Evening star., 1932-12-04
Cumberland Riot
AUerted by Police
As Guard Stands B,
BY WILLIAM w. CHANCE,
Staff Correruandent of The Star.

CUMBERLAND, Md, December s.
Thirteen hundred radical hunger
marchers" were on the verge of rioting
here tonight as heavy detachment of
State and city police guarded their
swampy, farmland camp
The marchers, without food since
breakfast, were driven by the police
into the camp miles from here when
they arrived in Cumberland about
o'clock this afternoon.
Served only black coffee and stale
bread for dinner the marchers greeted
police squad which went through
the camp on a tour OF inspection by
hurting coffee at their automobile.
The police car beat hasty retreat
from the mountain lot camp and or
dered reinforcements from Cumberland
Special Policemen Called.
Threats that they would attempt to
leave their encampment, donated by
sympathiZer, T. Grant Moreland, a
Cumberland farmer, brought between
$50 and 200 special policemen to the
scene. Heavy guards we're stationed
on the only road leading from the
camp, and Mayor George Henderson
of Cumberland directed that no one
be permitted to leave before daylight.
The hunger army. travelling in dilapi-
dated trucks and automobiles, was
greeted at the Cumberland city line
by special riot squads equipped with
submachine guns, sawed-off ShotgunS,
tear gas guns, revolvers and gas gren-
AIDES. A detail of 100 special police
men, sworn in by Mayor Henderson
reinforced riot squads. Reserves in the
National Guard Armory in the down.
town section, Company G, Maryland
National Guard, were mobilized and
awaiting orders of an emergency.
The marchers pulled into Cumberland
in wheeling motor vehicles through
THE Narrows," a gap between Hay
stack and Wills Mountains, an ideal
strategical location for a battle, from
the police viewpoint. One man, with a
heavy crowbar for leverage, could have
| lCosed an avalanche of rock from Wills
Mountain sufficient to annihilate the
whole radical army.
Confronted by arsenal"
Face to face with veritable arsenal.
the hunger marchers Immediately
| agreed to carry out Mayor Henderson's
orders to proceed at once through Cum
berland to the Moreland farm. State
! police conveyed the marchers, Is auto
mobiles at time, through the city, and
| into the farm.
| The mayor, himself armed with a As
calibre automatic pistol, directed the
State troopers on their route. then pro-
ceeded to City Hall to await reports
as to how the hunger army liked their
billet. 1t was not long before he
| learned
Three hours after the last truck had
been sent on its way to the farm camp
State police telephoned him that the
marchers we're about to riot and leave
the billet in body After a confer
ence with Capt. Edward NICK. John
son, head of the State police he dis
patched reinforcements, and decreed no
Cne was to leave the camp until day-
| break.
While the mob was shouting for food
seven truckloads and three passenger
cars full of California marchers pulled
into Cumberland from the West. Ad-
vised at the city line that they would
have to take pot luck" with the Mid
west marchers at the Moreland Farm
they at first refused to enter the city
However, at the insistence of police
they finally agreed to join the other ele.
ment and were escorted to the farm
camp
On the farm there is situated a ram.
shackle six-room house and barn, and
most of the marcherS were forced tC
spend the night in their own truck,
and automobiles, slim protection agains
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