Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-23
The Political Mill
BY C.. Could Lincoln.

to veto the soldiers bonus loan bill this
week. 1t also has gained the impress
sion, from the large majorities by which
the bonus bill was put through both
houses, that the House and Senate will
romp on the presidential veto and put
the bill through despite the disapproval
OF the Chief Executive. The fact Of the
matter seems to be that the country
would expect any President to veto the
bill, whether he happened to be Demo-
crat or Republican. AL Smith, for ex-
ample, or John w. Davis. And probably
any President would veto the bill with
the Treasury Department in the same
situation as 1t now finds itself and bust
ness still to be rehabilitated 1t hap
pens, however. that none Of these gen.
tlemen are called upon to exercise the
veto at this particular time. 1t is Presi-
dent Hoover who is, so to speak, on the
firing line. Apparently he has been de-
serted by his party in Congress so far
as this contest is concerned. The Re-
publicans have been just as anxious to
Jump aboard the famous band wagon
as the Democrats. 1t has been a kind
of devil take the hindmost" affair.
The President is fortunately stu
ated, despite the fact that he is about
to find himself in the minority, de-
cidedly in the minority. on this bonus
legislation. II, Notwithstanding the bad
complexion Secretary of the Treasury
Mellon has put upon the financial stu
alton, the bonus bill does not retard
return OF business and the Govern
ment finds 1t is possible to finance the
bonus loans without increasing taxes,
it is unlikely that his veto of the bonus
bill will be held up against him. Peo-
pie VIII be too much pleased getting
back jobs and dividends On the other
hand, II all the evils predicted by Mr..
Mellon take place following the pas
sage of this bonus legislation. it will
be the Congress and not the President
to which the country will turn to lay
the blame.
The suggestion that it may be neces-
sary to increase taxes at this time, or
by next December because of the bonus
legislation has given some of the sun
porters of the bonus bill the hump.
They Indignantly deny that such is the
case; they assert emphatically that it
VIII not be necessary for the Treasury
to do anything but pay the bonus loans.
although, unless Mr.. Mellon is ire
mendously inaccurate, the Treasury
faces a deficit of $500,00O,OOO evsn ii
there be no bonus legislation. Perhaps
they are right and Mr. Mellon is wrong
For their sake, it is to be hoped that
Mr.. Mellon is wrong-and indeed for
the sake of the country, since the Con-
gress is bent upon this legislation. Rails
ing taxes is not going to make the
congress popular. Furthermore, the
CRITICISMS that the Democrats have been
plaster1ng upon the Hoover administra-
tlon VIII c. ase to register in a hurry
II the country becomes convinced that
the Democrats are responsible for in
creasing Federal taxes.
1t was not so long ago that the Re-
publicanS were in a Stew-the wet Re-
publicans-over the dry pronounce
ments of their national chairman. SEN
ator Fess of Ohio, who gave it as his
opinion that the G. o. p. would have
to be dry in the campaign of 1892 par
tieularly as the Democratic party would
be wet. Some of the wet Republicans
went SO far as to suggest that Senator
Tess should take himself out of the
picture as national chairman Senator
Fess. however, has continued to remain
on the job as national chairman. Prob
ably not because he was anxious to
hold on to the Office, for he did not
seek 1T in the first instance. But it
was obvious he would not retire when
ne was being fired at from New York.
Cnlcago ana other wet centers. Further
more, II he had gone out, would the
Republicans have filled his place with
q wet? They would not But now that
the Democrats have started their own
fuctlon over the wet and dry issue, the
troubles OF Senator FeSs have fallen
into the background The boot is on
the other leg in the Democratic camp,
Ihey have wet national chairman.
Mr.: Raskob, and the dry Democrats are
seeking to unhorSe him, just as the wet
Republicans have been out to get Sem
ator FesS. The dry Democrats are not
any more nkely to succeed in their eff
licans. OH"O
With the end of the present session
OF Congress the Republicans will begin
10 plan more and more for the national
campaign next year. Senator Fess NAV
decide that he wishes to get out of the
chalrmanshlp without waiting longer
mat is. provided the party can settle
on another man to take his place.
doubtless The President will have lot
10 say IN the selection of O. new chair
man. But there is also the possibility
that Mr.. Fess will just go right along
oelng chairman for the rest of the year
ana perhaps right up to the next ma
tlonal convention. He has been a strong
supporter of President Hoover always
IN the last preconVention campaign
senator FesS was at heart a Hoover
man. Because his own State had a
IaVorlte son candidate. the late Senator
wins, Mr.. FesS was unable to get on
the Hoover band wagon as early as he
would otherwise have done. When the
Repupllcan National Committee con-
Vened in Kansas City it was Mr.. Tess
VINO served as temporary chairman and
delivered the keynote speech. Not
Wlthstanding the criticisms which have
been leVeled at Senator Tess because of
his dry statement after the last cam
palgn, the Republican party owes much
20 MN ana 1t could go long way and
not nnd man who would fill the office
OF natlonal chairman as acceptably at
this time.
Tomorrow is election day in Chicago
where the people of the Windy City are
choosing their candidates for mayor
The interest in the campaign has CEN
tered in the Republican race for the
nomination, with big Bill" Thompson,
the incumbent, seeking denomination.
he Is opposed by Judge John H. Lyle.
VINO gained lot of notoriety last year
by his attempt to hold gangsters on the
charge that they were public enemies"
and Alderman Arthur Albert. With the
opposition split, the chances of the
mayor to succeed himself seem quite
good. The government of Chicago. the
country's second largest city, is a matter
of considerable moment TO the people
not only of that city but of the country.
1t hasn't been anything to brag about
under Big Bill" A couple of years ago
the people rose against the City Hall
gang, which is headed by the mayor,