The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-04-13
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Especial Despatch to The Reformer. }
Copyright 1922.


! Especial Despatch to The Reformer }
Copyright 1922.
WASHINGTON, April 13.-The res
surection of the Fordney tariff bill at
a time when there is an intense eontro-
yersy about nearly every other measure
of Importance has made the outlook for
an adjournment of congress this summer
very doubtful.
The jam is coming in the senate, if
indeed it is not already here The de-
mand that the Republican party keep its
campaign pledge, and enact a tariff law,
Will not be ignored by the party chief
tains this time. They will create a tar
if. But that takes time-lots of it,
maybe all summer and a part of the
fall. What becomes of the bonus, of
the army and navy appropriation bills,
the administrations merchant marine
program and the regular routine of APP
preparation bills which are more than
ever important this year because of the
limited funds available under the budget
system?
May Avoid Vote ON Bonus.
Advocates of the bonus are trying to
get an agreement with the champions OF
the tariff permitting the bonus to be
Sandwiched in between the days on
which the tariff debate will rise and fal
in public interest Anticipating a lul.
now and then, the bonus supporters
pass the problem on to the President
But when it comes to lengthy debate,
the tariff win be dwarfed into insight
hcance alongside the pros and cons of
the bonus, especially when means of
raising revenue are discussed. And if
the advocates of a bonus imagine they
will be able to get it through the senate
without much debate or without exec
utiye Intervention. they are due for a
surprise. For example. the President Is
being urged to avoid a vote. He is be
ing advised that if the bonus gets to
vote and an overwhelming number OF
senators become committed to ii, the
passage Of the bill over his veto viii
be inevitable. The opponents of the
bonus, therefore, are hoping Mr.. Hard
ing personally will address the senate
as he did a year ago and that the only
vote that will be taken will be one tC
lay the compensation feature on the ia
BILE, thus postponing action until the
money to pay IL is in sight.
If Mr.. Harding makes a personal fight
for the postponement of the bonus. he
can command much more support than
If he haA had to veto the bill and de
pend upon his veto message to act as a
deterrent against passage by a subse-
Quent two-tbiTds vote over the veto.
Wants to Save Navy.
Aside from the struggle which is in
evitable over the bonus and the tariff.
the size of the army and navy has pro
duced such difficulties of opinion among
members of both political parties. that
lengthy debate is inescapable The navy
Is making a fight for its life The en-
tire influence of the administration is
being brought to bear to prevent what
is being characterized by officials as 1.-THE
murder of the United States navy"
Congress is inclined TO cut far below the
safety point, as viewed by the admins
tration, and the breaking up of the
party lines shows how difficult it is go.
ing to be for the President to steer ad.
ministration measures through this
congress.
Nothing, perhaps, is closer to Mr..
Harding's heart than the merchant ma.
rine bill. He regards it as the greatest
opportunity for America since the Civil
war. He thinks it is absolutely related
to American prosperity. The bill will
get through the house all right. but one
is not so sure about passage by the sen
ate at this session.
Not So Enthusiastic for Tariff.
The tariff debate will upset all cal
culations World economic conditions
arise again to plague the administra-