Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-10
Delegation of unemployed
Workers Receive LongWorth
UItimatum With Annoyance.
OHlOAN INSISTS THEY
GIVE SECRETARY PAPER
Group Suggests House Recess to
Allow Radical to Read Petition
for Pay for Jobless.

Speaker Longworth this afternoon
declined to leave the chair to receive
a delegation Of men and women gath
cred to present a Communistic de
mand" that the Government enact un-
employment insurance legislation to re-
Iieve distress.
The Speaker sent word by Repre-
sentative Beedy of Maine that if the
committee cared to leave its petition
Gin the regular way" namely, with the
secretary at his Office, he would be
glad to receive it.
The delegation of radicals, forced to
wait In the Office of Sergeant-at-Arms
Joseph Rogers, of the House, received
the ultimatum with outspoken dissatis-
faction. During their conference with
the Sergeant at arms the Communist
leaders suggested that the House recess,
"as 1t did for Lindbergh" long enough
to permit one of their representatives
to read the petition on the floor of the
House. This request also was turned
down fatty.
Declines to Leave Chair.
Miss Mildred Reeves, secretary to
Speaker Longworth, said she would be
glad to receive the petition, but that
the Speaker would not leave the chair
to meet the delegation. She said it was
absurd" for any one to request that
Mr.. Longworth leave the floor to accept
service of such a paper.
After discussing the Speakers refusal
to meet them personally, the delegates
decided to present the petition to Mr..
LongswortEl's secretary. The committee,
consisting of Is unemployed workers,
headed BY the New York Communist
leader, Alfred Wagenknecht, returned
from the sergeant at arms of1ce to the
Speakers Office on the floor above and
reluctantly left the document with Miss
Reeves.
Representative Beedy, in conveying to
Wagenknecht the refusal of Speaker
Longworth to receive the delegation, re-
marked that had he been the Speaker
he would have accepted the petition.
Comrades" in Galleries.
During the negotiations IN the
sergeant at arms office, the Capitol
corridors on the House side were con-
gested with members of the Congress,
metropolitan and Capitol policemen,
newspaper men and curiosity seekers.
In the visitors galleries were nearly
100 comrades" of the Workers Com
mittee, waiting impatiently in the hope
that their petition would be read from
the floor.
The delegates left the Capitol shortly
after leaving the petition with the
Speakers secretary. There was no
disorder or display Of banners.
Scores of Metropolitan and Capitol
policemen were stationed in and around
the Capitol to prevent recurrence Of
scenes like those which marked the last
Communist march on Congress in De-
cember Tear gas bombs and night
sticks were used on that occasion to
disperse the disorderly throngs.
Urges Against Demonstration.
wagenknecht exhorted his followers
Just before leaving for the Capitol
against making demonstration of any
kind. He urged them to sit quietly in
the visitors gallery of the House while
the committee sought to present its
statement to the Speaker.
The delegates, in accordance with
careful instructions given them this
morning by Wagenknecht at a meeting
at 314 G street, moved on the Capitol
in small groups from different direc-
tions. Two headquarters detectives and
several policemen attended the C street
meeting to learn of the plans.
Wagenknecht said the police would
experience no trouble, as his group was
not seeking a fight"
Riot Guns Handy.
Capt. S. j. Gnash of the Capitol
Police nevertheless took extreme pre-
cautions to prevent disorder Riot guns
and tear bombs were on hand for any
possible contingency.
The statement addressed to Congress
said the Government must provide I'M
employment insurance as relief for the
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