Evening star., 1932-07-16
Sidestepping at the Capitol.

An unfortunate misunderstanding re-
garding authority over the Capitol
Grounds in the course of the ''inva-
sion" of the legislative precincts by
section of the bonus marchers now in
Washington has brought about a situa-
ton. which, with Congress about to
adjourn, may not be satisfactorily set
tied Under the law the Capitol pre-
cincts are beyond the jurisdiction Of
the metropolitan police. The District
Commissioners have no authority there.
The police are not responsible for the
maintenance of order. In theory they
may not enter the grounds except as
citizens unless their services are re-
quested by the Capitol authorities
themselves They have often been thus
summoned for service on occasions Of
great gatherings on the Capitol Plaza,
the Capitol police force itself being used
as guards for the building only. The
control of the grounds is vested in
Capitol Police Board, consisting of the
Speaker and the Vice President the
EerRedntS-dG-dTmS OF UI1c TWO HOUSES
and the architect of the Capitol.
Gen. Glassford, chief of police of the
District, is criticized by the Capitol
Police Board for having assumed au-
thority on the plaza when the bonus
marchers appeared on the scene Tues
day night. He answers this criticism
by the statement that the situation
was so delicate that it became neces-
sary in the emergency for him to take
over from the Capitol police force the
responsibility for maintaining order IN
the grounds and for enforcing the reg
ulations as far as possible without
inviting violence" The Vice President
had told him that he did not desire
violence.
The spectacle presented at the Capitol
for several days past has evoked severe
criticism, but the responsibility for 1t
certainly does not rest with the chief of
police. Rather does it rest with those
Capitol authorities who failed at the
outset to define the degree to which
the rule against public assemblages in
the legislative precincts should be en-
forced. There was no such definition.
Nobody seemed to want to assume the
responsibility for keeping the grounds
free Of intruders and demonstrants, and
in these circumstances what Gen. Glass
ford did was undoubtedly In the public
interest in that it averted violent dis
order.
With Congress presumably adjourning
In few hours there will be no oc-
casion or excuse for any further use of
the Capitol Grounds by the bonus petit
TONERS. But there Is urgent need of
the adoption of a policy which will in
the future assure the maintenance of
order without complication and con-
fusion and without the exchange of re-
examinations between the local and the
legislative authorities.
The feeling prevails that there has
been willingness at the Capitol to al
low the burden of responsibility to rest
on the shoulders of the District police
chief in order to avoid political re-
prisals against individuals who officially
are vested with authority at the Capitol.
If that Is the case there was certainly
no warrant whatever for formal criti-
cism by the Capitol Police Board of
that official for his assumption of juris-
diction. If Gen. Glassford's services at
the Capitol were not wanted there he
should have been so informed and the
burden of keeping order in the grounds
should have been definitely assumed by
those who are by law charged with
that responsibility.