The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-06-01
M'CUM Der
BONUS GETS
LEGION OK.
Have No Objection to
Changes Made in
House Bill.
BIZ DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright, 1922. by The Argus.)
Washington, d. c., June 1.-The
American legion's legislative COM
mittee is thoroughly satisfied with
the bonus bill as reported by the
senate finance committee. The
change made in the house bill was
unob1ectionable.
The next step is to insure enough
Eotes to give the measure right of
way over the tariff. This is admit :
tedly a hard proposition, for while
the legion has enough votes
pledged TO pass the bill itself, there
is a complication involved in get
ting the tariff displaced. Some
members of the senate who favor
the bonus may be found voting
against a motion to displace the
tariff. By the time the American
legion's representatives get through
their campaign of persuasion-and
they have been pretty effective
about it thus far-enough votes are
expected to be obtained to force d
vote on the bonus. Speechmaking
on the bonus is nevitable-those
who are to vote against il being as
anxious to tell their constituents
the reason therefor as the senators
who favor it are anxious to demon
strate how actively they fought to
put the measure through.
No Filibuster Expected.
But no fiilibuster is expected.
The sentiment of the senate is in
favor of the disposing of the issue
this session one way or the other.
Undue delay is not for a moment
considered though to be sure there
may be some prolonged argument
on the motion to take the matter up
and lay the tariff aside.
The issue is not partisan. The
fact that three Democrats voted
with six Republicans to report the
measure to the senate is taken to
mean that the bonus bill will re-
ceive Democratic support when II
reaches a vote. The Democrats will
naturally try to impose all sorts oi
amendments which would appear
TO be even more favorable to the
soldiers but Individually they will
not assume responsibility for de-
feating the main bill.
American legion headquarters
here feels assured of go affirmative
votes. In response to a question
naire sent out by the legion, 60 sen
atOrs, including Republicans and
Democrats, stated positively that
they would vote for the pending
bill though several reserved the
right to offer amendments. Only
l3 senators have told the legion
that they would vote against the
bonus. This leaves % who have
not answered and it is predicted by
the legion men that at least a half
dozen more will climb in the band
wagon when the voting begins. To
pass the bill itself only 40 affirma
tive votes are needed. To pass it
over a presidential veto, "a votes
are needed.
Sure Harding Won't Veto.
CUriously enough the legion rep
resentatives are confident Presi-
dent Harding will not veto the bill.
Senator James Watson of Indiana,
an intimate friend and political ad-
visor Of the president, has publicly
predicted that Mr.. Harding would
reverse himself and sign the meas
ure. Much significance is attached
10 the fact that although the presi-
dent hinted that he would send a
letter 10 Chairman McCumber of
me finance committee expressing
opposition TO the bill he failed to
DO so. 1t is cOntended that if Mr..
Harding intended to do anything
about the bonus bill he would have