Evening star., 1923-02-07
Mr.. Harding Cites
Needs i'm Message
to Congress.
SEES OPPORTUNITY
FOR ACTION URGED
Plenty Time Remains for
Vote Before March A..
He Says.

Congressional approval of the war
debt funding agreement negotiated
with Great Britain was requested by
President Harding today as a re
commitment of the English speaking
world to the validity OF contract"
Coupled with this approval, the
President added in an address at q
joint session of the Senate and House
Congress should enact into law the
administration ship bill because "ft ts
as important to avoid losses as 1t is
to secure funds on debts"
Ample time for action on both OF
these measures, it was declared by Mr.
Harding, remains before the present
Congress goes out Of existence on
March 4, ana e-tner, he said, was fl
| to be recorded as a chapter Of great
achievement.
Fair Play on Debt.
The President made no specific
recommendation 8 to the form the
action of Congress on the British debt
should take, leaving it to the leaders
in Congress to decide what method
should be adopted to amend the pres
ent law SO as to permit consumma-
ton of the agreement recently reach
ed by the American and British debt
commissions
| 1T was manifest from the begin
ming he said, that Great Britain
could not undertake any program of
payment which would conform to the
limitations of time and interest rates
which the commission had been au-
thorlzed to grant. But here was
great nation acknowledging it's obli-
| cations and seeking terms in which it
might repay
so your commission proceeded to
negotiate IN business way for fair
ana ana Just settlement Your commits
! sion went so far as il believed the
american sense of fair play would
| justify.
1T means vastly more than the
mere funding and the ultimate dis
| charge of the largest International
loan ever contracted 1t Is re-
commitment of the English speaking
! world to the validity of contract: II
is IN effect plight against war and
war expenditures. and a rigid adher-
ence to that reductlonhand retrench-
ment which enhances stability pre-
cisely as it discharges obligations"
| Ailuding indirectly to proposals TO
attach to the congressional act of
! approval soldiers bonus BILL the
President reminded Congress that the
wartime authorization for the loans
contained in itself stipulation that
when when the money was paid back it
| should be applied to the retirement
of liberty bonds and other govern
ment issues.
Urges Ship Bill.
As a part of his statement on the
debt negotiations. the executive read
| a report from the American commits
sion, headed by Secretary Mellon, de-
| scribing the settlement as fair and
Just TO both governments" and pre-
dieting that il would make a most
important contribution to interna-
tional stability
Mr.. Harding's appeal for action on
! the ship bill was prompted. he said
by suggestions that its opponents
| were seeking to prevent a roll call
on it before the end of the session.
Mere avoidance by prolonged de-
bate, he declared. "is mark of
impotence on vitality important
cision. If there is a favorable ma
jority the bill should be enacted If
a majority IS opposed defeat Will be
decisive. Then, If Congress fails In
providing the requested alternative
| measure, the executive branch of the
government may proceed as best it
can to end the losses in liquidation
and humiliation"
Voice Husky From Cold.
President Hardings voice was husky
from cold. and he spoke in a conver-
sational tone. which frequently scarcely
carried to the corners of the chamber.
All over the floor members could be
the gathering being able to hear clearly
all that the President said
The Congress and those gathered in
the galleries sat unusually quiet, save
for frequent coughing while the Fresi-
dent was speaking. The first applause
he received for telling paragraphs in
his speech was when he said:
only after submission to the Brit
ish cabinet was the proposal of your
commission accepted. and l bring IL
to you with the earnest recommenda-
ton that it be given, SO far as legis-
lative procedure will admit, a cordial
and prompt approval"
Applause Is Frequent.
When the President said: "It ip
a very gratifying thing to note the
press and public have uttered sub
stantially unanimous approval" the
applause against burst forth.
Again there was applause when
the President said: Knowing there
would be recreant to my belief in
the urgency of decision on the mer-
chant marine bill if did not renew
the request that 1t be brought to
| a final disposition
! House members INDUCED in unus-
ually vigorous applause, evidently di-
frected against their colleagues from
the Senate end OF the Capitol, when
the President said, mere avoidance
by prolonged debate is mark of i'm
potence on vitality important public
question"
Both House and Senate members re-
Trained from any mark of approval
when the President said: .Tf Con-
gress fails in providing the requested
ALTERNATIVE measure the executive
branch of the government may pro-
ceed as best it can to end the losses
in liquidation and humiliation"
The biggest applause was given to
the President when, after saying, 81
am not seeking now to influence the
Senate's decision" he concluded with
II am appealing for some decision"
with emphasis on the word some
| When the President finished speak
ing the entire aSsemblage stood and
extended to him the courtesy of sub
stantial applause as he left the Leg
islative chamber.
President Harding was vigorously
lapplauded by full House and crowd
ed galleries, in which sat the highest
officials of the national government,
when he appeared in the House cham
ber before joint session of the
iSixty-seventh Congress to deliver his
Hast message of the present session
laying before the legislative branch
of the government what he considers
the more urgent matters demanding
iattention before Congress adjourns.
The President was escorted into the
1 {roptiunad IN paOa Column g.. ,.