Evening star., 1932-06-18
bonus ARMY VOWS
TO REMAIN HERE
Only Scattered Groups Begin
Trek Home After Defeat
in Senate.
Continued From First Page.)

legislation II 1t reached him.
| Notice that the fight would be con-
tinued had been given earlier by Sen
| ators Bankhead, Democrat, of Alabama
and Thomas, Democrat, of Oklahoma,
but the parliamentary maneuver thwart-
ed their plans. They had changed their
votes from AYE" to no so they could
move reconsideration at later date.
! To the sea Of upturned faces outside
the Capitol. Commander in Chief Walter
! w. Waters of the bonus eXpeditionary
force. announced the defeat
| We have received temporary set
back" he shouted. The Senate has
| refused to pass the bill
| A half stunned silence and then a
tremendous boo greeted the COM
mander'S remark.
But we will stay here until the bonus
is paid" Waters roared again, and
cheers reverberated against the stately
walls Of the high-domed building.
Veterans Sing america"
Quickly and as if rehearsed for months
the Army Band, playing in another sec
! ton of the grounds, struck up America +"
The veterans began to sing. drowning
out the blare of the big band.
Back to camp boys-let's get mov-
ing" another leader shouted. The huge
crowd began to mill
Remember, fellows, the police are
our buddies," another roared as he
caught sight of part of the big reserve
of Metropolitan police held in readi-
ness i'll the basement of the building
marching out onto the plaza
The bluecoatS were received with
cheer. Inspector Albert J. Headley of
the Metropolitan department. waved
his arms above his head Come on,
boys, start moving. You've been here
all day and know you are tired" he
shouted
| In Is minutes the plaza was cleared
| and the men were tramping back to
their camps. Full realization of the
extent of their defeat had not sunk in
! as the men yielded to the persuasion
of Inspector Headley. Additional thou
sands who remained in the camp on the
| flats Of Anacostia went to bed believ-
ing the final vote was still to come
They had been kept in camp by
| police who raised the draw of the Ana
| costa River Bridge to prevent them
from joining their comraces on the
| Capitol Plaza The Pennsylvania Ave-
nue. Bridge. spanning the same stream,
also had been blocked by police. result
ing in tie-up OF traffic throughout
the early night.
liz NcltIdllS lldu SldIleU dSStIHDIlI1R
even before the Senate came to work
in the morning and their numbers
sWelled steadily 1t was an anxious
time for police, but members of Con-
gress and leaders of the bonus army
kept up steady series of talks for
order. entertainers led the men in song
and all was peaceful.
. Then just before the Senate neared
vote word came to the police that
thousands Of the veterans had left
their camps and were converging on
the Capitol.
Inspector L. I. H. Edwards. assistant
superintendent of police. sped to the
Eleventh Street Bridge across the Ana
costa River. connecting Camp Marks,
the main billet Of the veterans with
the city, and ordered the draw raised.
Inspector Edwards. explained today
he gave the order because I had in
formation that the entire outfit at
Camp Marks in Anacostia was prepar-
ing to march on the Capitol"
With such a large movement of
men into the city at that hour, didn't
know what might happen" the assist
ant superintendent said. "A large body
OF marching men would have tied up
traffic for hours and with the entire
body marching across the bridge it
| would have tied up traffic on that cross
ing"
Thousands Trapped.
Some three or four thousand men
already had crossed the bridge and
about the same number were trapped
on the other side. when the draw was
lifted. These thousands immediat\
rushed to the Pennsylvania Avenue
Bridge. less than a mile away.
There they were met by detail OF
police nearly tWo-Score strong, who or
dered them to return to their billets.
Many acceded, but others. more resolute,
dashed to the railroad bridge, farther up
the river. where they were again blocked
from crossing. The Benning Bridge also
was guarded by police, and the men
finally returned to the Eleventh Street
Bridge, where a few Of the men loudly
denounced police action.
We've got a perfect right to cross
the bridge" shouted several. This is
not war: We have a right to 60 to the
Capitol"
But their complaints availed them
nothing, and the draw remained up for
nearly two hours.
At the Pennsylvania Avenue Bridge
six police roadsters were drawn up along
side the road at the south end of the
crossing and two huge riot" cars parked
at the north end Police were deter
bridge to join the 5000 to 5000 on the
Capitol Plaza. Even a police launch
patrolled between the bridges to pre-
vent the men from crossing in boats.
Opening Of the draw was part Of a
war plan" evolved by Police Chief
Glassford in case the veterans should
start trouble. 1t was invoked by In
spector Edwards. however. in the alb
sence Of the superintendent.
Except for the grumbling Of few
men and the refusal of about 300 to
leave the south end Of the bridge, the
men raised no objection to the move
After being rebutfed at the other bridges
they returned to their quarters or re-
clined on the grass Of Anacostia Park
way to the west of the bridge
At about O'Clock one veteran pleaded
with the "picketers" to leave the bridge
SO that street car traffic could be re-
sumed land the hundreds of people who
have been working all day can return to
their homes" Less than an hour later
the draw had been lowered and traffic
resumed, but detail of policemen con-
tmued to stand guard.
Motor Traffic Rerouted.
All motor traffic was rerouted from
the Eleventh Street Bridge via Pennsyl-
vania avenue. An officer at M street.
apparently with the intention of not
causing alarm, explained to exasperated
motorists that the bridge has COL
lapsed" Other policemen told curious
throngs who flocked to the bridge that
the draw damned" after it had been
raised.
The veterans themselves were told by
officers that the Senate would not vote
until today ON the bonus bill, that Con-
gress had recessed overnight.
Back in the camps the men waited in
vain for an announcement as to the
fate of the bill. Grouped around a
shack on which makeshift stage had
been erected. they sang songs and were