Evening star., 1932-08-11
ISSUE CHALLENGE
TO YOUNG c. 0. P.
Young Democrats Invite Foes
to Debate Any Political
Topic.

The Young Democrats Club has cha1-
lenged the Young Republicans Club to
political debate on any party platform
or campaign issue. The def was issued
at the Young Democrats rally last night
formally opening the Democratic head
quarters in the ball room Of the City
Club Building. 1920 G. street.
At the same rally, in welcoming all
friends of the party to use the head
quarters, John F. Costello, the national
committeeman for the District, de-
nounced the way in which the bonus
army had been driven out Of the Capt.
tai for fear it would be an e-nbarraSs-
ment to President Hoover on his notifl-
cation day. Mr. Costello called it "a
traversity on patriotism; crime In the
name Of politics"
Mr.. Costello and John B. ColpoyS,
chairman of the District delegation to
the national convention. explained the
importace of getting out the absentee
vote, which they said IS more than To-
600 and can swing the election in some
doubtful districts. This Will be one cl
the most important tasks undertaken at
the Democratic headquarters.
DiscIaims Competition.
Mr.. Costello5 speech was, in part, as
follows:
Tomorrow is President Hoover's day
of notification. We hope that no Re
publican will be disposed to regard our
little meeting here tonight as being IN
competition with the Presidents big
day. We disclaim any intention OF
CroWding him off the first page.
Prominent Republican leaders from
all over the country are gathering In
Washington for the ceremony, and the
newspaper reports indicate that the
o1.1
a smile, but am of the opinion that 1t
is a smile which is without either en-
thusiasm or hope.
The crowd which will listen to Mr..
Hoover in the auditorium is specially
invited crowd. Admission will be by
card The invitations, I understand,
have been passed around very carefully.
A great many American citizens who
would like to hear and see the ceremony
will not be privileged to be present, for
they are not Of the privileged class.
Tonight I am thinking of a particular
group of citizens who will not be in Mr..
Hoover's audience tomorrow, and I refer
to this fact regretfully and in humil1-
alton. Just few years ago this group was
important in the country'5 affairs.
Those who comprise it once were spoken
of as the flower of the Nations young
manhood: to them We sang paeans of
we wept unashamed as they swung
through the Capitals avenues in their
uniform Of khaki, some CT them pa
thetically nl-ftting, on their way to
France.
Scores B. E. F. Custer.
what different picture we have
seen within the last few weeks. IN
wanted in their own Capital by those
~, oh # Io{r z0Tro ,o17f
Looked upon now as the rlffraff of
civilization they fought to save.
Get the bonus-Seekers out of Wash
ington by August IL, was the watch
word of an apprehensive and desperate
political party. Yes, get rid of them
so that they will not by their presence
embarrasS Mr.. Hoover when he arises
tomorrow to accept formally his party's
nomination.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is
precisely what was done. The city was
ridded of the undesirable, the Repub-
lican party's embarraSSers. Troops or
dered out by the President, with sabers
and bayonetS and gas bombs, put them
to rout and hasty retreat. 1t was great
victory. The President can say his piece
without fear and in utmost compoSure.
I am not attempting TO discuss the
merits of the case OF the so-called
cOnuS-SeeKerS. Ihey may nave been
wrong, ill-advised. But maintain that
they were within their rights as Ameri-
cans In what they were attempting to
do until they were goaded into their
alleged illegal acts by the same power
that eventually drove them from their
Capital.
What a spectacle we have witnessed.
What traveSty on patriotism. What
crime in the name Of politics"