 the sales
tax. but leaders of the agricultural
bloc will oppose that. They take the
position that the bonus can be
financed out of the proceeds from the
refunded British debt.
As the republican committeeman
were assembling to resume consid-
Grafton of the bonus, Hanford Mac
Nider, national commander of the
American Legion, and John Thomas
Taylor. vice chairman of the legion's
legislative committee. discussed the
bonus situation with President Hard
ing at the White House. They said
afterward that they were perfectly
satisfied" with the results of the con-
ference and expressed confidence that
there would be no delay in the enact
ment of the adjusted compensation
legislation. They added that the Presi-
dent was heart and soul" with the le-
gion and understood its position fully.