Evening star., 1932-09-13

has neither Omclally cppoSed nor
supported the movement for i'm
mediate cash payment Of ad-
justed compensation certificates.
report ARE in conflict with police rec
ords or with facts known to the Police
Department, Gen. Glassford answered
Mtchells charge regarding the criminal
contest of the B. E. F. with statistics
showing less crime in Washington dur
ing the army's stay than after its de-
parture.
Taking up the Justice Department re-
port point by point, insofar as 1t re-
ferred to the police activities, Glassford
took issue with the accusation that de-
tectives were kept away from Camp
Marks on the day Of the riots, dis
counted the gravity Of the clash In
which Police shot two bonus marchers
and declared the police had control OF
the situation when the Federal troops
arrived.
Defends b. E. F. Patriotism.
Glassford's mimeographed statement
had counterec the Attorney Cen
erals allegation OF Communism, crime
and subsersive influences among the
bonus marchers with defense of the
patriotism and discipline" Of the
B. E. F.
1T Is not necessary to defend this
statement" Glassford said, the policies
followed unswervingly by the Police
Department in preserving law and order
for a period Of two municipalities Of
humanity and Of respect for the rights
OF citizens under the laws and the Con-
stitution. Hundreds of concentrations
have been received from people and Or
carnations all over the country and
from people of all walks of life"
Asserting the influx Of thousands of
unemployed veterans could not have
been prevented. the police chief said:
mo other agency being willing to ac-
cept responsibility. the police of Wash
lngton, in conformity to the traditions
of unselflsh devotion to human distress,
with the cooperation of thousands Of
sympathetic citizens, did everything
possible and within reason to obtain
for these destitute and homeless people
food, shelter and other essentials"
AS long as the police we're permitted
to pursue these policies he stated mo
disorders Of any consequence occurred.
except by the radicals of a small group.
whose efforts were easily thwarted by
police action and police strategy"
362 Arrests Cited.
Referring to a tabulation of 1862 ar
rests of bonus marchers during their
two-month encampment, Glassford
pointed out that only IL of these ar
rests were for "offenses of a criminal
He listed. these offenses as
l assault, 80 held for investi-
cation, for assault with a dangerous
weapon, l obscenity, bad checks. The
bulk of the other arrests were for liquor
violations, disorderly conduct, mental
observation. illegal parading, begging
and yagrancy.
Another table compared the number
of arrests during May, June, July and
August of this year with those OF Ike
periods last year. The comparison
showed less. crime this year, and an
increase III pffepses in, August, follow
ing evacuation Of the bonus army.
Glassford took exception to Mitchell's
declaration that s,,+, the camp NH %i5hir q
streets southwest, was occupied prln-
cipally by Communists stating that
nine separate units were billeted IN
that area and but one of them. num-
bering $50 men, was affiliated with the
Soldiers EX-Service Mems League, a
radical organization.
Attacking the Governments allega-
tion that "a large body of Communists
and radicals. some ex-servlce men and
some not, were in the city as part OF
the bonus army" Glassford contended
that Communists were relatively few" ="
The largest group of radicals assembled
at one time numbered 210, according
to police count, he said.
Detectives j. Auffenberg and j. K.
Baker of the crime prevention division
were on duty at Camp Marks up until
the time of the rioting on Pennsyl-
vania avenue, the superintendent as
serted in refutation Of Mitchells state
ment criticizing police for not having
detectives stationed at the camp
Glassford included in his statement a
certificate" by Aldace Walker, his per-
sonal secretary, to the effect that he
heard Glassford tell the Commissioners
the police could control the outbreaks
in the roped-of area" if the area was
not extended. On the way to the con-
ference with the Commissioners. Walk
er's statement said. G!assford told his
secretary he was opposed to intervention
by the military.
The police superintendent tod Of the
visit by two of the Commissioners to
the disturbed area and said: Nothing
was said by the Commissioners at this
time to indicate they had reached a
decision to call for Feoeral aid" This
sentence was underlined
1t was more than an hour after this
inspection by the Commissioners, Glass
ford claimed. that he had any intima-
ton" that troops had been sent Tor.
The news came first from reporter
and was confirmed few minutes later
by NUgent Dodds, Assistant Attorney
General. the police head explained.
Il was in command at the scene OF a
difficult situation which was vitality
affected by the call for Federal troops.
the Clasford statement said. Il have
rever been Informed why the Commits
sioners did rot notify me insta ntly when
the trcors were callcd."
In reply to the statement that most
of The citvs police force was concen-
trated at the scene of disorder. Glass
ford said there were at no time more
than $50 poli-emen in the affected area,
whereas tho full strength Of the police
force is 1900 officers.
Gen. Glassford intends to make his
first public defense of the manner IN
which he handled the bonus army when
he speaks In Baltimore tomorrow night
at the Forty-second Annual Reunion OF
the Army and Navy Legion OF Valor.
He said he had been too busy in the
last few days to give consideration 70
his speech, but that it would concern
cbiohv tho evey,ts that led to the bonus