The New York herald., 1922-05-02
PRESIDENT REFUSES
FLATLY TOAPPROVE
Cash BONUS PLANS
Two Senators Warn FL
nance Committee After
White House Visit.
MCUMBER PLUGS ON
Group to Construct Bill
That Will Be Fought
by Colleagues.
OPPOSITION Is GAINING
Harding Declines Even to Of
fer Suggestions, Believing
OPPOSITION is GAINING
Harding Declines Even to Of
fer Suggestions, Believing
Feasible Plan Lacking.
By LOUIS sEIBoLD.
Special Dispatch TO THE NEw YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c.. NAV l.

BY LOUIS SEIbOLD.
Special Dispatch to THE NEw YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Washington. ID. c., May 1.
Independent efforts to win the ap-
proval of President Harding of Tie
bonus raid on the public Treasury
have completely failed
Members of the Senate Finance
Committee who tomorrow will ac-
lively enter on the construction of a
bonus bill designed solely to satisfy
the American Legion know OF the
Presidents position in advance of the
venture
Information regarding the attitude
at the White House has been obtained
to set at rest conflicting reports re-
gardinc il. These Senators naturally
comm uncated the result of their per-
sonal investigation to members of the
Finance Committee intent on winning
the votes of ex-service men by putting
through bonus bill that seems in
evitably destined TO rejection by the
President should the Senate put Il
through.
bonus Senators Persistent.
The effect of the reflection of the
White House position has been to
complicate further the muddle over
the effort to impose $4,000. 100000 OF
additional taxation on the people and
cause bonus Senators to take another
look 1t has not discouraged them
from proceeding with their program
OF having the Finance Committee
frame a bill as soon as the organiza-
tious representing the ex-service men
ambitious to commercislize their pa
triotism approve 1t.
The bonus bin therefore will be writ
ten by Chairman McCumber (candi-
date for reelection) and his associates
on the committee Just what kind OF
bill it will be is another matter.
While Mr.. McCumber and his asso-
ciates are trying to make up their
minds many Republican Senators do
not hesitate to indicate their conver-
sion to the opinions of the President
and Secretary Mellon and to make IL
clear they will vote against overrid-
ing the Presidential veto even should
the Senate sanction the raid In the
first instance.
The strongest single influence with
these Senator's is the belief that great
l. lx4 - 1..&,,
interests by reputation of the Presi-
dents leadership than in serving no
tice on the American Legion that
vague political contracts made during
the Presidential campaign will not be
carried out.
HardtnG's Exact Position.
The exact position of the President
as now understood by the vast major
ity Of the Republican Senators, divided
into three bonus groups, is that he is
convinced no plan for financing the
bonus enterprise has been suggested
that he consistently can accept.
One Of the Senators who conferred
with him within the last week is au-
thority for the statement that the Pres
ident refused pointblsnk to make any
more suggestions for the guidance OF
the bonus supporters In the Senate. The
President is represented by this Sena-
tor to have declared with unequivocal
emphasis that he has not changed his
mind regarding the bonus since he
suggested the adoption Of the sales
tax as the most feasible way to finance
IL, and did not expect TO do so.
The President while expressing
sympathy for the political troubles OF
Congress members and concedng some
measure OF merit TO the demands OF
ex-servlce men for a bonus. enumer-
ated many reasons TO show why bonus
legislation is undesirable at this time
He pointed out to his Senatorial caller
that the Republican party ls com
mItted to a policy OF economy as the
surest way 10 stabilize economic con-
ditions. not only In the United States
but possibly throughout the world.
Adherence 20 Party Pledge.
He is declared 10 have asked his
Senatorial caller how the party pledge
can be kept u the Congress imposes
further burdens Of taxation on the
people who are already protesting
against those collected to pay made
quately the operating expenses of the
Government The Senator admitted
that he did not attempt to solve the
problem.
The result Of tho recent conferences
between the President and Senators
seeking counsel on tho bonus has been
TO confirm tho growing impression that
the President does not now look with
favor on any legislative undertaking
70 paw a bonus to able bodied ex-ser.
vice men.
This Interpretation or the Presiden-
tial view is not however wholly cor
Continued on Page Eight.