Show PRESIDENT HARDING AGREES J I TO ACT ON RECLAMATION President Harding told a delegation delegation delegation tion of western Republican senators and representatives who called on him last week in behalf of or the Smith Smith- smith smith-I McNary bill that he would at once fictively actively interest himself In that measure an and confer with leaders In both branches of congress to get gel their views as us to the advisability as aswell aswell aswell well as the possibility of putting through this legislation at the present present present pres pres- ent session The delegation had called to urge the president to put the brand of the administration on this bill and to place the full strength of oC the administration back backof of It to its enactment into law before the pre present session ad ad- The conference which lasted half an hour again disclosed the presidents president's presidents president's presidents president's dents dent's personal interest In the plan of reclamation extension not only as asto asto asto to arid lands but as to overflowed and lands but the attitude of the president was not exactly what whai his callers had wished for Rather it showed the president taking the same attitude on this bill as on the soldier bonus He wants the administration to tobe tobe tobe be In accord with congress when the fight starts and he wants to g got get t the views of the party part leaders in m senate and house before beCore commuting committing ting the to a definite legislative legislative legislative legisla legisla- tive program In other words he wants the views of the re recognized party leaders on this legislation before before before be be- fore he brands the bill as an adminIstrative administrative administrative admin admin- measure If It the leaders in congress believe believe believe be be- lieve the bill bUl can be passed am and should shoula be passed before belore adjournment adjournment adjournment adjourn adjourn- ment then that course will have the cooperation of the administration I that is to say if the majority of the I party lea leaders ers favor the he bill it will wil be given the status o of an administration administration tion bill and as such undoubtedly will pass The canvass of the house of representatives representatives rep rep- which is being made by twenty-five twenty western and southern members rs has not progressed very far up to this time timet as the friends o othe of the Smith-McNary Smith bill had hoped the president would come out In unequivocal unequivocal vocal endorsement of the measure and make certain the result of th the canvass Now that the president t has ha has indicated his purpose to consult the leaders in congress it is Incumbent upon the canvass committee to redouble redouble redouble re re- re- re double Its efforts and especially to convince the leaders of the senate and house of the advisability of passing passIng passing pass pass- Ing this bill before adjournment Representative AddIson T. T Smith of Idaho gave the president a concrete concrete concrete con con- crete statement of what Irrigation has done in the west in the past and outlined the benefits that would accrue If it the pending bill bUl should become become become be be- come a law He also referred to the endorsement endorsement endorsement endorse endorse- ment of the reclamation policy in inthe inthe inthe the last Republican national platform platform platform plat plat- form and said that reclamation extension extension extension ex ex- ex- ex tension was a big issue in the west In 1920 and materially helped the Republican Republican Republican Re Re- publican candidates for congress Politics Involved During the conference stress was laid on the fact that tha there is some politics involved In the enactment of ot the Smith Smith-McNary bUlat billat bill bUl at this time and the presidents president's at attention attention attention at- at was called to the fact that there are seven Democratic senators in the arid west who are seeking re reelection reelection reelection re- re election this year reference being made to Henry L. L Myers of Montana Montana Montana Mon Mon- tana W. W H. H King of Utah Key Pittman Pittman Pittman Pitt- Pitt man of or Nevada Xe Henry F. F Ashurst of Arizona A. A A. A Jones of New Mexico co John B. B Kendrick of W Wyoming and G M 11 M. M Hitchcock of Nebraska The delegation told the president that legislation un under er the he present presen administration favoring development of the resources of the west is bound to be a big issue In the coming comIng coming com com- ing senatorial and congressional election election election elec elec- tion and the inference was conveyed that of the Smith-McNary Smith bill would go far toward Republican can success In the west next November Novem Novem- ber Among those attending the conference conference conference confer confer- ence were Representatives E. E 0 O. Leatherwood and Don B. B Colton of Utah Representative Smith and Representative Rep Rep- Rep I i Burton L L. L French of Idaho Carl W. W Riddick and W. W J. J I McCormIck of Montana Senator Frank II H. Gooding of Idaho was the only northwestern senator present Representative Frank W W. Mondell of Wyoming was not present but will willbe willbe willbe be consulted by the president later lator on 0 o |