Evening star., 1932-07-27
FDISTRICT HEADS
DENY AUTHORITY
IN BONUS EVICTION

Continued From First Page)
ried out by the United States marshal.
Should the Job of evicting the veterans
be too great for the marshal'S Office,
the metropolitan police force could be
deputiZed az rla- :hals to give them au-
thority to remove the men.
w. J. Donahue and Edward r. Wit
man represented he Treasury Depart
ment at today's conference. They re-
turned to their offices to advise Assistant
Secretary Heath that the Commission
ers were without authority to carry out
the evacuation.
missed when the awaited orders failed
to arrive.
In the conference with Glassford and
the Commissioners was George w.
Rhine, the contractor engaged to raze
the veterans "shanty town." Rhine,
who had crew of workn1en ready TO
begin operations this morning, Cancelled
his plans when the Commissioners failed
to transmit orders to Glassford to re-
move the former service men.
Has No Orders.
Before he went to the District Build
ing, at the request of Police Conmis-
sioner Herbert B. Crosby, Gen. Glass
ford said:
'I have no orders to vacate this
property and Comdr. Waters says he
win not do so voluntarily. The last
heard was not to 60 ahead until further
legal steps had been taken. That was
last night and I have heard nothing
since
Under original plans Of the Commits
Sioners, the veterans quartered in the
lower Pennsylvania avenue block were
ordered to evacuate at midnight Mon
day. This was extended until midnight
Tuesday and the failure of the Com
miSsioners to order the removal today
apparently means an indefinite post
ponement.
Wants New Quarters.
Waters, explaining why he did not
desire to order the men to leave the
property, said:
II cannot ask the men to vacate until
other quarters have been supplied"
GlaSSford said he had bsen advised
last night by Acting Corporation Coun-
sci Vernon West that orders relative to
evicting the veterans would be forth
coming by 7:30 am. today. No orders
were received at that hour. however,
and the police superintendent was un-
successful m an attempt to communi-
cate with the Commissioners,
At the hour scheduled for eviction of
the veterans Rhine and his men were
awaiting their removal to begin work.
Also on the scene was Mai. Edward
Keyes, construction engineer repre-
sentlng the Treasury Department, who
SAID 1t was his understanding that
necessary evacuation orders were trans
m1tted yesterday afternoon to the Dis
trict Commissioners. To enforce the
orders, which were never forthcoming,
Glassford had large detail Of police
men on hand
Special Squad ON Hand.
Comdr. Waters and his staff arrived
at the Pennsylvania avenue camp about
7 O'Clock to witness the evacuation.
scheduled for 7:S0. After a tour of the
"shanty town" he met Gen. Glassford.
and was advised that no orders had
been issued by the Commissioners to
evict the men.
Rhine, who contracted to tear down
the old buildings for what he could
make out OF sa1vaging the material. is
occupation Of the territory by the vet
erals. The Treasury has advised him
to proceed" with the wreckinc, but the
company which underworld his liability
ana Workmen's compensation insurance
has threatened to cancel his policies if
he begins work before the area is clear
ed Of all occupants.
Would Face Prosecution.
If Rhine's insurance were Cancelled
he would be liable to prosecution under
the District workmen's compensation
act. it was said.
Another problem confronted the con-
tractor through issuance of an order
By Secretary of Treasury Mills that
novels housing women and children be
left alone. The insurance company has
warned that all persons must be re-
moved from the area-not Just the vet
Grams themselves.
After series of conferences with off,
Gals OF the Treasury and War Depart
ments and American Red Cross over
obtaining suitable quarters for the men
evacuatlng the lower Avenue sector,
Waters issued instructions to his men
late yesterday to "offer absolutely no
resistance" to efforts Of police to move
them.
Tent Loan Extended.
Inc leader was refused Army tents
by Secretary of War Hurley, and Red
Cross ofhcials told him they could not
supply equipment without the permis-
sion and corporation Of the Govern
ment However, Gen. GlaSSford OBJ
tanned permission from Mai. Gen
Anton Stephan, commandaut of the
District National Guard, for the vet
Grams to continue to use some zoo squad
tents and number of Army rolling
kitchens.
A private camp site on the outskirts
of the District has been obtained for
veterans evicted from their present
quarters. Waters revealed last night.
He refused to say where the site is To-
Gated, however. Virtually the only pri-
vate property now occupied by the vet
erans is site on Alabama avenue
southeast and the old Bieber d Kauf-
man store at Eighth and I streets south
east.
just before midnight last night, the
Capital got 4 minor scare Half q
dozen movor cycle officers and q patrol