The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-12-29
The Epic Story of
the Pacific Coast
Bonus M ers

gether?
They all hiked on, six miles more
to O'FaIon, farmers along the way
donating pork, bread and sausage.
They found no trains stopped in
O'Fallon. They borrowed a truck
from an ex-serviceman living there,
and rode out to Scott Aviation Post
Smith asked a sergeant: where's
the Officer of The Day?
What do you want him for?"
"We want permission to solicit
for funds for Bonus March ex-
penses."
"Oh, let the Officer of The Day
sleep, and go down to that end of
the barracks where they're most
civilized, and solicit"
They collected some money, and
when they went to leave, some mys-
FERROUS soldier had eqipped their
truck with light.
THEY made the chief OF police of
a OFallon hunt them up a truck
to take them to Breeze. There the
ex-seryicemen got them another
truck, to Centralia.
They demanded another truck
from the mayor of Centralia. He
said he didn't know where one could
be found, He was very cold to the
idea.
So they took their flag, fastened
1t to hitching post and started a
meeting. The crowd got bigger and
bigger. By tens and fifteens, people
arrived, to hear how veterans who
were told nothing is too good for
YOU when they we're fighting for
Wall Street, are treated now,
cheated of their back pay, not even
given transportation to go and ask
for it.
A farmer who wants to be post
master rushed up and offered the
loan of a truck.
"HOW ABOUT A FEED?"
That took them to Flora. The
chief of police there argeed: "You
are just making trouble; the coun-
try is in good shape; everybody has
enough to eat.''
What do you say you feed us
then9" demanded the vets.
But then it developed the coun-
try might be full of food, but the
city treasury of Flora was empty.
Nobody needs to go around
ragged" said the chief of police.
looking on them with disfayor.
SO much clothes in the country.
why not give us some?" asked the
vets.
Cant Treasury is bustedi' said
the chief of police.
But the authorities got them a
truck and started them off to the
next little town. No trains stopped
there. They started looking for the
chief of police. but he hid out on
them. They took UP collection of
SLIGO, bought gas, and rode in the
Flora truck to Olney.
THERE they were met by the chief
OF police and two cars full of
deputies. The officials were '1ook-
ing for Reds" After a long argu-
ment, they were routed through the
outskirts of town, and arrived on
foot at a farmers house. They
slept in the farmers barn. His
wife donated coffee and they ate on
his porch. They scraped all their
pennies together, and telephoned
Tor a truck to take them to Law
renceville, 30 miles away. Then the
truckman reneged. So they walked
the 30 miles, and caught a local at
Lawrenceville to Paris, III. There
they caught a freight on the Penn
sylvania line to Columbus, o.
While they were sitting on the
train at Columbus two railroad
bulls" came up and ordered them
off, saying:
you could ride for all we care,
but the main office has issued strict
orders no bonus marchgs are to
ride the freights."
GET TO WHEELING
They went to the Unemployed
Council Hall in Columbus, and
stayed over Sunday, then caught a
freight on the B. g. Q. to Wheeling,
W. Va.
They collected some grub sl1ere,