FLOUTING MR COOLIDGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17353, 19 May 1924, Page 1

FLOUTING MR COOLIDGE.

BONUS BILL RE-PASSED IN SPITE OF VETO. LIVELY STRUGGLE EXPECTED IN SENATE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.—Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn. (Received 9 a.tn., May 19.) WASHINGTON, May 17... The House of Representatives, with little debate defiantly re-passed the Soldier Bonus Bill over President Coolidge’s veto. The vote of 313 to 78 indicated the refusal of members of the House to heed the administration’s mediators, who are reported to be strenuously endeavouring to placate the Representatives in order to spare Mr Coolidge from embarrassment. The vote however, far exceeds the so-called two-thirds requirement, necessary to override the Presidential veto. The measure now goes to the Senate, which is admittedly more tractable, but contains sufficient opposition to cause a lively struggle and a narrow vote. President Coolidge is ill with a cold and has been ordered to bed, and all engagements cancelled. Dr Sawyer the White House physician who attended Mr Harding declined to state whether Mr Coolidge had fever, but minimised the President’s indisposition and said he was confident of a quick recovery. A message on May 15, said:—President Coolidge has vetoed the Soldier Bonus Bill. In his message he estimated that payment of the bonus would commit the nation to an average annual expenditure of 114,000,000 dollars for the. next 20 years; then the Government would be obliged to sell 2,500,000,000 dollars in bonds which might jeopardise the value of Federal securities then outstanding. The tide of enthusiasm for the Bill ran so high after the veto was received that insistent demands for an immediate vote were made in the House. . Previously the House of Representatives over-rode President Coolidge and adopted the. Conference report on the Immigration Bill making July' 1, this year the effective date for Japanese exclusion. The Senate also quickly adopted the Conference report.