The Washington times., 1932-09-12
R|D|CULES MOVE To PLACE
CRIMINAL " STAMP
ON BONUS VETS
Bv FLOYD GIBBONS
Copyright, 1892. by Universal Service, 1nc)

PORTLAND, Ore. Sept. 12.-Helo, everybody-here's
a war and here's yarn.
It opens up full blast the front pages across the
nation and on the convention floor Of the American
Legion right here in Portland.
had hunch that it going to happen, and that's
why beat it out here without orders Instructions
Just to be on the Job when the fireworks started.
The Grand Offensive Starts
Stand by now and hold on to your hat, because this
week you witnessing the grand opening of the grand
offensive which is to continue with increasing ferocity
until the political armistice day on November 8.
month ago President Hoover hurled the Secretary
of War; the chief of staff and the United States Army
against hungry homeless, jobless veterans and their
wives and children in Washington and drove them out
of the Capital of the nation they fought for.
He did it with fire and sword and tear gas and tanks
Today he justifies his action.
Accused of "Grave" Crimes
President Hoover's classification" is based the
reporter the Attorney General that 500 exservce men
among the 10000 that passed through the bonus camps
in Washington have been convicted at one time an
other of violating the laws of the country
The violations range from feonous homicide of which
reported to drunkenness of which 95 of the
exservice men had been found guilty at time
another
Other laws violated to bring up the grand total of 829
dangerous convcts include breaking traffic regulations
vagrancy, and splitting the sidewalk, which comes
under the heading Of disorder conduct.
This constitutes the extraordinary proportion Of criminal
elements which President Hoover in the reporthe eek
traordnary proportion which justified the calling of the
AS figure it. the proportion of 829 convcs out of 100000
that passed through the something under three
How About Harding Cabinet
Now let's see just how bad that is. r.'-s
Why President Hardings cabinet of which Mr. Hoover
of Commerce. higher record than
thatyes a least 10 cent of Mr. Hardngs cabinet
convicted and sent to the pnitenary and its time be-
hind the barsand wasn't for parking in front of fire plug
either.
The extraordnary proportion criminal element dis
covered by the Department of Justice which Mr. Hoover says
he directed to exhaustivey investigate the socaed bonus
riot
After months exhaustive investigations the Department of
Justice sleuhs revealed that there exservce who
had been found guilty of vagrancy.
I'm lawyer, much less Attorney General but always
thought anybody who had address and was with
out visible means of support was guilty OF vagrancy
Whole Army" Migrants
Whv the whole doggone bonus army vagrants.
And 100000 other unemployed American citizens
No Jobs, homes, just vagrans
vagrancy of the United States of America the thing
that sent the to Washington.
That's what they went to Washington to explain
They don be vagrants.
Department Justice did not have to exhaustvey
investigated to find that SO of the veterans vagrants
The thousands that tramped to Washington went there to
tell the President and the Congress that they were vagrants
and that they tired of being vagrants and they wanted
to knew hen and still want know why they are vagrant
and whose fault is and how long they must continue to
wander around the country without permanent address or
visible means of support.
Refused to See Them
Congress saw them, but did nothing
President Hoover refused to see them
The in the wrong B. E. F. The other was
the Bankers Expeditionary Force
Were they received and did they collect?
In President Hoovers crime chart of the convicted ex
service of the bonus army item which will bring
the blush Of shame most veterans.
Out of that destitute 10000 that tramped to Washington
49 guilty of violating the liquors aws-you know,
drinkin and carrying like that with alcohol.
The other $4,000 and veterans must have been dry,
and that's just what's worrying the delegates this
venion-these egonnare who have been trying do
thing about the beer business since they back from
and fOun had to
racket.
$50 Proven Innocent
Those 829 convc who brought the criminal record of the
bonus army lower percentage than the criminal record
of President Harngs Cabnethose 829 convicted veterans
not the only that under the ban of the
Presidents investigation
25O others who had been charged with
crimes mSdemenors but had been able to PROVE THEM
SELVES INNOCENT
As example 63 cuprts who had been charged with the
of suspicion and investigation hose the words
from the attorney generals crime chart and although