Milford chronicle., 1932-08-19
FACTS ABOUT THE BONUS ARMY

.l | III q 0NeAlCAlCnb SANCn Oul ny OGC-
retary of War Hurley certain i'm
portant facts concerning the bonus
marchers who assembled in Wash
ington and the riots which led to
their evacuation are stated which
the public should read and remem-
her.
Among the 10000 men who
were in Washington for the purpose
of demanding the immediate pay
ment of the bonus, inspection show
ed that approximately one-third
were not veterans and had not serv-
ed in any capacity during the war.
2-Of the actual veterans one
fourth were already receiving COM
pensatiOn from the Veterans Bu-
reau.
3-Of the real veterans $500 took
advantage of the provisions made by
Congress for their transportation
and went home.
A number of the marchers
had occupied some old buildings
that were scheduled to be demolish-
ed to give way to new construction.
On two different occasions the mar
chers were asked by the civil au-
thOrities to vacate these buildings,
an interval of several days elapsing
between these orders. Each time the
marchers refused to vacate.
\ 5-Finally, on July 2S, the police
again appeared and asked the mar
chers to yacate, and upon their re-
fIisal attempted to GUST them. The
marchers then attacked the police.
Thousands of other marchers who
were encamped at Anacostia, east of
the Capitol, marched into Washing
ton and Joined in the attack. The
leaders of the veterans protested to
their followers and to the public
that this attack was led by radicals
and that the veterans participating
in the attack were not under the
control of their veteran leaders, but
were entirely controlled by Red ag-
itatorh whose sole purpose was to
bring about disorder, riots, blood
shed and death.
6-There was a brief intervals in
the rioting about midday, but in the
afternoon it was resumed and one
man was killed and another (who
his since died), was wounded.
ThereupOn the District Commission
ers notified the President that they
were unable to enforce law and re-
store order and a detachment of U. |
S. troops We're ordered to the scene.
AFTER the arrival Of the troops |
not one shot was fired and no per-
son was. seriously injured.
8-The statements later made that |
the billets of the marchers were !
fired by the troops is a falsehood. |
They were fired by -etreating ;adi- !
Gals. The tents that were burned |
belonged to the District of Column
bia National Guard and had been
loaned to the men who burned them.
9-The statement that women ami
children were evacuated by troops
is false, On the contrary the build
ings occupied by women and chill
dren were protected and no one was
permitted to molest them. The Red
Cross Immediately took charge of
the women, their children and their
gave them shelter and
food and transport to their homes.
10-More than 600 of the veterans
who remained in Washington after
Congress adjourned wera receiving
through the Veterans
Bureau.
11-Under the circumstances but
two courses were left open to the
President. One was to acQuiesce in
he violence and surrender the gov
to the mob. The other was
% uphold law and order, protect the
lives of the people AMI suppress the
mob. The political propagandists
who are now criticising the Presi-
lent for following the latter course
would have assailed him with even
greater violence (and JUSTLY, if he
lad pursued the former.