The Washington herald., 1922-11-19
6. 0. .P.LEADERs
CRACK LASH TO
PASS SHIP BILL
President viii Face Congress
|. Tuesday With Demand That
Subsidy Go Through Quickly.
WTRoLlc ATTACK
Measure WIN Win Approval Of
House by Nov. 20, Declare
Chiefs Of Republican Hosts.
By GEORGE r. HOLMES,
lnternafisnal News service.

Internatisnal News service.
A rocky road stretched away In
front Of President Harding and his
Administration leaders last night on
the eve Of the re-assembly of the
Sixty-seventh Congress.
Congress convenes tomorrow with
scores Of its members in both
houses defeated at the polls and
due to retire At the end Of this short
winter session. Tuesday President
Harding Will 60 before q joint sek.
sion with a short, emphatic mes
sage voicing the Administration g
demand that this Congress pass the
controversial ship subsidy measure
forthwith.
SET FOR BIG EFFORT.
The message was virtually com.
pleted last night. The President
will inform both houses they were
called back three weeks early for no
other purpose than to pass this
measure. and he will stress the
need for instant action.
Administration leaders at the
Capitol are set for a tremendous
effort to drive the measure through
under the lash Of White House
discipline, but whether they can
accomplish the. task marked out
for them was considered q matter
of considerable doubt last night.
Polls conducted by the party
leaders the last few days among
returning members have not been
| conducive to optimism on the party
Of Republican leaders at the
Capitol.
WILL PUT ON SCREWS.
By putting the screws on tightly
and exercising the present Re-
publican majority Of 1S5 in the
House to the fullest extent, Re-
publican leaders said the measure
would pass the House Wednesday.
November 20, although in what
form they did not care to speculate.
The bill will be taken up We'd
nesday. with three days Of general
debate scheduled. and following that.
three days during which the bill
will be thrown open to amendment.
A flood of amendments will be
thrown at It. embracing everything
from the repeal OF the Panama
Canal tolls law. to increased subsidy
aCCouht Vi thC lOocto
by American ships because Of the
dry ruling.
SENATE TO MARK TIME.
The Senate will convene tomor-
row with but little to do except
talk and wait for House action on
the ship subsidy bifl-considered a
dangerous occupation and likely to
lead to the opening up Of severe
fighting over the railroadeact.
The progressive Republicans, like
Borah. La Toilette. Norris and
Ladd, supported by other Republi-
cans from the grain belt like Cap
per of Kansas. are sharpening their
knives for the ship subsidy meas
ure The Democrats will oppose
the Presidents pet measure al
most TO a man. and this strength
coupled with that which can be
mustered from the agricultural
States, Is considered virtually Ger.
sain Of killing the bill unless a
deal can be made on the basis OF
other legislation.
TEST FOR PRESIDENT.
The assault on the ship subsidy
measure will be led by La Toilette
and Borah, by common consent the
two most savage orators IN the
Senate, and both skilled parliamen.
tarians.
President Harding's leadership
will be tested in the approaching
combat as 1t has never been before.
With this realization fully in mind,
Administration leaders are prepar.
ing to exert every ounce Of press
ure possible for enactment Of the
bill before the expiration Of the
present Congress. for in the next
one. with it's narrow and shaky Re
publican majorities, 1t is admitted
the ship bill would stand no chance.