The daily times., 1922-03-01
MACN|DER GIVEN
ASSURANCE THAT
BONUS Will PASS
VISITED THE PRESIDENT
1t is Understood That MIR.
Harding Was Not Exactly
Pleased With the Tone of a
Letter Written Him by the
Commander of the American
Legion.
(By David Lawrence.)
Copyright 1922 by The Daily


Copyright 1922 by The Daily
Times.)
Washington, Feb. 28.-Pres1dent
Harding told Commander Hanford
MacNider and delegation from the
American Legion that he is with
them heart and soul.
Smiling and happy, Mr.. MacNider
and his associates walked from the
Executive Office confident that they
had accomplished something by their
visit to the White House.
"The President authorized US to
Esay there would be no delay-that he
would sign a bonus bilI''-said John
T. Taylor, chairman of the legisla-
tive committee of the American Le-
|gion.
"Did the President say how the
money was to be raised" he was ask
| ed.
mo- not a word-and we didn't
TASK him.
Have you any idea where the
money is coming from?"
mo, but there isn't going to be
any delay. The President is in hearty
sympathy with us. He told us So"
Commander MacNider had written
Mr. Harding a rather forceful letter
which the President was tempted to
answer at once but he laid it in his
desk and decided to-think some more
on the subject. Those who claim to
know what Mr.. MacNider wrote say
! it probably irritated Mr.. Harding.
Anyway, the reply wasn't delivered
because Commander MacNider him.
self appeared in person.
The interview was a pleasant one
and was devoted almost entirely to
an explanation by Mr.. Harding to
the American Legion of why he favor
ed a bonus. He has always favored
pne-he made the pledge when a
candidate in the presidential pri-
tmaries in 1920. The President told
Ibis callers that he believed Congress
Favored a bonus, too. Everybody is
for the bonus-the only difficulty has
been how to raise the money.
The revenue phase of the matter
has been carefully excluded from dis
cussion by the American Legion men
who feel that Congress should find its
own solution.
The general impression following
Mr.. MacNider's visit is that the
House will report out and probably
pass a bill favoring the bonus but
not specifying when it is to be paid
This means indefinite postponement
of the cash feature. It may be thai
1.-The Senate where a sales tax is much
more popular than in the House viii
; af1ix sales tax provision. 1t may be
THAT the whole matter will get tied
lup in the Senate on the expectation
THAT the revenue problem better wait
ipayments from British bonds. Un-
lbonus, and so is Congress but the
president himself is not committed tC
lany definite date of payment. Unless
, the Legion demands immediate pay
lment, the chances are the whole ques
btion will drag on beyond the congress
} sional elections. The House passeds 9
bonus bill in May 1920 but no fund:
were provided to pay it; An identica
measure is being urged again.
eve simply run down every once
in a while to reiterate our position,
remarked Commander MacNider al
lhe left the White House. The Amer
lican Legion is waging fight for th'
lfuture-n9t necessarily against thi
congress. whether funds are avail
able at on4e or not, it wishes to keel
the bonus ssue squarely before tn
lgovernmenAs $50 that the moment an
!. funds do come available throug
iany source, e same will be prompt
ly applied td pay the soldiers.
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