Evening star., 1934-05-12
BONUS MEN DENY
CAMP D|SSENS|ON.
Admit Differences, but Say
Three-Point Program Will
Be Carried Out.

Leaders among the veterans here
for the 1884 bonus march were
vehement today in their denial that
dissension has broken out in their
ranks between right and left wing
factions.
Spokesman for the National Vet
erans' Rank and File Committee,
sponsors of the present demonstra-
tion, admitted there are factions
among the ex-service men, and in
sisted that all groups will be given
hearings when the convention" Ses-
sions get underway. The differences.
however. they claim will not deter the
marchers from insisting upon their
three-point program of payment of
the bonus, repeal of the national
economy act, and enactment of an
unemployment insurance law.
Preliminary Session Held.
A preliminary session of the con-
vention" was held this morning in a
huge tent erected for the purpose at
Fort Hunt, where the more than 600
veterans are guests of the Federal
Emergency Relief Administration and
the Civilian Conservation Corps.
Small groups continued to arrive
today to swell the ranks and most of
them arrived with stories of having
had difficulties with police in a num-
ber of cities. They charge there is
an organized effort to hamper the
arrival of delegates" and that in a
large number of cases members of the
bonus army have been arrested on
charges of riding freight trains or
vagrancy.
Last night approximately 80 men
arrived from Cleveland and said that
close to 1000 have already left that
city for Washington. At registration
headquarters, committee members
said that they expect the number of
veterans to reach close to $500 over
the week end and unconfirmed re-
ports indicate that even a larger
number is en- route to the Capital.
Ike Berner of New York, a member
of the Committee of Eleven" of the
National Veterans Rank and File,
said. that Then the convention
proper gets under way that the pro-
gram will permit the participation of
all factions represented here: Ameri-
can Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Disabled American Veterans, the
Workers EX-servicemen's League and
any others that desire to be heard.
Many Wash Clothes.
While the first meeting was being
held under the leadership of Harold
Hickerson, James Beatty and Emman-
uel Levin at Fort Hunt, many of the
bonus marchers, particularly the new
arrivals, spent the forenoon washing
their clothing and getting settled in
the quarters provided by the relief
administration
At the headquarters of the Relief
Administration it was made clear that
the Government, host to the veterans,
is little concerned as to the presence
of Communists or other political fac
tions in the ranks. The attitude there
is that all veterans who register as
members of the 1884 Bonus Army will
be given living quarters and food un-
til May "a. the date the gathering is
expected to adjourn.
The F. E. R. A. is making good, so
far as the individual marchers are
concerned, for this morning the men
cheered a breakfast of bacon, eggs,
bread, butter and coffee.
Free bus service between Fort Hunt
and Washington continued today, but
few of the men left the camp for the
city. Most of the traffic was new
arrivals who were sent to the fort for
the first time today.