Evening star., 1932-08-08
BOARD OF TRADE
LAUDS PRESIDENT
FOR B. E.F. ACTION
Also Praises Commissioners
and Gen. GIaSSfOrd for
Their ForbearanCe.
WITHHOLDS COMMENT
ON SOLDIER BONUS ISSUE
Text of Statement Commenting on
Recent Disorders Sent to
As Governors.

Commentator for the ectlOn OF
President Hoover in bringing about the
evacuation of the Bonus Expedltlonary
Force from Washington was voiced IN
a statement adopted today by the oil.
rectorS of the washington Board OF
Trade and sent to civic leaders through
out the country.
The directors, representing $500 buSl-
ness and professional men of the Dis
trict also commended the District Com
missioners and the Metropolitan Police
Department for their 'forebearance' In
treatment of the bonus army members
during their stay here.
Copies of the communication were
sent to President Hoover. Secretary OF
War Hurley, President Reichelderfer OF
the Board of District Commissioners,
Brig Gen. Pelham D. GlaSsford, chief
of police: the Governors of the 48
States and the presidents of all cham
bers of commerce and boards of trade
in cities throughout the United States
Prompt Action Praised.
The statement extends to the Presi-
dent the heartiest commendation for
his prompt action in preventing serious
disorders by dispensing the several
thousand invaders of the community
when their riOtuS behavior placed them
beyond control of the civil authorities
and endangered lives and property of
our citizens, as well as the peace and
safety of the Nations Capital"
The Commissioners and the Police De-
partment were commended for the pa
tience and forbearance" they exhibited
in the treatment of these men Ito re-
markable degree during a period of two
months, in which the constantly in
creasing number of men, among whom
many were found TO be imported Com
munistic agitators and men of Grim
inal records presented a series of try
ing and serious problems"
The directors Of the Board of Trade
also expressed It's appreciation to the
United States Army for dispensing
these men without serious bloodshed or
injury"
Menace to City Seen.
The statement continued:
From its inception the march upon
Washington constituted a serious men,
ace to the health, peace, and safety
of the citizens, and further constituted
and finP.Iy developed into an effort to
coerce and intimidate by force, a pro-
cedure TO which no form of responsible
government, municipal or otherwise, can
acquiesce without imperiling the COM
munity or national integrity.
These men. without visible means of
support, encamped in the midst of a
large city on property by 'squatter
methods" The menace of these
thousands of men living in squalid
condition, totally without sanitary ia
cilities, continuously presented serious
possibilities of disease and epidemic
The constant activities of this group
so occupied the time Of the local police
that the city was flooded with pan
handlers and vagrants of the roughest
elements, almost without restriction, so
that men, women or children could
venture but a short distance without
being accosted.
Hundreds of infractions of laws
designed for the protection of citizens
remained unenforred and unheeded by
reason of the demand upon the local
police force to work continuously with
out leave to cope with the greater prob
lem of the encomped marchers. The
impoSsibility of the continuance of
such a situation is self-evident Every
available evidence has indicated that
for weeks the kindliest persuasive
methods were used to encourage these
men to disperSe. They were allowed
TO parade, the right of peaceful assem-
blage in any section of the District,
and were at no time denied the rights
accorded any other citizens.
The board further expresses the hope
that in the national interest, municipal
and State authorities will discourag ge
this practice of forcible inyasions of
communities.
The board further desires to point 10
the provision of the United States Con-
stitution which states as far as respon-
sibility of the Congress is concerned in
reference to the District of Columbia
Ito exercise exclusive legislation in all
cases whatsoever over such District not
exceeding 10 miles square as made by
concession of the particular States and
acceptance Of Congress to become the
seat Of the Government Of the United
States" This will serve as a reminder
that the very cause for the selection of
the District of Columbia as the seat
OF the Federal Government was TO eS-
tablish an area in which it could func-
ton freely and unintimidated to ex-
press the will of the whole country, and
that it grew directly out Of the expert
ence of the Congress which while
the invasion of dissatisfied groups dur
ing which its very existence was
meanced.
lUIeIdtlOH ~ TIdISCu
Upon the adjournment of Congress
thousands of veterans, sincere IN thelI
purpose, returned home after they had
felt the usefulness Of their presence
here had been served Several thousand
others remained, a burden upon this
community Through a process of in
filtration a large element OF non-Vet-
Grams and agitatorS mixed with them
with the result that the men were con-
stantly being stirred to greater aglta-
tion, resulting in marches upon ana al
temptS TO picket the White House ant
threats Of violence. This situation wa
tolerated to the utmost, and not unit
the civil authorities were met with eX-
treme violence, which only coulo nave
been met with the use of firearms by
the police, were other methods taken Il
restore and insure the restoration o.
order without bloodShed
The board is in no way passing upor
the merits or dement's of the cauS
which these men represent, but in it
opinion no useful purpose can reSul
in these inYasions of the community
rather they result in the alienation o
sympathy and in hardShipS TO the par
ticipantS themselves and upon the clti
zens of the city. whether it be Wash
ington or elsewhere. The asSSemblag
of thousands of invaders in a com
munity with no visible means Of sup
port. no matter what the purpose, con
stitutes a serious menace which canno
be ignored. In this instance the refusa
of the men to heed peaceable requests
and the use by them of violent physics
force, left no other resource and tn
President and civil authorities, regard
less of their politics or sympathies on
way or another. maintain that att
tude toward the preservation of publ
order expected by the great mass of tn
American people from these officials