The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-02-03
BONUS MAY BE.
 WITH. DEBT MEASURE.
Harding Will Oppose Soldier Legislation at This Time. MondeII Predicts Con-
 greSS Will Ratify
 Settlement Plan

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2.-(By Associated Press. )-The American debt funding commission Tn con versations today with Sir Auckland Geddes, the British ambassador, as the representative of his govern ment, completed details of the pro- gram for the funding of Great Brit aims wartime debt to the United States. The final draft of the plan is expected to be sent to the White House tomorrow with recommends tions that it be given executive ap- proval and be sent to Congress for legislative action in confirmation of the commissions negotiations.
 While the commission and the British ambassador were working out the final details, statements emanated from the White House to the effect that the President be- lieved the settlement so worth while that it ought to be accepted at this session of Congress. High admin istration spokesmen represented the President as believing that the debt funding act should be adjust ed to encompass the terms of the British settlement and indications were given out that such would be his request to Congress-.
 Ask Immediate Action
 It was said to be the Presidents intention to send the commissions s recommendations to Congress next week. His approval of the steatle- ment is taken for granted in as f. kept advised of the most minute details of the commissions work.
 The question of the soldier bonus amendment to any legislation tran seribing the settlement into law, for eshadowed yesterday in Congress cropped up again today. The set tiemert was attacked and defended in the House. Representative Garner of Texas, ranking democrat on the ways and means committee, assailed the funding commissions work as having been settlement outside the law which created the commission and made possible the extension of time to the foreign countries in which to pay their wartime obliga- tions to the United States.
 Predicts Victory
 Representative Mondell. the repub- lican leader. countered with state ment that the funding commission had conierred with republican lead CTS in Congress regarding what terms would be acceptable to Congress, and added that while Congress was not bound by the commissions action, he believed Congress would accept it by large majority.
 At the White House it was said the President regarded the injection of the soldier bonus issue into the set clement as unseemly at this time and so far as the executive branch of the government was concerned the sol dler bonus proposal should be counted out. From this statement, adminis- tration leaders predicted that all of the administration support that ever has been mustered behind the Pres ident would back up his stand if and when the bonus amendment is put forward. The President was de- clared to be opposed not only to the soldier bonus amendment, but to the attaching of any other rider to the legislation ratifying the debt settle nient.
 It has not been determined whether the President will appear personally before Congress to submit the set clement terms and ask their ap- Iroval. Indications were given at the W hite House that conditions at the time the question was ready for transmission, together with the na- ture of the message to be conveyed by the President, would govern whether he personally would deliver the document or send 1t in message form.
 Statements in Congress and else W here that the rate of interest which the British government will pay un- der the agreement are lower than those being paid by this government on it's own securities were denied again today at the treasury, where 1t was said that the average rates paid by the United States was a percentage almost exactly that of the British rates. The American aver age rate. however. it was explained, proves higher on its face, but atten- tion was called to the fact that this government is deriving taxes on mil lions of dollars of incomes into lich it's interest payments have gene. The net result. therefore, of ficials declared to be little if any higher tlan that to be collected from Gr eat Britain under the settlement terms.