The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-08-30
Member of Audit Bureau of
Circulation
tOfficial City, State and County
Newspaper
The Legion JeerS

Few incidents deserve more atten-
ton from those who would analyze
the national political situation thar
the reception accorded F. Trubee Da-
vison, assistant secretary of war
when he spoke to the New York con-
vention of the American Legion Sat-
urday.
Dawson is not only distinguished
war veteran. he is high officer in
the government and a potential Re.
publican candidate for the governor
ship of New York. It was to be as
sumed that he would be accorded a
respectful hearing.
He got it until he attempted to tell
his fellow veterans that the trouble
in Washington between the Bonus
Expeditionary Force" and the police
was caused by Communists. He at
tempted to recite the inside story
of that episode, as conceived by gov
eminent authorities, and was roundly
Missed and jeered.
Whether what he said was true OF
false is beside the point. The indi-
cative thing is that his hearers re-
garded it as "applesauce' and were
frank to express their opinion in the
most obvious method open to them.
One gets the impression that the
New York Legionnaires felt they were
being subjected to the time honored
trick of having a red herring drawn
across the trail.
AT any rate they certainly were
critical.
The political significance comes
from the fact that the Dawson story
as presented to the New York veter-
ans, is the official story as related by
his superior, Secretary Hurley, one
OF the high priests of the admins
tration. If it gets the same reception
everywhere as it did in New York
the handling of the Bonus Expedi-
tionary Force" by the administration
may turn out to have been serious
political blunder.
Offsetting the New York incident,
however, was the appearance on the
streets of Bismarck of an automo-
bile, driven by a member of the late
B. E. F." and containing many
signs, practically all of them derid-
ing President Hoover and the admin
istration. In cage at the side of
the machine was a monkey and on
the cage was the sign, MY first name
is Herbert. Guess my last name but
don't insult me-
Other signs and poems painted on
or affixed to the machine lampooned
the president quite as bitterly.
The car contained three men and
a woman, who were fed and cared
for by local veterans organizations.
It is significant, however, that no
local organization sponsored a public
meeting which the leader of the quar-
tet. one Wilmer Goodwin who said
he halls from Los Angeles, proposed
to hold
The purpose of the expedition, as
related by Goodwin, was to tell the
people the facts about the "evacua-
ton Of Washington" which he sale
the newspapers have suppressed, ane
to rouse the spirit Of the country /,
preparation for another march on tn,
nations capital which he said wa
scheduled for six weeks hence.
The doubtful must assume tina,
another object, and one fully as i'm.
portant, was to cadge a living from
the stay-at-home veterans who fine
it difficult to turn down a buddy"
The present feeling among the lat.
ter, who constitute the vast bulk o
the voting veterans, seems to be thai
the B. e. F. was not properly treatec
in Washington but that another such
expedition would be unjustified.
The men who were evacuated
sense q certain public reaction II
their favor. Even those persons, vet.
Grams and non-veterans, who opposed
payment of the bonus, feel that the,
were mistreated.
Il, however, they return to Wash
ington now, this sentiment is likel,
to vanish. Certainly it Is doing tn,
cause Of the B. e. F. no good to hav
persons such as the quartet whicl
visited Bismarck, going about tn
country and making lurid statement!
IA print or by voice. Low epithet
and monkey cages won't win q can
paign.
~ It stands, the administration 60
Tho worst Of the trouble at Washing
tn. r the B. E. r. returns. . marks