Evening star., 1922-11-12
|AMNESTy-SEEKERS
| R|D|CULED IN PARK
Police Intervene When
Counter Demonstration Dis
plays His Banners.
PARADE IS STOPPED
Marchers Ordered From Vicinity
Of White House for Lack
Of Permit.
PARADE IS STOPPED
By the Associated Presa.

~ ebc hssUSsSsSV GEebes
Petitioners for generAl as1issstS fSf
imprisoned yioIators Of war laws to-
day utilized the spirit OF Armistfce
day in another endeavor to influence
President Harding to pardon the six
ty-four men still serving sentences
under the espionage act.
With a band Of five pieces playing
''The Marseillafse" and two color
bearers carrying American flags at
the head, the amnesty seekers. more
than two hundred strong and with
banners. descended upon the White
House soon after the President had
returned from Arlington. where in
the name Of the American people he
had placed a wreath on the tomb Of
the unknown soldier. They had OBJ
tanned a permit to parade on Penn
sylvania avenue before the White
House grounds but after doing this
they turned into west Executive ave-
nue. toward the White House Offices
and then their troubles began.
The procession proceeded quietly
until it reached the entrance Of the
grounds near tn Executive Offices
when a husky park police lieutenant
stepped out. choked off the band in
the midst OF Onward. Christian Sol
diers," and informed the leaders that
ervation ground and the permit was
invalid. The band thereupon disap-
peared but those participating in the
procession remained with their ban
ners about the grounds for an hour
before adjourning to Lafayette
Square. where an open-air meeting
was held.
A Counter Demonstration.
The meeting in Lafayette Square.
opposite tho White House, had barely
gotten under way. whom q young man
accompanied by half a dozen negro
boys appeared with new kind Of ham
ners. These banners as soon as dis
played started a counter demonstra-
ton as the amnesty seekers showed
unmistakably that they resented the
inscriptions, some Of which ran as
follows:
Treason Amt No Crime-Benedict
Arnold Patriotic Association. Inc.
I'VE Extend Our sympathy.-Pick-
pockets Association"
Greeting and Good cheer.-sneak
Thieves, Inc"
I'VE Want Out. Too-Chicken
Thieves' Society,"
Police had to intervene between the
two sets Of demonstrators and when
quiet was restored tho head of the
anti-amnesty group. Herbert B. May
er Of New York city. who said he re-
Gently was honorably discharged from
the 10th Infantry. 5th Division. after a
long period OF service. including two
years overseas, explained his purpose.
Decries Banner Parades.
Upon being informed this morning
that tho long-haired men and short
haired women behind this movement
intended to parade on Armistics day" :"
he said, II communicated my views
upon tho subject to various patriotic
organisations and the response was
such as to lead mo to believe that I
was entirely wrong.
overwhelmed by consciousness Of
my error I determined to make
amends by showing sympathy with
the cause Of opening the jail bars for
the anu-war gentlemen Ia Debs.
Entirely at my own expense and rep
resenting no one at all except myself
I hired tho boys and made the signs
myself in a butcher shop"
Mr.. Mayer satd further that he, ''of
course, had NO possible right to rep
resent" the organisations named on
J 1ContjnVed On PAGE Q, Column ID