Evening star., 1932-07-29
Eviction by Executive Order.

Washington reveals that, contrary to
some comments based upon an imperfect
knowledge Of the situation, there was no
violation OF the rights Of citizenship,
These men came to this city more than
two months ago, seeking from Congress
the enactment of a law for the i'm
mediate payment of the bonus due in
1915 They settled down in various
quarters, on public property. When
Congress adjourned few left. taking
advantage of loans from their unpaid
bonus funds for transportation and
subsistence en- route. The others re-
mained. declaring that they would stay
until Congress recorvened, resisting all
pleas to vacate. This created a diff
cult and even a dangerous situation,
which the police handled with COM
petence and patience.
The presence of ten or twelve thou
sand men, with a small percentage of
women and children, without any as
sured or regular means of support, con-
Stituted a menace to the peace and the
health of the community. The District
Commissioners sought to remove them
from their cantonments, in partly de-
molished buildings within the area OF
contemplated public Improvements and
in the park lands. 1t was found that
the Commissioners had no authority SO
to remove them and their order to that
effect was suspended The Federal
Government, owner of the property oc-
cupied, ordered the evacuation of these
areas. They did not move. The police
undertook to oust them and failed. and.
in a melee, the first that had occurred,
life was sacrificed.
The Attorney General issued an order
for the evacuation of the premises
The Commissioners reported to the
President that they were unable to
handle situation which was steadily
and rapidly developing into dangerous
character, and the President called
upon the Secretary of War to use the
forces of the United States to execute
that order. The troops were assembled
and with little delay moved into the
areas of occupation and ousted the
squatters. Their temporary housings
were destroyed, in the final case it
appears by the action of the occupants
themselves. Nobody was injured in
the course of these evictions. No pro-
vision was made, none could be made,
for substitute accommodations for the
marchers and for the women and chill
dren who accompanied them. This
was the most pitiful feature of the stu
alton.
In his public statement on ordering
the use of troops for the evacuation
of the public spaces and for the restora-
ton of order in the District the Presi-
dent said:
An examination of a large number
of names discloses the fact that a con-
siderable part of those remaining are
not veterans; many are Communists
and persons with criminal records. The
veterans among these numbers are no
coubt unaware of the character OF their
companions and are being led into vio-
lence which no government can toler-
ate.
Therein lies the most important fact
in this whole situation. That the march
of the bonus seekers, petitioners for leg
islation, has been utilized by subyersive
forces to make trouble and perhaps to
precipitate insurrectionary riots at the
Capital is undoubted. These radical
contingents have on several occasions
made demonstrations in defiance Of the
law. Some attempt was made by the
more conservative element in the bonus
army to diSsociate themselves from
these troublemakers. They were them
selves undoubtedly influenced by them
Their final defiance Of or6ers to quit
the places where they had established
themselves placed them in the same
category with those who were flagrantly
| Haunting authority.
The President of the United States
could not by any action within the
range Of his authority have prevented
/ these men from coming to Washington
/ When thsy were here he could not
4 compel their departure so long as the
! District Commissioners were able tc
/ maintain a reasonable degree Of order
When the Commissioners reported that
it was impossible to carry out the orders
| for the evacuation Of the public prop
erty without the free use Of firearms
which will make the situation a dan
gerous one" and requested that theI
be given sufficient Federal troops tx
maintain law and order in the District
there was nothing TO be done but II
use these troops. And the manner
! in which they were employed and ir
which they executed their mission wa!
highly commendable.
4