Evening star., 1932-07-29

blankets. Ramshackle cars, loaded to
] capacity, were coming out.
A.. Beyond the camp, across Stretch OF
CRASHES open field surrounded oy a
! half-circle of novels. lay the ngnteo
| bridge over the Anacostia River. All
eyes were fixed in that direction. over
| the bridge must come the soldiers. Inc
SIDES of the bridge were lined with
dense mass of men, women ma chll-
dren, District citizens out to see the
| battle which was predicted When the
! troops marched into the dark lair OF
the monster. In this direction not
| sound was carried from the camp
What lay below was all a d2llSe' I'LL
penetrable mystery.
Troops Cross Bridge.
Across the bridge the troops are
coming. The police Gear the read 1or
them. The excited mass Of CitlzenS Is
pushed to the east side OF the orloge.
! They obey without protest. better or
dered crowd never gathered 20 witness
a battle. But their sympathleS, II Is
evident, are with the men in the DARK
ness below. Aionc come the n1anCly
eliStcnirg bayonets fixed to their rlfleS;;
There are a few 'booS' from the CROWD
none Of the cheers with Wnlch clIl-
zen5 Of the Nations Capital C1dlnarny
gree its armed defenders.
The infantryIen draw tear gas
grenadeS from their pockets and throw
them into the crowd Of citizens. lie
fumes get into the eyes OF the women
and children There is a Wild scramble
to escape frcm the bridge. fortunately
nobody is hurt. Everybody reaches
safety in the park below.
The infantrymen so down INTO tne
open field A truck Of the DlStrlc'
Fire Department goes just behind them
throwing its floodlights as far as the
first row Of tents ana hoyels. Inere
is no sign of life in them. The b. Z, r
has concentrated somewhere i'll the
interior of the camp-p2rhapS forming
to evacuate. perhaps forming ior pat-
tie. No indications comes from oeyono
the thick curtain of darkness. Inc
Infantry advances cautiously lhey
move in single file along the river bank
There is q line OF novels which nave
been erected for veterans with 1am-
lilies They are deserted now. The
soldiers apply the torch to them 1hey
are like tinder.
Cavalrymcn Follow.
Then come the Cavalry. They ride
almost to the first deserted row of tents
and halt. The soldiers seem 10 nave
little relish for the job ahead OF them
There is no disposition TO exceed IN the
slightest the actual orders given tnem
Two majors ride at the heao. lney
had nothing to do with gasslng tne
District citizens on the bridge.
REPRESENTATIVES from Camp Marks
Headquarters come out of the darkness
to meet them. Cigarettes are ex-
changed with some of the cavalrymen.
The officers show no disposition TO be
hard-boiled. They cannot make terms
but they chat pleasantly with the Vete-
rams A drunken man staggers out OF
the darkness. He upbraidS them for
turning on their "buddies." They take
it all in good spirit A lieutenant is
detailed to escort the camp emiSsarles
to Gen. Macarthur, who is now on the
field. the breast of his uniform covered
with brilliantly colOred campaign RIB
bons and with medals. He alone has
authority to make terms. The Vete-
rams are willing to evacuate the camp
if only they are permitted to leave pc
hind a sufficient guard to protect their
"rroperty." The two majors are tacitly
SEIlDdIlclN-
utmost courtesy.
After the meeting between Gen.
Macarthur and the veterans, little
group of newspaper reporters went back
into the darkness. It was just as oml-
nous rs ever. But the scene had
changed in the last hour. Men were
lining up in the company streets with
packs strapped on their backs. Some
Of these lines were moving out OF the
camn. Others were standing fast, still
rlnCecided whether to leave or resist.
There were stragglers everywhere. They
w-re hunting for lost "buddies" in the
darkness. Evidently some powerful good
counsel had prevailed. The great ma
ioritv of the veterans were not gong
to fight.
Men Armed With Rifles.
Farther back in the darkness the as
p-ct was more threatening. Men were
walking around with rlhss. WnstnsI
there was any ammunition IS doubtful.
They were cursing, swearing they would
etick tn the death. The newspaper men
we've spotted and told to get ct OF the
camp Immediately or they would ne
Ivnohod All was confusion IN TINS
dsrk southwest corner, up against tne
L.
Back on the hillside with the huddle
IF women They had had no Woro
out of the darkness. They were "alI,
jng the sound of shots which Woulo
be the signal for the start OF the battle.
Suddenly tower Of fame arose from m
tho camp. Somebody had set nre 10
the cann platform around which tne
veterans had assembled to hear speech,
es and watch boxing matches ana
vaudeville performances during the pas
two months. Nearby rose anotnel
fame. The big gospel tent had neen
fred There was hardly stir OF Wlnu'
The flames spread slowly. AROUND tll3
rim Of the wierd pit of darkness arose
other tongues of flame as tents and
bowels were given the torch: An exTlteo
veteran ran up on the hillside asking
for matches. 49,. o,,or,,
were going to burn themLeV9Ty cry
damn one of them" he shouted. he
secured a box of matches andNpiungeo
hack into the darkness. More ana more
hnve,s we're fired. The flames were
spreading now.
Flames Wipe Out Camp.
The primitive. lurking monster was
dead The ragged, hungry, despalrlngy
men and women who had constituted
its life had gone out of it in gaspS IKE
the breath from the dying. Its hldeous,
malodorous body was being burned. Inc
nIeasant stretch of park land II NAG