Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15
House Expected to Jam Bill
,Through-Many Senators
Also Favorable.
HOOVER QUICKLY MAKES
DROUGHT PROGRAM LAW
Signs Interior Measure With
$20,OOo,oOO Compromise in
Half Hour After Passage.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

O1 Os 0OOAO AAANSOAANs
With the drought relief problem dis
posed of Congress tackles the soldiers
bonus this week.
If it can successfully negotiate thi:
next hurdle q special session Of Con-
gress after March 4 probably will bt
avoided.
The drought relief measure, agreed
10 by both Senate and House yesterday
afternoon, was signed last night by
President Hoover and is now law.
Dispensing with the usual Formally
of sending the bill to the Budget Blu
reau and the Interior Department fol
their perusal and approval, he scanned
the main contents of the lengthy docu-
ment and signed 1t. Only his two Sec
retaries, Walter Newton and Lawrence
Richey, and another White House en-
ploye were present.
Bonus Up Tomorrow.
The bonus bill, So-called. which would
permit veterans of the World War to
borrow up to so per cent of the face
value of their adjusted compensation
tomorrow. Speaker Longworth has
agreed to recognize Representative
Bachrach of New Jersey to move to
suspend the rules and pass the bonus
bill. This requires a two-thirds vote OF
the House.
Despite the letter of Secretary of the
Treasury Mellon to Chairman Hawley
of the House Ways and Means Com
mittee, asserting that the Government
would have to dig up billion dollars
either through the sale Of bonds or in
creased taxation II the bonus bill is
passed, the House is expected to jam
the bill through.
1t is the temper Of many members OF
the Senate to demand prompt action
on the bonus bill there, even though
the Republican leadership may be OPP
posed to it. Senator Couzens of Mich
igan announced on the floor of the
Senate yesterday afternoon that he
would agree TO no more unanimous
ness until after the bonus bill has been
acted upon.
Relief Bin Passed Easily.
The drought relief fund of $4,000
600, compromise agreement, carried
in the Interior Department appropria-
ton bin conference report, was adopted
by the Senate by an overwhelming ma
jority, 81 to Is.
The conference was hurried to the
House, which dropped other business to
act upon it. That body did not even
90 through the formality of a record
after a brief debate. The measure was
signed by the Speaker and the presi-
dent protempore of the Senate and sent
on its way TO the President.
The Presidents approval of the meas
1ire had been forecast in letter which
he sent to Senator Robinson, the DEM
ocratic leader, several days ago, pledg-
ing fair and sympathetic administra-
ton of its provisions.
The Republican leadership of the
House apparently has split. over the
bonus measure, with Speaker Long
worth determined to go ahead with the
measure in the face of the demand OF
the Administration, through Secretary
Mellon, that the bill be recommitted sc
that it can be Amended to meet the
situation of the Treasury Department
and the Government finances. Efforts
were made yesterday by Majority
Leader Tilson and other Republicans, to
have consideration of the bonus bill
postponed until later in the week, pos
sibly Thursday. But Speaker Long
worth would not agree.
Longworth Tells Position.
For a long time" Mr.. Longworth
said, Il have tried TO avoid a cash
settlement which would wholly or In
part deprive the veterans Of their Serv-
ice certificates. To this end have been
trying to get an agreement involving a
loan, and have said that If the Ways
and Means Committee would report out
a bill carrying such plan. would give
it every opportunity for passage before
the end of the session.
II have had that opinion for the last
three or four weeks and have the same
opinion now"
Speaker Longworth characterized Sec