Evening star., 1932-04-01
Washington News
THE District Commissioners late
yesterday accused newspapers OF
linn ensely exaggerating" &C
Il counts of tho hnffla Ia sf CaflIr-

! DbSbLNJ Ia Ic
yesterday accused newspapers OF
INN ensely exaggerating ac-
Il counts of the battle last Satur-
day between so-called Com
munist demonstrators and policemen
in front of the Japanese embassy, on
Massachusetts, avenue.
The Commissioners statement was
based on a report Of the affair BY Brig,
Gen. Pelham D. Glassford superintend-
| ent of police and was in reply to a
letter of protest from the American
| Civil Liberties Union. The union let
/ ter. written by Forrest Bailey. director
of New York. protested against "the
use of excessive violence" in prevent.
| ing the parade and such incidents as
the beating Of young girl into in
sensibility, the violent telling of nine
combatants and the indiscriminate ar
rest of a number of participants"
The union charged that the Wash
ington police, under the personal di-
| rcction of Gen Glassford, appear to
have been at least as guilty OF dis
orderly and riotous conduct as those
/ whom they made 1t their business to
| suppress"
Commissioners Letter.
The Commissioners letter follows:
In reply to your letter of March %
| to the president of the Board of Com
missioners regarding the action of the
! police in preventing a demonstration IL
front of the japanese embassy on
| Saturday. March 26, 1892. beg to ad-
wise you that the facts In the case are
: as follows:
The Police Department received in
| structions to prevent demonstration
in front of the japanese embassy.
THE Police Department carried out
its instructions with the least possible
i, violence
| THE newspaper accounts were i'm
mensely exaggerated There were no
women struck There were no heads
| broken. No one was knocked uncon-
scious. The one woman was knocked
to the ground because while struggling
with Sergt. Langley another riote-
jumped on Sergt Langley's back and
lost his balance and fell over on the
girl Newspaper photographers insisted
that she remain in a prone position
while a photograph was made, yelling
Hold it. don't get up!'
The Police Department examined sll
prisoners to determine the exact extent
of anv wounds or bruises. The most
seriously injured wes a member of ths
Police Department who had to have five
stitches taken on wound over his eye
"Nr. Bernard AIDES entered the third
precinct while the Police Department
were very busv booking a number Of
prisoners. At this time the officers had
not returned from the japanese en-
baSsy to make out specific charges. con-
sequently they had not been charged
Mr.. AIDES was tod that the police were
very busy and to please step outside.
/ This he rof1YcQd tn do in q N nhnnYiO1is
and disrespectful manner and conse-
quently he was elected.
THE attitude of the Police Depart
ment of the District of Columbia is one
of sympathy towards those who, in
theSe hard times. are unfortunate. out
of work. or otherwise in distress. Their
policy in all instances Is to carry out
their instructions with the least possible
use of force"
Reporters Versions.
Three reporters for The Star nit
messed the rtoting last Saturday.
Their statements OF Uhdt occurred
folloU:
Reporter No. L.
Il accompanied a group of so-called
radicals from the John Reed Club, 1103
New Hampshire avenue, and with them
arrived on the scene after the fighting
had started.
When 1 arrived I saw several uni
formed police officers struggling with
persons in civilian clothing at scat
tered points near the embassy, and in
at least two instances I saw a police
man strike a civilian about the head
with his night-stick. saw one civilian
with a large abrasion on his forehead
over the eye. from which blood was
dripping: he was under arrest. I noted
several fresh blood stains on the side
walk
Three or four young women Of the
party which had accompanied carried
paSteboard placards; these were wrested
from their hands by policemen; the
! girls did not resist, but submitted quiet
| ly to arrest They were not treated
roughly.
THE majority of the party with
which I had come melted quietly into
the crowd of spectators without taking
| part in the demonstration.
Joan Hardy was on the ground when
arrived and was kicking and strug-
Cling and screaming. She was lifted
to her feet by policemen. At this point
one of the male demonstrators at
tempted to interfere, and was struck on
the head by uniformed police officer.
! who used either his f1st or black
| jack. I did not know the officer. nor
in fact was I acquainted with any of
| the members of the Police Department
there talked with Oficer Martin
in front of No precinct station later
| he told me that he had had five stitches
! taken in a cut over his eye; the place
was covered with gauze and adhesive
| tape.
AT the John Reed Club headquar-
| tiers orders had been given by man
called Bender. one of the organizers Of
the demonstration, for the demonstra-
| tors to break through police lines if
same had been formed, to resist arrest
should police attempt to interfere with
. the demonstration and to come to the
aid Of others if police took the aggres-
! sive. The only attempt to aid some
| one else that I witnessed was on the
part of the man who attempted to help
the Hardy girl He pulled at the arm
OF the officer who was holding her.
My estimate Is that there were so