Evening star., 1932-06-17
.TATTERED ARMY
SINGS At CAPITOL
Veterans, on Good Behavior,
Await Bonus Action
Outside Senate.
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.


The tattered bonus army invaders
! about 5000 of them-are staging their
big demonstration in front of the Capt.
tol today in a supreme effort to impress
the Senate with the justice Of their
cause, their own destitution and the
misery In the vast American hinterland
which they represent.
The trooped out of their squalid shell
ters this morning, realizing that the
crisis was close at hand, that the legis-
lative cards were falling against them
and that the only hope of getting the
bonus bill in any form through the
Upper House lay in effecting change
of heart in considerable body of the
members. They gathered under the
great elms on the se-cropped lawn
facing the Capitol, and the demonstra-
tion-the threat of which has caused
some apprehension-went on through
the morning as orderly as a farmer s
picnic.
Sing Familiar Tunes.
The men obviously were on their best
behavior. There was speechmaking,
but all of it restrained and sober. The
boys-voices sadly cracked with years
and with the bad colds they have con-
tracted from the drenchings of the last
1918. Over There" Keep the Home
Fires Burning" There's Long, Long
Trail A-Winding" sounded over the
Capitol Plaza. They repeated the Lord S
Prayer with bowed heads And through
1t all there was no suggestion of dis
order
1t was serious, but good -humored
crowd. The contrast was marked be-
tween this and the various red"
demonstrations which have been staged
in the same place during the last year
Obviously nobody was trying to SHOW
off," Although police reserves were
present as a precaution there was no
need for them. The men ate dinner,
The Oregon contingent, in barracks at
Eighth and I streets, brought up their
rolling kitchens and fed the crowd to
the limit of their resources The crowd
seemed to be entirely under the control
of the good-humored Doak E. Carter.
former Army captain and chief sani-
tary officer" Of the B. E. F.. who acted
as chairman Of the gathering.
There was constant effort to keep
up the spirits Of the men. sadly damped
by the rains, by the prospect of defeat
in the Senate, and to some extent by
the valid arguments concerning the
Nations financial plight that have been
brought against the bonus.
Tell Personal Needs.
Various men related their personal
experiences in justification of the bonus
payment, and in refutation of the claim
that the Government already has gone
to extreme lengths in caring for the
veterans. One man wanted his bonus,
he said, to pay the final installment on
surgical operation which had saved
his life after he had been DISCHARGED
from Walter Reed Hospital as incura-
BILE. Since then he has become mayor
of an Illinois town. Others needed
the money to save homes from the
mortgage holders Others were simply
hungry and ragged.
The men are trying to impress the
Senate with the good record they have
made since they have been in Washing
ton. I'VE have" as one of them ex-
pressed it. established the only military
camp ever where it is perfectly safe for
anybody to walk around in the dark"
And this is very nearly the truth.
new arrival at the bonus camp,
introduced as "Comrade Stafford of
Florida" led in the singing using a
folded newspaper as megaphone. He
brought with him new song, What did
they do when the boys came back?"
which seemed to make a hit with the
men. The big delegation in front of
the Capitol was making its best pos
sible appearance. Most Of the men
were clean-Shaven and had washed
their clothing. The police had nothing
to do except to keep the passageway
open up the Capitol steps. One Of the
biggest cheers went up for Inspector
Headley. who has become quite pop
ular with the invaders.
Comfortable in Shade.
The men obviously were hoping against
hope that the bonus bill in its modified
form-providing for immediate payment
to the destitute, while all veterans with
jobs or private incomes wait for the
policies to mature-would pass the Sen
ate. Then there would be some justifi-
cation for sticking in Washington in
the hope that additional lobbying would
bring strength enough to pass the meas
ure over the Presidents veto. Other
wise. they are asking, whats the use?"
Portable place to spend the hot day,
even at the cost of dinner. Many
were stretched out asleep under the
trees, having been unable to obtain
much sleep because of the drenchings
in their billets for the last few nights.
A notable factor in the orderliness of
these men-very obvious in the gather
ing today-is their age. 1t was nc
crowd of boys. but of middle-aged men
who have long since crossed the age
line when violent demonstrations are
likely. They have also reached the age
when a drenching and chilling brings
aching joints instead of the thrill OF
adventure.