The Washington times., 1923-02-04
GAG RULE
TOSPEED DEBT.
PACT IN HOUSE
COP. Leaders Oppose Soldier
Bonus Rider to Resolution
Ratifying British Agreement
REPORT GIVEN PRESIDENT
Details Not to Be Published
Till Harding Submits Rec
ommendation to Congress
BY international News Service.

BY International News Service.
Finding it impossible to silence
loud demands that no time be
lost in using British debt pay
ments to provide a soldiers bonus,
Administration leaders in Con-
lgress decided last night that the
resolution to ratify the Anglo
American funding agreement
would be showed through the
House under "gag rule"- which
will prevent the introduction of
any amendments.
LEADERS OPPOSE RIDER.
Members of the veterans bloc"
and other bonus advocates. led by
Representative Hamilton Fish R.)
of New York, had decided to put
In a bonus bill by making It q
rider on the legislation by which
Congress approves the debt settle
ment.
Fish stayed away from the Cap.
itol yesterday, but Representative
Royal Johnson (R) OF North Da-
kota and other leaders of the bonus
forces were urged to hold back the
adjusted compensation bill so there
would be no delay in getting the
debt agreement out of the way.
Failing in their efforts to reach
an understanding with Johnson or
his associates, Republican members
OF the Ways and Means and the
Rules Committee decided to bring
the Administration ratification
resolution into the House under an
iron-clad rule which will bar the
consideration of any extraneous
Legislative proposals.
COMMISSION REPORTS.
They explained last night that
they are willing to consider an
other soldiers bonus bill at a later
date, but that they are in accord
with President Harding's belief that
nothing could be accomplished by
mixing up the bonus with foreign
debts.
The American Debt Funding
Commission last night transmitted
Ito President Harding its recon-
lamentations relative to the form
lin which Congress should give its
lapproval to the agreement under
which Great Britain will pay her
st, 900, 100000 debt to the United
States during the next sixty-two
Years.
The recommendations were not
made public, Treasury Department
officials explaining that it would
be left to the President to give
them out when he submits the set
tlement plan to Congress next
week.
HARDING TO DECIDE.
Several plans were considered by
the commission in deciding how
Congress should approach the prob
lem of ratifying the agreement.
Some members favored a simple
resolution approving the settlement
reached between the commission
and Chancellor Baldwin of the Brit
ish Exchequer, while others con.
tended that the debt funding act
itself should be amended so that
negotiations with France, Italy, and
other European debtors could pro-
coed without further advice from
Congress.
PRESIDENT Harding will decide
which of these plans Congress will
be asked to approve. His message
accompanying the debt settlement
will be short, according to inforn1a-
ton given to Senator Lodge, Re
publican leader of the Senate, who
terday with the President and Sec
rotary of State Hughes.
In urging the Senate and House
to 80. K" the settlement without
delay, the President is expected to
reiterate his objections to soldiers
bonus bill as a rider on the debt
legislation.
His opposition to this procedure
Imay put a damper on immediate
efforts to divert British money to
la bonus for American war vet
Grams, but it will not prevent a
determined fight before the end
Of the Sixty-seventh Congress to
enact another bonus bill.
BURSUM URGES BONUS PLAN.
The Official statement from the
White House that the President
thinks it is entirely up to Con-
gress to decide what will be done
with the British payments was in
Iterpreted last night by pro-bonus
congressman as indicating the
President would not veto a new
bonus bill as he did the one passed
last year.
Senator Bursom Rep) of New
Mexico, declared yesterday that the
British debt settlement gave the
Government a splendid opportun.
ity to discharge it's just obligation
to Americas world war veterans
by providing them with cash
bonus" He announced he would
bring out his bill which provides
a cash bonus of $40 a month for
service of more than sixty days.
The War Department estimates the
cost of this plan at 81 200, 900, 900.
Reports from London that the
Administration was considering can
collation. of any part of the 81 ,000,-
900, 900 debt of European countries
as a result of the settlement with
Great Britain were denied by Off
Gals last night.