Montana labor news., 1932-07-21
THE WASHINGTON SCENE
(By LAURENCE d

wAsHINGToN.-(F P)-Permtted to march up Pennsylvania Avenue
to the foot of the capitol grounds, and then to break ranks and proceed
war veterans in the California regiment led by Roy W. Robertson gathered
in a wide arc along the sidewalk, o the afternoon of July -, and tried
to remain quiet while their delegation of seven leaders went inside to see
the "bg boys" Robertson, easily recognizable because he wears a head
brace due to sprinal arthrits, led his weathertanned ieutenans toward
Vice President Curtis office. Close around him crowded four big detec-
tves from the department of justice, listening to all he said to the press
correspondents AT intervals they teephoned headquarters. 1t seemed
that this California crowd, which had refused to take orders from "De-
tator" Waters of the Bonus Expeditionary Forces, was suspected of some
hidden brand of radicalsm- 1t had arrived two days before.
The California veterans, it appeared when their petition a read, did
not demand the cash payment of the bonus for all "a veterans, but
merely for that part of the veterans who are unemployed and destitute.
They estimated this to be about nefourth of the total number of veterans,
and hence to require only about one-fourth of the $780, 100000 involved in
the Patman bill which the senate rejected. Robertson explained that theirs
was a business proposition" since they wanted the money raised from
the postal savings deposits and from the resources of credit controlled by
the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. They saw n need for a lew bond
issue o for the printing of fiat money.
Curtis told the committee that they ought to get someone % introduce
their bill and hold a hearing upon it. Pleased with his handshake. they went
away to the House, where a clerk to Speaker Garner listened to the anne
program. Their petition declared they wanted bread now, instead of flow
es IN their graves later, and suggested that the veterans who arr unem-
ployed have time now to starve and think"
Robertson had ordered his regiment to march with camping equipment,
so that they could camp in the park in front of the capitol. The police
up the hill they werem met by details of police who examined any suspicious
looking coats or other excess baggage-to make sure that 10 blankets,
tents, trench shoves or cooking kits were Struggled in. After this eau
tous "frisking" by the police, the marehers vert IN inpatient humor
when they lined up opposite the senate steps. Shouts of profanity and
yeMs of dsrespect for the lawmakers we're raised by individuals. One big
fontranker a white-moutached Captain Gnash of the capitol police
watching them across the roadway, and shouted, "Hey there, Rip Van
Winkel Come over here!" Gnash pulled his moustaehe fercet, but went
over. When the crowd learned that their leaders we're actually going to
see Curtis, they sat down to rest
Urban Ledoux, who first drew attention in the depression of 1922 by
offering to auction off jObless workers, is back again in Washington from
his souphouse in New York. He has attached himself to this California
regiment, announcing that he brought a contribution of beans for their
mess. He Immediately proposed another "slave auction"
To this scheme the Workers ExServce Mems League issued a resolu-
ton of protest. They brand the savemarket scheme as "the latest attempt
to degrade and insult the veterans and the working masses of the country"
They charge Ledoux, alias "Mr Zero" with lending himself to the enemies
of the bonus for the purpose of further attempting to discourage the vet
Grams from struggle for the bonus" In their view, the Iedoux perform
ane would attempt to crush the spirit of fight which has grpped the
entire mass of veterans on this historic bonus march In place of a slave
sale they demand Intensified struggle for the bonus and for social in
surance"
A thousand veterans have taken railway tickets for home, as provided
on a loan basis by congress But the bonus army grows.