Evening star., 1932-06-07
BONUS ARMY CAMP
LOOKS LIKE K0NG0
Inspection Reveals Typical
American Atmosphere,
However.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.


sprawling Camp Camden, down by the
Anacostia River
It is sort OF cross between the mill
tary and the gypsy-this spot where
more than 1000 World War veterans
from the four quarters of the United
States today were drowsily waiting for
something to happen.
The shelterless ex-Service men are
showing considerable native ingenuity in
meeting the elements-the showers and
the burning sun. They have evolved
curious sort of shelter-the straw tent
This is structure about the size and
shape OF an Army pup tent" with a
framework OF odd-sized sticks. pieces of
rusty iron garnered from a neighboring
junk pile and any other material which
will fit. This is all closely thatched
over, top and sides. with closely inter-
woven straw.
Like Congo Village.
Inc nearest comparison to the part
OF the camp where these structures are
most abundant is that of a Congo vii
lage. Nothing quite like it probably
has been seen in the United States be-
fore. 1t might have been copied, on
reduced scale, from pictures published
In the memories of African explorers.
Presumably this sort of structure. which
is rather neat in appearance, affords a
good shelter from the burning sun. but
not much from a prolonged shower
For the most part, however, the
camp consists of uncovered beds Of
straw-hundreds Of aligned patches of
straw, each just the size of a mans
body. In some cases there are blankets
rolled up beside the straw beds. They
are scattered all over the field in little
clusters where groups OF 'buddies" have
81 thnr ~
were stretched out today, soiled hand
kerchiefs over their eyee, some snoring,
some dosing quietly and many just
resting There was nothing to be done
only dose and wait
In many respects it is character
istically American gathering, with the
tang of the hinterland about 1t. 1t
couldn't be duplicated anywhere else
in the world. The general atmosphere
is the reverse OF anything that could
be associated with red" In the CEN
ter OF each cluster of straw pallets the
flag is flying.
Typical American Slogans,
As American" as anything are the
slogans. The B. E. F. is producing a
literature of its own on placards and
painted on the sides Of battered auto |
mobiles. Here are few OF them
gathered at random:
I'VE need it, our kiddies need, it, |,
Millions for war, not one cent for
hungry vets"
Food and clothing now. Not cof-
fin later"
Did the U. s. ever have ragged SOL
diers? Not until today"
who Won the war? We haven't Won |
anything
Georgia vets. Rebels and Yanks
united we stand"
I'VE thought We left all the coolies
in France"
Hurry up. Then we'll shut up
We Virginians are doing our best to |
bring better times now"
why pay us last?'
THE Liberty Bells cracked, but Uncle |
Sans not
Help us to get the wrinkles out OF
our bellies
We can't live on wheat biscuits for
ever"
.9If we can't ride a box-car we'll get |
there lust the same"
"Oh say, can't you pay. our bonus to-
day?
1t will keep us away from the home
Of the old and the gray
Insignia May Be Next.
!. Almost every car that comes in has a
new slogan. The veterans haven't yet
evolved any insignia. which is likely to
be the next step
The strange phenomenon of military
gatherings everyWhere-the camp rumor
is notable everywhere. Men see things
and overhear conversations. They tell |
about their experiences with the utmost
confidence and fullness of detail Yet
there uor6 pf truth tho r |
counts. This. Of course. was notorious
phenomenon during the World War
Some Star reporters chased a wild |
rumor that approximately 100 truck
loads of veterans were crossing the Dis
trict line at Wisconsin avenue. On |
reaching the place they found one |
truckload Of about 20 men from Penn |
sylvania halted there by the police. |
Back about five miles. these men said. |
vast assembly had pitched a tempo !,
rary camp There were nearly a thou |
sand men there. A few minutes before |
they had stopped and talked with them. |
They were undecided whether they /
should not wait at the line for this big |
contingent to catch up with them. |
They gave considerable detail concern
ing this great camp by the roadside.
with the 100 trucks parked on the Rock !
vile Highway. Yet careful search Of
JIlS COuIlliy UclWC-H llIc dIu
Gaithersburg failed to reveal the
slightest sign Of any such gathering. 1t
made, one think Of France and 1918,
Have Craps Games, Too.
Another Army touch at Camp Cam |
den-the eternal craps game. These
veterans haven't much money but what
they have seems to be changing hands
rapidly as the dice roll softly over blan-
kets spread on the straw pallets.
The "gold-brick salesman" is in evil
dence already An apartment house
salesman was at work this morning. lay
ing the foundations for business if the
bonus should happen to be paid. The
eternal camp follower is beginning to
appear, to exact his toll from the almost
empty pockets of these poor fellows.
There are also the sightseers. Some
OF the contingents arriving this morning
brought women. wives of veterans. They
plan to live in their cars on the out
skirts Of the camp.
Most of the arrivals today seemed to
be In small grcupS-a truckload from
county. Several Pennsylvania counties
sent such delegation of from 10 to 20
men They were mostly farmers and
told stories of being forced to abandon
their fields through mortgage FORE
closures, without chance even to har-
vest the early crops.
Disheartening and Squalid.
Camp Camden is semi-military and
altogether American. Yet \ is dis
heartening squalid place. Not that 1t
is exceptionally dirty. 1t has, in fact,
been kept remarkably clean when one
considers that more than, 1000 men
from all classes of society and Of all
colors are gathered there without any
authoritative discipline. But with such
a mass Of humanity huddled together in
an open field, extreme squalor is bound
to develop.
Strangest sidelight Of all, perhaps
Camp Camden Is silent. There is no
singing of camp songs, no optimistic
ovaoA follauvchj, A1p,ncf tho 0y1y SoIrpA