Evening star., 1936-04-12
BIG HUNGER MARCH.
HELD AS THREAT.
Workers. Alliance Quits City
to Return in Summer Un-
less Demands Met.

Leaving behind them the threat OF
A big hunger march upon the Capital
next Summer, delegates of the reor-
sarized Workers Alliance of America,
Including Socialists. Communists,
WP A. workers and others, dispersed
last night.
Their week here was concluded by
a march of about 500 to the White
House and Capitol, where they laid
dowr their grievances and demands
for relief.
Only the National Executive Board
of the alliance, and few scattered
delegates remaineo. Plans were made
for leaders to protest this week before
the House Appropriations Committee
hearing, against the reduced $780,
100000 item for relief. They want
more.
David A. LASER, unemployed civil
engineer, New York City Socialist,
who was elected president of the en-
larged alliance, led his cohorts to the
White House and Capitol yesterday.
He left with Marvin H. Mcintyre, Sec
retary to President Roosevelt, three
page declaration of principles and de-
mand for enactment of a five-point
legislative program. He was bitter be-
cause the President refused to see
representatives of the unemployed.
He said that unless demands were
met the organization would lead tens
of thousands in hunger march on the
Capital next Summer.
Police Halt Parade.
Leading his supporters down Con-
stitution avenue to Second street,
where the parade was stopped by po-
lice, LASER made a speech from the
top of an automobile. Eight bus
loads of delegates from New York City,
some of whom had been in a dis
turbance at Bel Air, Md, earlier in
the day, rolled up to the curb at the
foot of Capitol Hill as the march
was stopped. They were too late to
participate.
The parade was dismissed at the
foot Of Capitol Hill. LASER told the
marchers to break up into small
groups Police would not let any OF
the groups proceed up the main
western entrance to the Capitol. AL
had to take the side entrances. Las
ser presented his petition to Vice
President Garner in person and left
it in the Office of Speaker Byrns. II
explained the demands of the group
for "our fundamental rights to jobs
security and freedom" Complaints
we're made against the w. P. A. and
unemployment was said to have in
creased. Increased appropriation fol
w. P. A. was among the items de-
manded
Most of the New Workers came from
the City Projects Council of New
York an organization of white collar
workers. They sent a delegation to
Harry L. Hopkins Office to protest dis
missals of w. P. A. workers in the
New York area and demand dis
missal of Victor Ridder, New York
w. P. A. administrator
One Picket Arrested.
While the delegation was with Hop
kins, police arrested one of a group
OF plCketS OUTSIDE MS OIIlCe. he Is
Emanuel Wideroff, "a, Of Brooklyn,
N. Y. He was held for investigation.
Wideroff was represented by Samuel
Levine, International Labor Defense
attorney. who declared last night the
defense would claim he was only eXer-
ciSing his constitutional right to free
dom of assembly. No charge had been
lodged against Widerof up to a late
hour last night. The arresting Off
GERS were J. A. Patton and A. E
Fredette.
The disturbance at Bel Air, Md
which delayed delegates from New
York, called out 40 State policemen
Maj. Enoch E. Carey, superintend-
ent of the State police, according to
the Associated Press, said there was
no actual physical contact between
officers and members of the delegation
Two, from New York City, were jailed
on charges of disorderly conduct
The trouble arose when restaurant
refused to serve colored members Of
the delegation.