Evening star., 1932-08-09
Sympathy for Bonus Army
Joined With Regret at Riots

There is much sympathy for the
bonus army which was driven out of
Washington with the aid Of the mill
tary forces of the Nation. 1t is be-
lieved by many citizens that they were
miSled by people who knew they had
no ground for expectation that their
enterprise would be successful. The
Police Department Of the National
Capital is commended for patience, but
the necessity for decisive action such
as was offered by the Army is widely
recognized.
The veterans were wrong, pitifully,
tragically and irreSpons.biy wrong"
declares the Omaha World d-Heraid.
The Roanoke World-News holds that
''the country doesy not find 1t pleasant
to contemplate the spectacle of those
men, who formerly wore the Nations
uniform, taking an attitude which
practically puts them in open revolt
against constituted authority" The
Lincoln State Journal believes that
such movements as that of the bonus
army constitute a threat that cannot
be overlooked" The Lexington Leader
contends that "the entire expedition
was wrongly conceived" and 1t could
not but end in disorder" The San
Francisco Chronicle feels that they
were mistaken in everything they did"
The Asbury Park Press advises that
certainly If the Government Is to
make provision for the starving and
homeless, there are thousands of 9TH
els who deserve just as much con-
sideration as members Of the bonus
army"
President Hoover" says the Newark
Evening News, was fully justified in
calling out the Federal troops to quell
the rioting." Agreement with this
point # view Is voiced by the Oakland
! Tribune, the Goshen News-T1mes, the
Boise Idaho Statesman, the Youngs-
town Vindicator, the Connellsvllle
! Courier, the Scranton Times, the Chi
cago Daily News, the Boston Trans
cript. the Topeka Daily Capital, the
Rockford Register-R Republic and the
Rochester Times Union.
by attacking the problem of mob
violence states the New York Herald
Tribune, Mr.. Hoover has performed
an incalcu.abe service to law and or
der throughout the Nation" The re-
straint of the Regular Army is lauded
by the Louisville Courier-Journal,. the
Providence Journal, the Indianapolis
News and the Springfield (Mass.) Re-
publican, while the inevitableness of
the clash Is emphasized by the Pl1ila-
delpn1a Evening Bulletin. The Salt
Lake Deseret News feels that "the
effect of the whole incident will un-
doubtedly be to weaken the cause of
the veterans before Congress and the
people"
Blame for the futile effort of the
bonus army is placed upon politicians
and upon members of Congress. who
to belief by the marchers that
bonus would be paid. Politicians
hoped to buy votes fer themselves" In
the opinion of the Cincinnati Times
Star, while the New York Sun asks:
will the plight of the fugitives affect
the consciences of those faithle-s law
makers whose cowardice and selfish
ambitions, expressed in premises i'm
possible OF ful1llment, prepared the way
for the fatal collision at Washington
between order and disorder?" The
Schnectady Gazette declares: Some
members Of Congress had no hesitation
in encouraging the veterans; in giving
them the impression that q proper ex-
hibition Of determination on the part
OF the former soldiers would bring re-
suits. In doing this they. saddled
themselves with much of the RESPONSE
bility for what has happened.
The Congressman who feared to face
the bonus question honestly, and in.
stead scurried for home, leaving the
Washington authorities to bear the
brunt Of the trouble, deserve severe
censure." The Oklahoma City Okla
homan advises that the few unreliable
Congressmen WAo encouraged the con-
centration Of sseterans at washington