Evening star., 1932-09-14
.B.E.F. CONTROVERSY
TRUCE is CALLED
GIassford and Commission.
ers SheIve Dispute to Dis
cuSS Police Business.

REMAIN ~. GidSSlOfQ anC the District
Commissioners over who issued the call
for military aid in the bonus riots ap-
peared at a standstill today, following
tWo-hour conference between the dis
putants.
After the long parley Gen. Glassfois
smilingly announced that controversial
matters had been shelved to make way
for consideration of important police
business" This business, 1t was learned.
involved numerous police changes as
well as a discussion Of what to do about
the starlings.
ON entering the conference" Glass
ford explained to reporters, II suggested
TO Gen. Crosby that We defer any con-
trovefsy in order to take care of police
business. and he agreed"
Resignation Left in Air.
Left in the air was the question Of
whether GlaSsford would be asked to
resign for his caustic criticism of the
use Of Federal troops against the bonus
marchers-a use which he emphatical-
ly denies he sanctioned, despite equally
emphatic declarations to the contrary
Dy the Commissioners and the Attorney
General.
The barrage Of official statements that
followed the publication of Attorney
General MITCHELL report to President
hoover on the riots appeared to have
come to an end for the time being.
Glassford had the last say with a sup
elementary statement yesterday after
noon. which he augmented with a few
verbal comments last night before the
Legion OF Valor in Baltimore.
Receives Laudatory Messages.
The police chief is said to have re-
celved messages from persons approving
OF his stand in the B. E. F. controversy.
Among these was the following telegram
from Gov. Pinchot Of PENNSYLVANIA:
Hearty congratulations on your cour-
age and common sense In Pennsyl-
vania we treated the bonus marchers
driven out of Washington Just as YOU
treated them in Washington before the
stupid and brutal Army attack, and
while the situation was under your con-
troll. The result absolutely justified
your course. Your self-forgatful. truth
telling set a great example for every
public official in America.
Continues Before Jury.
In the meantime. the Justice Depart
ment continued presentation to the Dis
trict grand jury Of evidence designed
to show explosives and firearms were
secreted in the bonus army camps.
Sergt George L. Brown. World War
hero of numerous decorations. appeared
before the grand jury to testify that he
saw a cache of dynamite at Camp
Marks while he was encamped there az
a member of the B. E. F.
The explosives. Brown previously had
advised Assistant Attorney General Nu-
gent DoddS in an AFFIDAVIT consisted Of
seven and a half sticks Of dynamite
and number of detonating caps. They
were seen in one of the billets at the
Anacostia camp, Brown swore What
became of them he did not say in his
written statement to the Justice De-
pArtment.
First Direct Statement.
In the past there have been reports
concerning the discovery of q supply
of dynamite at Camp Marks, but
Browns testimony was the first direct
statement given the Justice Department
in support of the rumorS Published
reports were to the effect the dynamite
was found by a B. z. F. member and
that officials CT the bonus army prompt
ly destroyed it.
Sergt. Brown is holder Of the Dis
tinguished Service Medal, the French
Legion of Honor, the French Croix de
Guerre and the Carnegie Medal of Valor
for heroism. He suffered lung ailment
as result of his war service and q
recurrence of the disability last week
prevented him from making a previously
scheduled appearance before the grand
jury. At that time three other bonus
marchers testified that rifles and pistols
were hidden in the various billets.
While no definite information could
be obtained, it is expected that with the
testimony of Brown the Government
will leave the matter in the hands OF
the grand jury. The final report Of
this body will be made october 3.
Again Praises b. E. F.
On the same program at a banquet
in Baltimore last night with a special
assistant to the Attorney General and
a Yrajor general of the Army, Gen.
Giassford again defended the B. E. F.
lar Army division"
There were as many as 10000 or
them in Washington at one time" he
told the gathering attending the forty
second annual banquet of the Army
the entire period and up to the last
day I don't think any Regular Army
division could have been more patri-
otic or better behaved"
Gen. GlaSsford's brief address fol-
lowed one by Col. Jennings c. Wise.
special assistant to Attorney General
Mitchell. He was introduced to mem
bers of the Legion of Valour. COM
prised of wearers of the Congressional
Medal of Honor and Distinguished
Service Cross. by Mai. Gen. Paul B..
Malone, commander of the Sd Corps
Area.
100 Eligible to Legion.
Opening by saying Il know you will
be disappointed If don't say some-
thing about the bonus army" Gen.
Glassford dropped his voice and said:
There were 100 members of that
army eligible for membership in this
legion" He added that the story Of
the bonus army is long one and
has not yet been completely told"
He then pointed out how, after the
bonus marchers had been driven out
Of Washington, they invaded Maryland
ouo PACPoACo W pAICH CdLup All lAldt
State
But the chief executive of this State
spent three hours and a half in con-
ference with Comdr. w. w. Waters and
peaceably secured the evacuation Of
these ill-advised veterans to their re-
spective States"
The police chief closed by saying
there was something in this bonus
army which appealed to the Nation" "
and appealed for the assistance of the
Legion Of Valor In alleviating distress.
Privilege Of Serving.
II hope we won't have any more in
vasions of this sort" he concluded. AT
the same time, we must realize that
there is a great deal Of distress through
out the country Whatever this Legion
can do to relieve that distress would
be of great help"
Col. Wise. after long talk dealing
with the principles Of the Legion OF
valor, made only brief reference to
| the honuS question