The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-08-04

NlldliCllBCu tOudy ny OIllcI vi
Newspaper dispatches car
ried by press associations,
Democratic and administra-
tration newspapers were cited
in denial of Hurley's 1000
word statement that the
troops did not use violence or
set fire to veterans shacks.
Quoted testimony of residents of
districts occupied by the bonuseers
was cited to disprove the cabinet
members assertion that the vete-
rams had leyied tribute and inspired
fear in the people Of the District
OF Columbia.
Tries TO Bolster Hoover
Hurleys defense was issued in an
apparent effort to substantiate
President Hooyer's charge that the
bonus marchers were mostly radi-
calls. Hoover himself has sent let
ter to a Boston American Legion
post expressing doubt that half the
bonus demonstrators had served in
the army.
These specific charges were made
by the two government officials re-
sponsible for the troop movement
just as federal grand jury resumed
the investigation ordered by Hoover.
witnesses today were District of CO.
lumbia commissioners and four po-
lice inspectors.
1t was the district commissioners
who asked for troops against the
advice of General Pelham D. Glass
ford, police chief. Justice Oscar
Luhring has told the grand jury
he hoped they would find that Com
munists were responsible for the
riots
Waters Denies Charges
While the campaign to "tie the
red label" to the bonus men con-
tinued, all the men seized during
and after the Thursday evictionS
as alleged Communists have been
released.
Glassford, who was in direct con-
tact with the bonus army for two
months, is taking no part in the
anti-red drive. He has said that
comparatively few of the veterans
were Communists.
Discussing Hurley's charge, Com
mander w. W. Waters of the bonus
army said:
Regarding the charge that we
harbored radicals, l need only point
to an order which warned members
of the B. E. F. that they must cease
manhandling radicals who crept into
the ranks of the organization. Sec
rotary Hurley says that one-third of
the men were not veterans.
Throughout the stay in Washing
ton we compelled every man to pro-
duce indisputable evidence that he
was an eX-soldier
The statement that the troops
did not set fire to the camps is ri
diculous. Many men had no time
to save their bedding, their cloth
ing or any of their personal prop
erty"
Troops Fired BilIets
In his statement praising the con-
duct of troops, Hurley said:
The statements made to the eff
feet that the billets of the march
ers were fired by the troops is a
falsehood. The billetS were fired by
retreating radicals"
EyewitneSses, including reporters
who followed the advancing soldiers,
say they saw Hurley's men and po-
licemen setting fire to shacks in the
occupied area.
On the second day foray, reporters
followed the troopers closely. In one
instance infantrymen borrowed
matches from newspaper CORE
spondentS. 1t was here the flames
so endangered surrounding prop
erty and trees that firemen extin-
guished the fires.
THE duty of restoring law and or
der was performed with directness,
with effectiveness, and with unpar-
alleled humanity and kindlineSs, IS
said Hurley.
Struck with Sword
Newspaper dispatches and eye
witnesses stories do not bear out
this statement. Men and women
were ridden down by cavalry at va
riouS points, and jabbed with the
sword if they did not move fest
enough.
An 8-year-old boy was knocked
down by a horse, and his father
whacked with sword when he
stopped to protect his son. The
father was not bonus marcher,
but was returning from work.
A one-legged popsicle peddler,
blinded by gas, was prodded and
pushed to the ground. An old man
carrying 6 sack of potatoes near the
botanical garden was cut with a
sword. Another sword cleaved
through the box of an ice cream
peddler. A bonus marcher suffered
a hacked ear when he did not side
step a cavalry rush. Scores were
s.,ov.,, n tho Ground inpiudino