Evening star., 1932-11-29
Commissioners Refuse Three
Requests Presented by
Official Spokesman.
FOOD, LODGING AND HALL
FOR ASSEMBLY ASKED
Denial of Plea Brings Charge "vio-
lent Attack" on Visitors Is
Being Contemplated.

The District Commissioners todav re-
ceiyed three representatives of the ma
tional hunger march and courteousIy
out firmly declined their demands for
free food, lodging and an assembly hall
for the marchers who are due to con-
verge here on Sunday.
DR.. Luther H. Reichelderfer. chair
man OF the Board of District Commits
Sioners, said after the conference:
We didn't show them the door. We
iet them talk and talk and talk. When
they were all talked out, I asked them
Il they had anything more to say. and
they left"
The committee of three. consisting of
william Reynolds, Detroit, Chairman of
the unemployed Councils of America.
Whlcn are backing the march, Herbert
benjamin, chairman of the Hunger
March Committee, and Amelia Shelton
IS-year-old Washington girl, who cave
as ner address 639 Lamont street was
received by the full Board of Commits
S1oners including in addition to DR..
fSelenelderfer, Maj. Gen Herbert r
Crospy and Maj. John C. Gotwals. Cor
porstion counsel William w. Bride also
participated in the conference
Present Formal Demands
reynolds, who acted as spokesman at
tne conference, presented a written
statement OF the demands" of the
munger marcherS, which included food
lodging, an assembly hall and '.freedon,
Irom ponce molestation" Commission
er Felchelderfer said the Commission-
ers merely reiterated the Statements
Gooltalneo In the telegram dispatched to
that the District has no funds n gra1t
their requests and citing the difficglties lies
OF Ineir own unemployed citizens >,
1T; Helchelderfer said the hunger
march leaders accused the cornrn;s.
lence." PAo'oAe Vlo-
We disclaimed any such intention
ana made 1t plain in words of ono
Sy4anie, the Commissioner explained
5enlamin, as spokesman for the
sho sshoup. charged after the meeting with
heads had indicated that II is ttas.
intention so to interpret the laws ss =,
march" VAC 1Aoiiser
He said the committee had ca,,ad
upon the Commissioners not onIv -
demand the food, lodging and freedon,
from police interference, but to .rsit- :
crate our intention to conduct an or
ter 1sIiy march In support of our demands
1or the unemployed"
Submit Three Requests.
;, In a formal statement submitted 70
sie commissioners, the hunger march
conlmlttee asked three things.
I. Shelter for 5000 for the niobts
OF December 4. and 6. s-A"'
2. rood for 5000 during their Stav
mere, tnat Is, one meal on the eve.
nIng OF the 4th, all E4eals on the 5th
and 6tn, and breakfast on the 7th.
8. Meeting hall for mass meeting
ana conference the evening of the
a a.l ana an oay and evening the 5th
Benjamin said the Commissioners, 70
iusai to cooperate would result onIv in
increased activity by the marchers
themselves to provide their own food
ana lodging here He said that OF
ready additional quantities of foodstuffs
We're being collected and now are en-
Ioute mere with the marchers. food
oepot, LOT emergency use," he said has
oeeh 9 eStaonsned IN Baltimore Food
added 'oAi' iic
In the statement submitted to the
commissioners, however, the commit
Tee pointed cut, the very Conditions
that make the national hunger march
necessary, make the financing of this
action next to impossible"
The delegation in the hunger march
represents men and women who are
either entirely destitute or whose in
come, If they are still employed. has
been reduced to starvation level bv
JOB sharing and repeated drastic wage
cuts, 1t was explained
Sees Forcible Restraint.
Continuing his explanation of the
conference with the Commissioner
Benjamin declared "the actions thus far
of District authorities are internreted
as representing a policy for forcibly de-
nylng US the right to petition Congress
Benjamin'S estimates that between
1000 and 5000 marchers would be here
when Congress convenes on Monday,
were not supported by figures received
from police chiefs throughout the coun-
try by the Metropolitan Police Depart
Continued on Page 3, Column 81