The New York herald., 1922-05-27
WILL ASK WATSON
TOPROVE PRESIDENT
AGREED ON A BONUS
Indiana Senator to Be
Questioned at Committee
Meeting Monday.
is RAIDERS RELIANCE
Group of Senate Democrats
Would Line Up Party
Against Raid.
BIG POLITICAL CHANCE
Would Base Action on Econ
omy and Turn Tables on
Republican Professions.
BIG POLITICAL CHANCE
BY LOUIS sEIBoLD.


New York Herald Bureau
Washington. ID. c., Mag 26.
Promoters Of the bonus raid on the
public Treasury are depending on
Senator James E. Watson of Indiana
to win the favor of President Harding
for their undertaking.
At the full meeting of the Finance
Committee on Monday Mr.. Watson
will be requested to specify the au-
thority for his statement to the In
diana Republican convention on
Wednesday that bonus bill will be
passed and approved by the President.
Great importance is attached to the
fact that Senator Watson conferred
with the President over the speech re
delivered at the Hoosier State con-
vention. Bonus Senators, who appear
to be at the end of their resources,
barring unexpected help from the
White House, assert Senator Watson
had full authority for his prediction
that the bonus bill would be passed
and become law.
McCumber Counting on Him.
The Indiana Senator. who with At
torney- General Daugherty occupies a
large part of public attention here, and
WHO also is the most aggressive cham
pion of that official. will not retrrn to
his Senatorial duties unti.t -lnerrow.
Chairman McCumber is chanting on
him to render material assistance in
forcing bonus bill out of the Finance
Committee at the Monday meeting.
Word was passed around the Senate
this afternoon that Senator Watson
would uphold tie claim of bonus Sena-
tors that the President has not by
any means closed the door on the
bonus and in fact may be prevailed
upon to accept the bill finally de-
cided on
The President has not paid any at
tention to the version of the bonus
Senators regarding Mr.. watson's In
tiianapolis statement. 1t would cause
the greatest surprise if it is found that
Mr. Watson correctly represented the
Presidential views OH the bonus in his
address. N
The majority of Senators, as already
said, are quite sure Mr.. Watson merely
reflected his personal opinion as to
the prospects of bonus legislation, and
not those of the President. Mr.. Har-
ha 10
fectly clear In the public statements
made by him that he does not view
with approval any bonus legislation
that is not financed with a sales tax.
Big Change In Sentiment.
Democratic Senator's manifested
more interest In bonus legislation to-
day than at any other period of its
turbulent and spectacular history. The
S Q S call sent to them by Chairman
McCumber has caused a tremendous
change in Democratic sentiment, but
so far has not resulted in the adoption
OF any definite program.
The Democratic attitude has been
that the cause of that party can best
be served by forcing the Republican
majority to increase the burdens OF
taxation on the people to the extent of
$4,000, 100000 Many of the Demo-
cratic Senator'S were not so sure to-
day that II would be good political
strategy to supply Mr.. McCumber with
the votes necessary to report his bill
out Of the Finance Committee.
The Democratic Senators have been
following "go-as-you- please" plan
without reference to or respect for
the policies of the Wilson Admins
tration. the logic of political emergeu
cies or recognition of their own lead
ers. Since Mr.. McCumber's failure To
win the support of majority Of his
colleagues in the Finance Committee
the Democratic position has shifted
materially.
The minority Senator's have no,
fully recovered from their resentment
against Mr.. McCumber's refusal tc
permit the Democratic members Of his
committee to assist in the preparation
of a bonus bill until IL has been COM
pleted by himself and other Republi-
can bonus associates of that body.
willing to Use Democrats.
When the Finance Committee chair
man discovered on Wednesday that
the ten Republican members were
evenly divided he announced that the
Democrats would be permitted to come
in and help him to pry his bill from
the deadlock thus created
Democrats are not sure they want
to come in now. They are more in
clined to permit the Republicans 10
stew In their own grease" as one OF
the minority leaders described IL to-
day and await developments in the
complication surrounding not only the
bonus, but the tariff. and the entire
-
Continued on Page Two.