AMERICAN ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1924, Page 2

AMERICAN ITEMS.

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[Reuters Telecrams.] VETO OVER-RIDDEN. BONUS BILL BECOMES LAW. WASH I NOTON, May 19. The Soldier Bonus Bill became law when the Senate by 59 votes to 2(i, over-rode President Coolidge’s veto, thus following the example of the House of Representatives oil Saturday.

Senator Kced. of J’eimsylvania, leader of the anti-bonus group, sought to delay the vote for another week, hat bonus advocates objected and forced immediate consideration, resulting in the passage of the measure by two votes more than was necessary to foil'd the two-thirds majority requirements.

Tlio Bill provides lor lilt* insurance policies. tiio basis being adjusted on n c.iini',:r.sation rate of a dollar u u*o I"°* home service, ami fi dollar and a qt’.artor daily for overseas service, making the maximum face value <'t a policy d!K) dollars tor domestic and lido dollars for foreign service.

President Coalidge. who lias sjllieiently recovered train his cold, spent a lnisv morning conferring with party leaders and recalcitrant Senators, in an endeavour to prevent the passage ot the Bill.

The insurgents, however, remained firm, refusing to grant numerous requests to dolor the final vote.

Ii.S.A. METHODISTS. NEW YORK, May 10 A telegram from Springfield, Massachusetts, says that at the -Methodist conference there, a discussion arose that has threatened dissension so grave as to perturb the leaders of the sect. The struggle began last week, when the Committee on War voted hv 7b votes to 3i to submit to the General Conference a resolution stating: “.We, as an organisation, separate ourselves from war, and take - no part in its promotion.'’ Therefore the minority (of d 7) in the report added the words: “unless indisputably in self defence, or in defence of humanity.”

Certain officials of the Church immediately issued a statement terming the majority resolution “pacifist and unpatriotic,” while ethers branded the minority report as “a deliberate prostitution of the Church to the purposes of the .Stale.”

Moderates taiiily attempted to era so the difference. and the matter came to a vote to-night. The convention, lowing a tumultuous debate, decided to accept neither report, but requested the appointment of a new committee to reconsider the question with a view to drafting a compromise resolution.

Mr Elmer Kidney, a noted Pittsburg lawyer, defended the minority report, saying the qualifying phrase meant the difference between loyalty and disloyally to the I’nited States. Thereupon, the Reverend Elliot, Editor of the Methodist Review, New York, said: “Our resolution does not interfere with the congregational power (a declare war. but asserts Church «f .leans Christ cannot be made a mere annex to the State.”

Ii.S.A. SCANDALS. SENATOR WHEELER EXONERATED. WASHINGTON*. May ‘JO. A long, angrv debate, including an open charge of blackmail, marked the Senate discussion on the Wheeler Committee report. Senator Borah asked the Senate to adopt the majority report exonerating Senator Wheeler from the charges of misuse of office made in a Montana grand jury’s indictment (cabled April IsO. Senator U'Jrnh declared, the indictment was procured on hearsay evidence, without calling a single witness who had direct original knowledge regarding Senator Wheeler's supposed misconduct, saying the reason is that direct testimony, if used, would, have acquitted him.

Senator Glass, a Democrat. interrupted with a stronger charge, saving the indictment was an attempt by an Executive Department to blackmail the Semite on a point, of law and block its investigation of ra.-iaiily. Senator Glass paused, surveyed the ehamher. and noting the presence nf.--a total of only four Republicans, added :—“1 want to call the country's attention to the‘small attendance of Republicans when tl.e integrity of tne Stale is involved."

NAVAL RIVALRY. WASHINGTON, May 20 At least one Jjimdred and fifty million dollars inusi lie expended if tlm i'nited States Navy is to equal Great Britain's strength. That is what Chairman Butler of the Naval Committee. told the House, lie nnuoiineed that action would he sought on a Bill designed to give the I'nited States the Armament Limitation Conferenee ratio of construction. He'*"saiil iliaL eight cruisers to ho completed hy 1000, and estimated to cost fifteen million dollars car'll would he proposed, al-o si:; gunboats for tis.; in Climes' waters. The conversion of six battleships to oil burners, and their reconditioning otherwise; and an increase in the derations of the guns on thirteen battleships would also ho proposed.

Representative French ridiculed the statement that tile I’nited States Navy was weaker than Britain’s. He aL-—, leged, that propaganda was spreading < lor an increase in naval construction. He contended I hat the I’nited States had a greater submarine strength than Great Britain and Japan combined.