Show AVOIDS RECLAMATION DECLAMATION BILL Developments at Washington disclose dis dis- disclose close that each branch of congress Is trying to pass pass the buck to the time theother theother other house in connection with tIle the Smith McNary reclamation bill The house and senate are stag staging ig an Alphonse Alphonse Alphonse Al- Al phonse and Gaston performance and meantime the bill is threatened with neglect if not outright defeat by reason of the failure of its supposed supposed sup sup- posed friends to initiate a real fight to secure its enactment Following the suggestion of the house leaders that the reclamation bill bo be offered and pressed as an amendment to the soldier bonus bill senate leaders stated that it will be Impossible to attach the reclamation reclamation reclamation mation bill to the bonus bill They declare the finance committee Is opposed opposed opposed op op- op- op posed not only to the addition or of this bill to the bonus bill but it Is In favor of striking from the bonus bill the land settlement feature which was carried by the bonus billas bill bilt billas as it passed the house And sena tors in charge of reclamation legislation legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion say it is useless to try to carry carryout carryout carryout out the plan suggested by house leaders and assert such an effort will certainly fall It has been known for tor some time that Senator McCumber chairman of the finance committee was opI opposed op- op j I posed to any land reclamation provIsion provision provision pro pro- vision in the bonus bill he representing representing representing a group of senators from the older agricultural states who object object object ob ob- to enlarging materially the farm area of the United States at this time But inquiry disclosed the further fact that a majority of the finance committee looks with disfavor dis clis- clis favor on the land reclamation provision provision provision pro pro- vision of the house bonus bill and has determined to eliminate that failure from rom the bill no matter what form the bill may take when It finally is presented to the senate Difficulty Is experienced In getting at the reasons why the nuance committee committee committee com com- Is so set in its to kill off ocr the land reclamation provisions provisions provisions pro pro- visions of ot the bonus bill save as to Chairman McCumber His attitude Is explained above On member of the finance committee said that the legislative agents of the American Legion who are actively lobbying for a cash bonus bill give ghe only lukewarm lukewarm lukewarm luke luke- warm and formal approval to the reclamation provision and h hate ha e conveyed the impression to member of the committee that the legislative agents of the American Legion who are actively lobbying for a cash bonus bonus bonus bo bo- nus bill give only lukewarm and ami formal approval to the reclamation provision and have conveyed the impression Impression impression im Im- to members of the committee commit commit- tee that the legion is not much interested interested Interested Inter inter- ested in land reclamation but Is Intensely intensely In Intensely In- In tensely interested in getting a a cash bonus bonns Then too senators from the agrIcultural agricultural agricultural ag ag- ag- ag states of the time middle west and senators from New England have lately been flooded with protests protests protests pro pro- tests from their farmer constituents against any legislation this session looking to the reclamation of large areas of land in the west nest or south and these those protests probably are In InfluencIng Influencing influencing In- In some members members' of the fi finance finance finance fi- fi nance committee besides McCumber When Chairman McNary of the senate senate senate sen sen- ate irrigation committee was told of the time proposal of time the house leaders leader t 1 t. t 1 le le bill be present t presented ed as an amendment to the bunus I bill he explained that sentiment ii hi hithe 1 the senate is not such fluch a. a ad as o encourage encourage age such a move and It H was vas h hIM hn personal personal per per- opinion that I his ibis plan could not be carried through successfully fully He Ho Insisted that that hat time HIP most plan for securing the passage c- c cf t-f time tIlt reclamation bill W was 5 to tp push lh the oil nil through the house under a rule and then bring the reclamation tion bill before the senate wh 1 tits tha tariff and appropriation and bonus s bills bUls have been disposed of It all boils bolls down to this anus Hausl leaders are not willing to report a no special rule to give this bill a chance chanco in the house senate leaders are not favorable to attaching the reclamatIon reclamation tion bill to the bonus bill as a rider and are opposed also the reclamation feature of the house bonus bill The rhe bill cannot be bo brought before the house without a n special rule which western members have not been able to secure Senators In charge of the legislation in the senate say they cannot get action all on the bill In the time senate at this time Each house is sitting back bacle waiting for the other to act on the reclamation bill and unless unless unless un un- un- un less something of great weight done In the not distant the bill will be caught in the legislative o jam and go down to defeat A And d if H the bill falls fails this session it it will wIlI I stand little chanco chance In ill the short session sos sos- sion next winter especially If there thero is material objection to it in the senate as there appears to be A n |