Evening star., 1932-07-29
GLASSFORD CALM
. THROUGHOUT RIOTS
Police Chief a Dominating
Figure in Wild Scenes
at Bonus Camps.

TOlNC Oul uls bllC paci wv
mont Brig. Gen. Pelham d. Glass
ford remained q dominating figure.
Calm and collected in the midst of the
riotine, he was in the center of vir-
tually every disturbance which marked
one of the strangest days i'll the Capt.
tails history
Apparently he held the respect and
adm ration of the embattled bonus
marchers to the last and was roundly
cheered by them as he cleared the way
for the arrival of Federal troops in
what probably proved one of the final
episodes of the long occupation Of the
Capital by the veterans.
Only once during the long and trying
day did Glassford lose his temper. That
was when a bonus marcher snatched
the gold badge from his shirt and a
brick hit him during the wild brick
and gun battle which led to the calling
OF the troops.
Ccol and Unperturbed.
Glassford had remained cool and un-
perturbed even in the midst of the
brick tarrage. which tumbled two of
his policemen at his feet with badly
injured head When the marcher a
ragged little man. darted in under cover
of the barrage and snatched his badge,
however Glassford flushed with anger
and shouted to a policeman in the path
of the fleeing veteran, Get that man"
The man was arrested and GlaSSford' S
serenity quickly returned.
The tan, lean chief of police was in
the hottest part of the two wild riots
at the Pennsylvania avenue camp prior
to the arrival CT the troops; was struck
by a brick hurled by bonus marcher
and narrowly escaped being shot by one
OF his own policemen, who drew his
gun after being knocked to the ground
and half dazed in the scrimmage.
Gen. Glassford personally brought the
first riot to a close when he climbed
a little knoll in the midst of the flying
bricks, faced the excited veterans and
called to them: Come on, boys, let's
call an armtstice for lunch"
He first conferred with Comdr.
Waters and the staff Of the B. E. F.,
while a police Gordon kept all outsiders
away He learned from Waters that
the bonus forces were out of control.
Classford then dismissed Waters and
his staff and called in subordinate po
lice commanders for their reports on
the situation, all but the police being
held back. Then GlaSsford called the
newspaper reporters end quietly out
lined the situation to them, giving them
details OF what had happened, includfng
names of the injured which had been
reported to him.
Issues a Statement.
Later, in the course of another con-
ference with the press representatives,
while the troops were on the march to
the scene. Glassford said
II handed the situation for nearly
tuo months without bloodshed In
carving cut orders issued this morn
ing am sorry to say they resulted N
the death Of ne man and eerious in
jury to another and injuries 10 several
policemen.
THE Army is coming to take charge
o fohe situ:.ticn and put these veterans
on the .itreet."
Then with sigh:
"They will still be on the police, but
not so we'll handed"
C-assford was asked about the Shoot
ing of william Hashka, the veteran who
was killed, and said that he mad Wit
resced the entire affair. He described
the shooting as follows:
"I was abort 20 yards aI;ay from the
building when 1 heeri commotion. 1
went to the second floor. One oncer
had started up the steps and near the
rea. 1 heard scme one say:
LETS get him
THE officer had attempted to stop
conlnotion between two veterans. AS
he started up the steps bricks started
falling on him, and as leaned over
the railing above I saw him fall and
draw his gun. firing two shots. Two
other policemen rushed up with their
guns IN hand.
Ducks Behind Pillar.
81 leaned over and shouted, Stop that
shooting! When I did that one of my
men, who apparently was dazed by the
bricks and thought l was veteran
about to throw at him. turned his re-
volver straight at me. I ducked be-
hind a pillar for fear he might shoot
before he realized who 1t was.
Il should say that the officer on the
ground shot at a range OF about four
feet at the man who was attacking him.
IAN investigation will have to de-
termine how many shots were fired"
Earlier Gen Glassford had expressed
the belief that the shooting was lusti-
fed.
At other times. amid scenes of seeth-
ing excitement, where only spark was
needed to start a conhagration, Glass
ford, calmly pufing on black pipe.
maintained peace by his own unrufneo
demeanor.
Astride MS big blue motor cycle. Gen.
Glassford arrived at the Pennsylvania
avenue camp in advance of the Treas
uEy Department detachment which pre-
cipitated the riots by underta king the
clearing of the area. For the first time,
he had discarded his blue uniform coat
and was in shirt sleeves like the rest OF
his men.
When the six Treasury men went
into action, with II policemen as eS-
corts. Gen Glassford stood by with
waters. keeping a watchful eye on the
proceedings. Glassford personally had
supervised the preparations for evacu-
ating the men, roping of a cleared
space around the structure.
The fighting started half hour after
when the bricks began to fly, Gen.
Glassford was in the midst Of the melee
In an instant, calling on the veterans TO
quiet down and listen TO their leaders,
who had pleaded with them not to
6ght.
AS the rioting stopped, Glassford
climbed aboard his motor cycle and
went 10 the District Building, shortly
after l o'clock. to confer with the Com
misS.c:..cc7. Calling Of troops was dis
cussed it was understood. but Glass
ford expressed the belief the situation
stlH was under control of the police.
The move was deferred and Glassford
returned TO the Avenue camp. Com
missioner Luther H. Reichelderfer vis-
.ted the scene later being taken around
by GlaSSford.
Gen. GlaSsford demonstrated the
value of his long training in the Army
IN the orderlness with which he con-
Quoted several conferences during the
troublesome period preceding the arri-
val of the troops. following the second
Outbreak of rioting.