The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-18
BILL KILLED, BUT
BONUS ARMY HOLDS
TIGHT TO TRENCHES
We'll Stay Here Until We
Change Their Minds
Says Commander.
BY WALKER STONE
Times stan Writer

WASHINGTON, June 18.-Tense
uncertainty lowered over the ma
tional capital today as congress
waited to see whether the over
whelming and double defeat of the
soldiers bonus bill in the senate
last night would turn the tide of the
veterans invasion of Washington.
Leaders of the bonus army of
occupation" strove to hold in line
the 20,O00-odd men encamped
about Washington, while city
authorities renewed their efforts to
bring about evacuation and start
the disappointed veterans home
ward.
Meanwhile, from all sections of
the country, came reports of thou
sands of other veterans doggedly
moving onward to the capital.
While congress turned its atten-
ton from the defeated bonus bill
to unemployment. relief legislation,
veteran leaders announced their in
tention of remaining here, and add
ing to their numbers until their
men are given either jobs or bonus,
which they refer to as back pay"
Disorders Are Prevented
The dramatic events of Friday
and Friday night have had no
parallel in American history since
century and a half ago, when
the veterans of revolution marched
on the Continental congress at Phi
adelphia, forcing that body to move
across the Delaware river to Tren-
ton.
When the senate opened debate
on the Patman bonus bill at IL
a. M, 1000 veterans were con-
gregated in the Capitol plaza. All
day long their numbers mounted,
and when the vote was finally taken
Friday night approximately 10000
had gathered.
Self-imposed discipline prevented
any disorder. All day long the men
listened to harangues from their
own spokesman, and from friendly
members of congress.
They had been prepared for news
of the defeat, but they hardly ex-
pected the vote would go so strong
ly against their bill.
Vote Big Disappointment
When Commander w. w. Waters
of the veterans announced the 81 to
18 vote, a threatening silence fell
over the crowd.
This is only a temporary set
back" shouted Waters, 1--WE are 60
ing to get more and more men, and
we are going to stay here until we
change the mind of those guys"
At. this point the perfect control
over the demonstration manifested
itself. Some one started off on the
song, America" and the multitude
joined in the strain-"My Country,
It's of Thee :"
The crowd slowly dispersed, and
started on the mile and-one-h
walk back to the bonus camp across
AnacoSta river.
Meanwhile, in the senate cham
berS, foes of the bonus, in a parlia-
mentary coup, definitely shelved the
bonus for the remainder of the
seventy-second congress.
Shelved, "A to 26
BY a vote of "A to 26, the senate
upheld motion by Senator George
A. Moses (Rep., N. HI, to table a
motion by Senator David A. Reed
(Rep., Pa0, to reconsider the bill.
In this parliamentary maneuver,
Senator Elmer Thomas Dem,
Okla), sponsor of the bill. was
swept off his feet.
The fight has just begun" said
Thomas as the debate neared the
end. These veterans will not leave
Washington, and 1 predict that
$4,000 more soon will be here"
The veterans were stunned by the
vote lineup. In addition to the
regulars of the two parties, whose
they had anticipated, the
was opposed by such liber-
ais as Senator George Norris Rep..
Neb), Robert La Toilette Rep..
Wis.,, and Edward P. Costigan
(Rep., Colo,), who voted against the
bill because they felt that if it did
pass unemployment relief legislation
would be impossible this session.
Debate Called Pantomine
Except for the dispassionate pleas
of the few liberals for relief for all
who are unemployed and in dis
treSs, the debate in the senate was
marked by its bitterness.
Friends of the bill played upon
the bravery and patriotism "of the
boys who barred their breasts to the
bullets of the enemy" and argued
the need of initiating the currency.
Everybody knows and has known
that this bill can not become law"
said blind Senator Thomas P. Gore
Dem, Okla. This scene we are
in this chamber is a mere
pantomine.
If any soldier boy has been led
to believe that this bill might pass,
he has been misled. He has been
delusioned into following a rainbow,
which has at its end neither real
nor fancied pot of gold.
THE only phrase I can think of to