Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-12-05
The Cause Of the Marchers.

Senator Borah gave good advice yes
terdsy 10 a representative Of the
hunger marchers" now on their way
to Washington, who called upon him to
announce that it is the intention of the
delegation not to present their demands
TO the Vice President as presiding Off
Ger OF the Senate, but to offer them
upon the floor Of Congress. The Idaho
Senator advised his visitor to follow a
different course. The only way TO get
admission to the floor Of the Senate, ="
he told the field representative of the
marchers, is to go out and seek cleo
ton and present a certificate of cleo
ton" The Senator added:
The people of the United States elect
their Representatives and their Sena-
tors. If we should adopt a rule Of ad-
hitting everybody TO the floor of the
Senate who had question to present
ii would be rather difficult TO find time
for the duly elected Senators and Rep
reSentatives to transact business II
were you would leave that out of
my program You have. of course, a
perfect right to come to the Capital
and to assemble peaceably and to peace
ably petition your Government. No
one has any right to interfere with the
exercise of this right. I do not presume
they will undertake to interfere. And
If you are very careful to act in a peace
able manner your coming may be help
full to your cause. But If there should
be resort to threats or denunciation or
violence. or an attack upon the authori-
ties, it will be calculated to injure the
cause in which you are interested.
This is not the first time that pro-
posal has been made for delegations of
aggrieved people to enter the legislative
chambers and present petitions and
arguments in person. In no case has
It been accomplished. AS Senator
Borah says, the business of the House
and Senate would be impeded, If not
completely blocked, by such practice
1t is not necessary. In every instance
petitioners have found means Of getting
their pleas and protests, their prayers
and suggestions before Congress. Us
ually an individual member of the
House or Senate serves as a r edium Of
communication, in his character as a
representative Of the people. Often the
presiding officer of the Senate or the
Speaker Of the House has acted in this
capacity.
The very suggestion that the march
ers enter the chamber Of the Senate
with their petition betrays the mis-
chievous nature of their Grand in COM
ing to the Capital. They are out to
make row, to cause disturbance, to
create excitement. They have no tangi-
BILE, practical proposition to make.
They have no specific grievance other
than that Of dissatisfaction with the
economic conditions now prevailing, a
feeling which is shared by all citizens.
In fact, they want no remedy short of
revolution.
No misbehaVior on the part of these
radical agitators who are now on their
way here will hurt the cause of the peo-
pie who ask relief through legislation
from the distressing conditions which
cause widespread unemployment. Con-
gress will pass such laws as are wise and
practicable, TO this end, whether the
hunger marchers come or stay away, or
whether, if they reach here, they be-
have i'll or badly If their cause" is
the promotion Of communism in the
United States, it will not be advanced
by any program they may adopt and
pursue. Nor can it be set back beyond
the point Of rejection by the mass Of
the American people further than it has
already been condemned and resisted.
Violence Of conduct here at the Capital.
with disregard Of the established rule Of
congressional procedure which has pre-
vailed uniformly through periods of
greater national stress than the present,
will only harden the resolution Of this
country against communism and all its
works.