The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-06-12
BY /. AMTER.

The veterans march and eonVen-
ton in Washington represent an i'm
portant stage in the development Of
the struggle of the veterans. This
was recognized By the government
and all the reactionary organizations.
They did everything in their power
to prevent the march-through ter
ror, threats, propaganda, and open
suggestion Of force. The leaders of
the veterans organizations lined up
with the National Economy League
to cause a division among the vet
Grams, to fight against immediate
payment of the adjusted compensa-
ton certificates (eonus), and to al
low cuts in the disability allowances.
The AT. Of l.. leaders and the church
opposed it.
Overcoming Isolation of Vets.
The government knew of the three
point program which had been is
sued by the National Laison Com
mittee-for immediate payment of
the bonus, against cuts in disability
allowances, for support Of the work
ers and farmers in the struggle for
relief and insurance. This presented
the government and the capitalists
with a new situation.
The veteran delegates did mot con-
slider themselves a group separate
from the rest of the population -
but part of the toiling masses, from
whom they came. They intended to
link up the struggle for their special
grievances with those of the whole
working population.
Unite to Defeat Demands.
Recognizing this, the government
took steps all over the country to
raise the red scare. This, it hoped,
would cause a division that would
wreck the movement. For this pur-
pose the government used men who
had participated in the bonus march
Of last year, whsn Hoover drove them
out. 1t put into service Woods, an
adVenturer; Thomas, an assistant to
Waters; Foulkrod, an admitted
Burns detective agency man. This
would have been of no moment, but
the march was slow in getting under
way, and the groups under reaction
airy leadership were in Washington,
raising the Scare.
Defeat Thomas ProvoeatiOns.
Thomas was the most outspoken.
Although he had signed a document
that pledged him to the three point
program, he started movement to
confine the convention to the bonus.
He refused to go to the camp set aside
by the government for the march
ers, on the grounds that it was
tainted" with radicalism." Because
of failure to reach the masses of the
veterans and prepare them ideologi-
cally and organizationally, and in Or
der to permit an isolation Of the
militant veterans from the body OF
the men as took place last year (ths
government was preparing to give
Thomas a different camp and was as
sisting him in lining up the veterans
for the right wing against the
"leftsD; Communists active in the
National Liaison Committee, Com
rades Levin and Hickerson, against
the protest of the other members OF
the committee, temporarily resigned
from the committee. This was re-
treat but the two comrades remained
active in the convention. This did not
stop the provocative actions of Tho
mas, Wood, Foulkrod and their men
On the contrary.
Exposed Roosevelt Game.
What was the composition of the
eonvention2 Every state of the eoun-
try was represented, with delegates
also from the Philippines, Mexico
and Porto Rico. They were members
of the American Legion, Workers
Ex-Servicemen's League, Veterans OF
Foreign Wars, Disabled Veterans, B
EFF, Khaki Shirts, etc, and unat-
tached veterans. About 80 per cent
were Negroes, from all parts OF the
country, but particularly the south
These veterans, numbering more than
5000, were part of the starved-oui
workers of the country. There were
few drifters-only a cross section OF
the most destitute workers and farm
ers of the United States. They made
militant speeches-and the most mil
liant ones met with the most ener-
getic response. The Southern veter-
ans, and particularly the Negroes,
we're splendid men, They knew what
they wanted ana came to get it,
The veterans were backward pol
itieally. 1t was Roosevelt who dealt
them the first blow in his economy
bill, but still the convention made
him an honorary delegate and did
not mention his name in criticism
The convention registered certain
achievements. 1t was based on al
organized march, not having the
spontaneous character of last year
1t adopted three-point program
giving the veterans q basis for rea
struggle against the government
which made pledges that it is no
keeping. The convention exposed tn
Roosevelt democratic regime no les