The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-12-29
BY VERN SMITH

SeNOU came III nard as nell, SalQ
the vets who met Harry
Smith, in Washington. He was
leader of a group of % Bonus
NIarchers from the Pacific Coast
and Middle West to Washington.
1--WE can be just as hard said
Smith.
His story of the trip made by
this little detachment of the great
Bonus March, is history of work
ing class ingenuity and persistence,
of solidarity and patient, undefeat-
able surrounding of the most
varied difficulties.
The group assembled in Kansas
City, broke, and LILO miles from
it's destination.
A stoolpigeon told them they
could catch freight at the Rock
Island Yards, far out of the city.
They went out there, and found no
trains were running, and walked
seven miles back to town. That
was just the beginning. On Nov.
%, they all caught a freight east
ward on the Missouri Pacific, the
Mop" They made ST. Louis that
night, and the next day took part
in the triumphal parade through
the city and demonstration before
the city hall of thousands of st.
Louis workers, led by Columns 2,
3 and 5 of the National Hunger
March.
RIDE WITH
HUNGER MARCHERS
The % rode with the Hunger
Marchers to East st. Louis, Ill,
and separated from them there.
While some committees collected
food, which was cooked and eaten,
another committee, with Smith
went to the yard master. They
found him surrounded by numbers
of railroad police The yard mas
ter called Smith aside and ques-
toned him as to the objects of
the march, then asked him what
he wanted.
Smith modestly replied that he
wanted an extra car put on the
train for the % to ride in.
"You know the Big Boys don't
like the idea of this march," said
the yard master.
ITO hell with the Big Boys, we're
not asking them anything about
It'll" said Smith
THEY got ready to board the
freight. The police demanded
that they scatter in twos and threes
along the track. The % saw
through the trick to let some go on
and hold the rest back They
stuck together, and they went up
on some open space outside the
yards.
The city police came down and
ordered them to move. They did,
for a ways, and the police came
again, this time making threats.
Stick togetherp shouted Smith.
Won't do you any good to stick
bceCtlANi oold d OODs
You'd be surprised what hap
pens when we stick together" said
the vets.
COPS FORCED
TO CONTRIBUTE
They refused TO leave town until
they ate. The bulls" flashed their
guns and badges No use. Finally,
to get them on their way, the police
contributed $1.05.
The boys ate, and were told they
could get a train at Caseyville,
-four and half miles OUT
They walked, and it turned out
to be nine miles: And the trains
went through too fast to board.
They Soaped the rails, but had
only enough soap for two rails,
and it didn't slow the trains enough
to get on.
Moreover, railroad police riding
the rear cars spotted one vet with
a flash light.
THAT night, while one man
watched the fires, the rest went
to sleep in an old mine near by.
Squads of police swarmed down on
the camp fires during the night,
but the one man there said he was
alone. didn't know anything about
any gang and finally was left
alone. The mine wasn't searched.
They slipped through CaseyYille
in twos and threes the next morn
ing. Some overheard the constable
complaining:
Il was told to arreSt tle leaders,
how can ] find Tie ~ .ers when
t7ever sec A,not-eb - +Ln.. ~