Evening star., 1932-10-21
NEWTON REbUKED
CHIEF OF POLICE
GIassford, in Magazine Inter-
view, Says He Was Criticized
for Talking to Press.

Brig. Gen. Pelham D. Glassford was
rebuked by Walter Newton, secretary
to President Hoover. for saying any
thing at all to newspepermen" about a
trip he made to the White House to
discuss the bonus marchers prior to
their eviction from Washington.
This disclosure is made by the chief
of police in an interview with Owen
White. published In the october 20 is
sue of Golfers Magazine.
Gen. Glassford's description Of the
incident, as told by Mr.. White. follows:
when I came out Of the White
House after my call on Mr.. Newton
the assembled gentlemen of the press
asked ME the same question (What had
he been told by Mr.. Newton?) and of
course I told them that couldn't quote
the Presidents secretary. I did tell
them, though, what I had been to see
him about, and even that created a
rumpus.
Flareback Suspected.
you see, didn't then understand that
it was not considered ethical for me- to
tell the newspapers the truth. / al
ways had done that, and so the next
day, when Secretary Newton called me
on the phone and wanted to know why
had told the press anything at all,
that was the only explanation I gave
him.
And wasn't there quite disagree
able bareback to that remark?" he was
asked by his interviewer.
Not that I knew of at that time"
Gen. Giassford replied within the
past few days. however, have heard
that there was very considerable one;
II uro fa fnn htfCr at
tending to my job, which was getting
bigger every day, to pay any attention
to what I would call gossip"
Was almost FIoored."
Gen. GlaSsford said he was almost
floored" by suggestion from the Dis
trict Commissioners when he went to
them for advice on methods of handling
the incoming bonus marchers.
From all over the United States"
he Is quoted in the article as saying,
"ex-soldiers were heading for Washing
ton, and what would be the result?' I
didn't know. Nobody knew, and thus
it was that when I first went to talk
with the District Commissioners I had
no definite plan in mind. just wanted
their advice and I got it. 1 told the
Commissioners that the few hundred
men already in Washington were only
the advance guard of what might turn
out to be a huge army and I wanted
to be told how they wanted it handled
Imagine my surprise when 1t was
suggested that / treat these men as in
digents, pass them along to the Saliva
ton Army or any other charity organi-
zation that would feed them. and then
make them move on as rapidly as pcs
Sib!e.
Recalls Other Marches.
THAT almost hoored mel couldn't
see it that way precedent, in fact,
had been established in another direc-
tion. Hunger marchers and Coxey's
Army had been allowed to come into
the Capital, parade. petition Congress
program. SO couldn't see why ex-
soldiers should be Disseminated against.
II the men as they came in proved to
be crooks and radicals I'd know what
to do with them, but if, as I expected
would be the case, they showed up
with good military records, wound
stripes and decorations for bravery, I
knew that as a soldier myself I
couldn't tell them to keep moving just
as If they were a lot of buns"
He said he told the Commissioners
that II they wanted him to carry out
their order they would have to hand
1t to him in writing. and that they
wouldn't do that.
Describing the attempt of the radi-
cal wing of the bonus army to DEM
onstrate in front of the White House,
Gen. Glassford said:
There wasn't great deal to it.
They just started to do it and the
police stopped them. A few heads
were cracked, few men were arrested,
and from somewhere the word came
to me that If the area around the Ex-
ecutive Mansion was not cleared
promptly-because, of course, thou
sands of curious citizens had gathered
to enjoy the disturbance-the troops
would be ordered out. And it was
cleared. In IS minutes there wasn't
a soul except police officers within two
blocks of the White House in any di-
rection."
Denies Asking for Troops.
Explaining that it had already "cre-
ated tco much controversy" the police
chief declined to discuss the last DAYS
OF the occupation by the bonus army
and the eviction orders he received.
However, he reiterated his denial that
he had asked for troops and repeated
his assertion that he did not believe
they were necessary
Gen. Glassford said he and leaders
OF the bonus army planned to encamp
the men on private property, from
which it was expected they could be
lnduced to leave the city gradually.
At the outset of the interview. Gen.
Glassford stated that he would discuss
the bonus army incident only apart
from its political Implications" which
he though would be decidedly out of
place.