The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-08-02
MARYLAND SITE BAD


 Washington, Aug e.-(UP)- Leaders of the bonus expeditionary force proceeded today with their program for establishment of a permanent colony on a woodland tract near Waterbury, Md, despite determined opposition Of Governor Albert c. Ritchie of Maryland.
 Ritchie denounced the project as totally impracticable." He said he was obtaining legal advice to determine if it was possible to pre- vent the thousands of bonus army refugees now in Johnstown, Pa, from going to Waterbury.
 Commander Walter Waters Of the bonus army holds the deed to the new camp site, already occu- pied by nearly a score of veterans and their families.
 Waters was inaccessible early to- day. but one of his aides, Eugene F. Everett of New Jersey. fepheo to Ritchie's announcements
 "The land belongs to Walter Waters. He is inviting these men and women to visit him as his guests. If Maryland has any law which prevents Walter Waters from inviting anybody to be guests. if is a most unusual law, and l don't believe Maryland has such a law"
 Governor Ritchie said the camp site was totally unsuitable"
 "I have had it inspected by the state health department" the gov ernor's statement issued in Balti- more said. Ut is principally scrub woodland with no agriculture upon if possible. no food of any kind nothing like an adequate water supply and of course no sewerage facilities. No group could earn a livelihood on that land, and health and sanitation would be serious menaced."
 The governor said the presence of thousands of veterans with "no means of livelihood and no re. sources'' would present social problem and a problem of law and order of the first magnitude.
 "The men belong in the various other states from which they came" he said. ''and they should return there, or else the fedora government should undertake te send them there.
 | 1T do not think it necessary al this time to say what action tht state will take if the men under take to settle here. hope this statemenft, made with full sympa thvi for the men in what they have gone through, will be sufficient"
 Waters visited the camp site yes terday. promised the band Of earl! arriyals they would soon have re inforcements from Johnstown. ant appointed aides to help direct thu pioneer undertaking.
 waters selected Joe Pruitt o lCclorado as provost marshal of thu camn. Pruitt left for Johnstowr 10 organize 200 westerners and re turn to begin the construction work.
 Waters named Joseph q. Bullion Egg Harbor, N. J., as temporar! camp commander. It Is Mrs Bul lion, however, who Is the real lead CT of the advance guard campaign there.
 Drcssed in white duck trouscr and a ynan's shirt. she moves abou the camp, boistering up the moral' Of the bedraggled early arrivals flshtine the swarms of mosquitoe that infeet the woods. and ration ing out the food donated by sym nathetic neighbors.
 lesIsts Arrest
 | Jnhnstown. Pa. August :: --tUP' -- An attempt by federal offieihi 10 search the bonus army enmi near Johnst0wn for National Guar property said Co have been stolei in washington was resisted b ioad adeFs of the Veterans today.
 one man was arrested. eharee with stealing government property
 Deputy q. 4. Mnrshai 4. [ ! Lowers, of Pittsburgh. with fOu district of Columbia policemen