Evening star., 1933-05-13
BY THOMAS r. HENRY.

Uncle Sam Is playing the bosintiful
host to the second B. E. r.
1t is the prerogative of an old soldier
to grumble. When one finds q large
gathering of contented veterans some
thing out of the ordinary has happened.
1t is comparable to the we'll known ex-
ample of q man biting q dog.
Yet this seems TO be the situation
with the Scared vanguard OF the new
bonus army at Fort Hunt, on the Viz
ginia side of the Potomac about 10
miles from Washington. 1t is COM
Portable old Army post with about all
the conveniences of home into which
the arriving bonus seekers are ushered
ton. They find long streets Of spacious
tents. army cots and blankets. running
water and sanitary conveniences. Mess
call sounds and their shining new tin
plates are piled with big chunks Of
roast beef, potatoes, other vegetables
and bread. There are second and third
helpings After such . meal-some-
times stuffed into . long empty stomach
about all fellow can do is to lay
down in the sun and 60 to sleep.
Many in this new bonus army have
had a hard life for the last few years
-shunted from one back door to an
other. sleeping in the rain. riding
freights and lodging policemen. They
are taken completely of their guard by
such reception when they expected
many Of them-to have the dogs set on
them So even the most skillful grumb-
lers are having trouble as yet finding
something valid to srumble about. They
try hard enough.
Has To Leave "Heme."
1--WE been shot and I've got T B.
bronchitis. asthma, heart trouble and
my stomach's gone back on me-" walled
one fellow who came in as . delegate
from the men in one Of the national
soldiers homes last night. And
want to tell you this amt no fit climate
for . man that's got asthma. I've got
to get out of the home because they say
I amt IS per cent disabled. That's
funny. Every time a doctor examines
me he finds something new wrong with
But even his comrades don't take
this seriously. They realize that 1t
would be asking little too much to
ton establish a special camp for bonus
marchers with asthma. At that there
Is an efficient field hospital at Fort
Hunt. All the arrangements at this
old Army post have been made for the
white collar boys of the r. O. T. c.
who train there every GUNNER and the
veterans are getting the benefit of them.
Then. Of course. there have been
showers the last two days. and 1t gets
cold and damp toward morning. Some
of the men were inclined to blame
President Roosevelt for the rain yester-
day. but their arguments were almost
as Illogical as some Of the more radical
ones advanced for immediate payment
of the bonus.
What a man thinks depends q good
deal ON what he eats. Whoever made
arrangements for the encampment At
Fort Hunt seems to have realized this.
The food is of high quality, excellently
cooked and abundant.
why. they've got q dietician In the
kitchen to see everybody gets the right
vitamins," as one Of the men expressed
1t.
Men Remarkably Mild.
This probably explains the rather re-
markable mildness Of these battered
men, compared to their predecessors
year ago. Their opinions and reactions
are much the same in quality, but ap-
parently much less violent.
Cracked wheat and cold water made
me think and talk revolution, saving
the country from the reasonable bank
ers. hanging the President from . sour
apple tree, etc Tender roast beef and
hot coffee makes some Of the men think
and talk almost like plutocrats them
selves. This bonus army has been wide
ly heralded as made up Of reds" IN
contrast to the patriotic crowd Of last
Summer. But without considering what
opinions are hidden in the depths of
their minds and the details of their in