The New York herald., 1922-05-26
Minority Sees Opportunity
to Blame Republicans
for Tax.
SMOOT PLAN is FAVORED
Some Believe Paid Up Insur-
ance Should Supplant
McCumber's Bill. :
BY LOUIS sEIBoLD.

cpectut DtSputch 10 LIE NEW YORK HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c.. May rs. $
The bonus ran into another legisla-
tive cul de sac to-day that added to
the muddle over it and disrupted the
plans of its Senatorial supporters.
The full meeting Of the Senate
Finance Committee. which was to have
been held tomorrow. was showed
along until next week. There were
three reasons for the change, which,
clearly reveals the fact the confidence
of the bonus Senators has been badly
shaken by recent events.
The row over tie proposal to adopt
cloture to prevent protracted fill
buster against the equally unpopular
tariff bill had something to do with
the postponement of the finance meet
ing. The result Of the tariff conflict
b'ili determine the chances of the
Bonus for coming before the Senate in
Che near future or at any time during
0he present session.
Chairman McCumber and his as
sociates, who are trying to keep both
the tariff and bonus balls in the air
at tie same time, decided this, after
noon to call off their fight for the
bonus until the tangle over the tariff
has been Strengthened out. AS the
next bout over the tariff will not be
held until Saturday, Mr.. McCumber
and his associates, who desire the po-
litical support of the element in the
American Legion seeking to COM
anercialize their patriotism, have been
compelled to cancel their plan to fight
ct out in committee tomorrow.
II Democrats Lul<ewarm.
Another development that jolted the
bonus supporters was the attitude OF
the majority Of Democratic Senator's
who evinced little enthusiasm for Mr..
McCumber's proposal to call them in
to help him report his bill. over which
the ten Republican Senators are tied
as to number.
= The Democratic leaders did not
overlook the opportunity to make
trouble for their Republican associ-
ates. They recalled Mr.. McCumber's
refusal to permit the Democratic men,
hers of the Finance Committee to take
hand in the preparation of bonus
legislation when the House bill was
referred to his committee sixty-three
days ago.
Mr.. McCumber then announced he
would follow the plan of Messrs. Mon
dell and Fordney and exclude the
Democrats until the Republicans had
reached a decision. He told the Dem
ocratic leaders their help was neither
desired nor needed, and predicted "a
bonus bill will be reported to the Sem
ate and passed within ten days"
Mr.. McCumber's reputation as a
prophet naturally has suffered, be-
cause to date he is already fifty three
days out of the way.
When the six Democratic members
of the Finance Committee were in
formed that they would be invited to
assist Mr.. McCunaber and his four
bonus NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. La Fol-
lette. Watson Und), Curtis and Suth-
erland-to order the report of Mr.. Nc
Cumber's bill they replied that they
would think the matter over"
stand Out for Sales Tax.
The Democrats hailed with delight
the announcement that five of the Re
! publican Senators--Smoot, Freling-
/ huysen. Calder, Mclean and Dilling-
ham-had declared their opposition to
the McCumber bill, and indicated their
disapproval of any bonus measure
that was not financed with a sales
tax.
Realizing their advantage, the six
Democratic Senators, who are also di-
vided over the bonus. declared that IL
they were going to supply the votes
to help Mr.. McCumber get his bill out
OF the committee they intended TO die
tate the terms. The Democratic lead
ers informed their Republican bonus
colleagues that they would support a
bonus plan based upon their own
views. which cover n variety Of pro-
posals.
Up to tonight the Democrats had
not decided whether they could afford
to supply the Republican Finance
chairman with Democratic votes to
report his bill without running the
risk of being held responsible by the
people of the country. While Demo-
cratic sentiment is far from unani-
nous on the subject. the majority of
the Senators OF that party are in favor
of insisting that any bill receiving