davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Cobbies on Foot

In February, 1916, several hun
bred veterans who were trying to
organize a taxi company in Chi
cago felt they were getting a run
around and set out for WASH
ington. Their fight was really with
Chicago officials who wouldn't
issue them licenses, but they came
to Washington to air their griev-
anceS.
About $50 cabs - the veterans
had already bought the vehicles
plowed through billiards to get
here. Some brought their families.
The Army furnished them some
500 cots and 1000 blankets and
gave them quarters in wooden
barracks at Fifteenth and Ala
bama avenue Sc.
The l950s brought the Rosen-
berg sympathizers, the American
Hungarians protesting Russia's
role in stamping out the revolt in
Hungary, the peace walkers, the
civil rights demonstrators.
August % will come and go-tn
orderly fashion, officials hope
but marches on the Nations Cap
ital will continue. There always
will be a cause. And there always
will be feet to carry the cause
to Washington.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Hungry Robbie

On May 81, Coxey, Browne and
Jones were sentenced to 20 days
in jail for walking on the grass,
shrubs and turf of the Capitol
grounds and for carrying BAN
ners.
Remnants Of Coxey'S Army
stayed around for weeks, most Of
them camped at Bladensburg. But
when, driven by hunger. they be-
gan raiding nearby farms. Mary
land authorities arrested about
100. BY mid-August Coxey's Army
was gone.
1t was the suffragettes who
next took Washington by storm.
1t was 1918. Woodrow Wilson
was preparing to take over the
White House. Leaders of the
women's right to vote movement
thought this would be a good
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Children, Too

With marches being threatened
from all sides, the District Com
missoners in November, 1882,
asked the Governors of the 48
States to discourage marches on
Washington. They said the Dis
trict government was utterly
without funds to feed or house
these marchers."
This helped, but not much.
The request had hardly gone
out before a child misery" march
was staged by about $50 persons.
half of them children, in 1882.
Two women and three men were
arrested trying to lead five chill
dren into the White House.
On December S hunger" march,
ers we're back
House Speaker John Nance
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Why Children

The tactic Of using children in
civil rights demonstrations has
not won down-the-line support
from Negro or white civil rights
groups. There has been consid-
cradle criticism, mostly along the
lines that children were being ex-
posed TO danger without having
any choice about it.
CORE, which is perhaps the
most militant action group in
civil rights protests, looks with
concern upon such a tactic.
CORE is not running a chill
dren's crusade" says James
Farmer, director.
The NAACP has no policy about
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

watermelon, and the little girls
with their tight little braids polk
ing from their heads.
1.-THE children are little picka-
ninnies, happy as the day, and
not really real, but like dolls.
That's the best kind Of darby,
the doll kind, because they don't
need much minding. Not like
those there"
He turned toward the picket
line where is children aged 8 to
ga went in the picket's march.
around and around, with perhaps
70 adults. 1t was an orderly
march. and the people were
either singing or chanting. A
half hour earlier. there was a
scuffle in which a 4-year-old
Negro boy just missed getting
stepped on in the stomping and
showing as police removed a hui
man blockade from the entrance
to the construction site. 1t was
this sort OF potential danger that
has provoked the most criticism.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

authorizing the immediate pay
ment of the bonus.
From the cities. from the vii
lagos and the hamlets, bonus
marchers began the journey to
Washington to press for enact
ment of the legislation. Local au-
thorities persuaded some of them
to turn back. Some gave up. But
thousands did arrive and thus
began one of the Strangest chap
tiers in the history of Washington.
Unable to prevent the bonus
army from gathering here, Dis
trict Police Chief Pelham D.
Glassford, a retired Army brighter
general did his best to take care
of them.
Gen. GlasSford was to become
one of the most controversial fig
ures Of the bonus army episode.
Shocks ProIiferote
The first Of the bonus seekers
arrived May 20 and were assigned
to partially RACED block Of
abandoned buildings along Penn
sylvania avenue just west Of the
Capitol. BY early June there were
so many that a makeshift camp
was established across the river
on the Anacostia Flats.
Into every conceivable type of
shelter went the veterans, many
accompanied by their wives and
children. They built shacks of
lumber and tin scraps. They
bedded down in old oil drums and
in holes dug in the ground. Many
of them stayed in tents furnished
by the National Guard. They
called their ragged city Camp
Marks.
Most Of them were unemployed
farm workers, fruit pickers, itin-
Grant factory workers and other
unskilled or semi-skilled laborers.
But there also were many skilled
mechanics, white collar workers
and even some professional people.
The leader Of the Bonus Ex-
peditionary Force" was Walter w.
Waters, a former superintendent
Of a fruit cannery in Oregon. He
was "a, the father Of two. and
had been out of work for a year
and a half.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

Negroes and Puerto Ricans. Negro
leaders complained there was dis
elimination. They said they did
not want whites thrown out of
work but that Negroes should get
at least a fair hare-about rs
per cent of the jobs.
The ministers have altered tao
tics day-by-day. To some Of
them, the Use Of children has
been an inspired stroke of genius.
This has been a very effective
move" says the Rev. Milton Gal
amison of Sloan Presbyterian
Church. 1T has been very dra-
matte and has made a great num-
Der of people sympathetic to our
problem. We think 1t will pro-
duce results"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Merchants Give Food

Some officials wanted the bonus
army chased out Of town, but
Police Chief Glassford said he
wouldn't do 1t unless the District
Commissioner gave him such
orders in writing. He declared that
veterans had as much right to
petition as the Communist
inspired hunger marchers q few
months earlier.
Gen. Glassford helped organize
boxing matches and other activ-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Use Of Children as Pickets Holly Debated

dams. The permission ship con-
tains the sentence:
II understand that such par
ticipation may include sitting in
at the construction gate at Down.
state Medical Center"
The plan didn't have to be put
in operation since a temporary
truce was worked out by the
Negro ministers and Gov. Rookie
Teller.
But there was substantial con-
fidence on the part of the min
listers, and evidence as we'll, that
parents would grant permission
for their children to demonstrate.
A young mother who hao her
212-year-old son in the picket
line with her, Mrs. Eunice Avery,
81 said
Hes got TO march today for
his freedom tomorrow"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
lronic Dialect

whats the white man expect
us TO do in this situation?" the
man asked, break out banjos
and sing doo-dah, doo-da. with
the little kids shuffling barefoot
In the dust2 Doc dab. doo- dab,
we is all happy, massa boss, yas-
sub"
In some instances in New York
and Chicago and Birmingham
young children have appeared in
demonstrations, but not neces-
sarily as part Of calculated plan.
People Just couldn't get a baby
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

sitter, that's about the extent Of
it," explained one Negro leader.
But in the Brooklyn minister's
movement, children were brought
into the picture by design. Some
received a bible-class type Of in
doctrination rather than actual
on-the-line training.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Red Songs

Unemployment, hunger and dis
content were rampant across the
land. People were on the move
seeking jobs, greener pastures, or
just trying to escape from the
misery at home.
In December, 1881, the hun
ger" marchers came. Their an
nounced purpose was to obtain
unemployment insurance legisla-
ton but it appeared they were
bent on agitation as much as
anything else. News accounts de-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Cowboy Touch

At the head Of the column was
Browne. mounted on a fine stall
lion and dressed in a buckskin
jacket and a dirty white SOM
brero. Beside him was Coxey's
pretty 17-year-old daughter,
Mamie, mounted on a white
horse and dressed in a habit Of
white. her blond hair floating in
masses Of ringlets from beneath
a blue cap.
Coxey was riding in q phaeton
drawn by two Of his finest black
horses. His wife sat beside him
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
BeIoted Poy

Actually a bonus bill had been
voted in 1924 authorizing the Is
suance of bonus certificates. But
the certificates couldn't be cashed
until 1915.
In 1882 Representative Wright
Patman of Texas introduced a bill
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Coxey's Army

Whatever the reason, Congress
declared that it is forbidden to
parade, stand, or move in pro-
ceSSions or aSsemblages, or dis
play any flag, banner or device
designed or adapted to bring into
public notice any party, organi-
cation or movement"
For observance Of occasions of
National interest becoming the
cognizance and entertainment of
Congress" the Speaker Of the
House and the president Of the
Senate, acting together, were per-
mitted to suspend the restriction.
Jacob Sechler Coxey with his
rag-tag army of paper money ad-
vocateS was one of the first to
run afoul of the congressional
prohibition.
1t was 1894 and the Nation was
in the throeS of a depression.
More than 2 million people were
out of work. Poverty and misery
were widespread.
Bands of jobless began march,
ing on Washington, sometimes
taking over trains for faster
transit. But it was Coxey's Army
that attracted the most attention.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Comp Freedom"

The numbers OF children
pecially those 10 or younger
have remained relatively small.
But a top secret" plan, labeled
Camp Freedom" outlines the
possibility Of mobilizing 1000
children for a demonstration.
IF we can produce that many
children the battle will be over"
states a note to pastors from the
leaders Of the minister's move
mcnt. please make every effort
IN round up a goodly number Of
children. Use your Sunday school
teachers and youth workers TO call
children. This is crucial, this must
be successful"
Ministers we're provided with
slips which parents could be re-
quired TO sign, permitting their
children to participate and APP
pointing the ministers as guar
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

scribed them as Communist led
and inspired.
On the trek to Washington they
sang the international" and
other Communist songs, their
songfests ending with three cheers
for the Communist Party.
They arrived December 7, about
$500 strong. The Salvation Army
put up about 600 at an aban-
doned warehouse on c street and
400 slept at an abandoned church
on John Marshall place. Others
were scattered about.
Meals Refused
Many of them turned up their
noses at the beans and bread set
out for their evening meal.
Speakers at a rally that night
called President Hoover an agent
Of Wall Street and hailed Rus
STA as the hope Of the working
man.
Twice the next day committees
representing the marchers were
turned away from the Capitol.
Neither could they get in the
White House. They sang and
shouted behind a roped-off Sec
ton behind the East Plaza Of the
Capitol and the following day left
town, threatening to return In the
spring.
In January, 1882, there was an
unemployment" march led from
Pittsburgh by a Catholic priest.
the Rev. James R. Cox. Father
Cox estimated 10000 made the
journey in more than 1000 cars.
They marched eight abreast to
the Capitol grounds and waited
while their leaders presented a
Resolution of the Jobless" to
congressional leaders. The resolu-
ton asked appropriation Of IS
billion for public works projects
and loans to farmers.
Father Cox saw President
Hoover, who expressed Intense
sympathy for your difficulties"
The march was over after a
wreath was laid at the Tomb Of
the Unknown Soldier.
Across the Nation, out-of-work
veterans Of World War I were
taking up a cry for payment Of
q bonus. Immediate payment
would help ease the pangs of hun
ger and boost the economy by
putting more money in circula-
ton, was the belief.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
A Human Obstacle

Another mother, Mrs. Irene Par
ker, %, sat with her boy Godfrey.
4, in the driveway to the con-
struction site. An ll-year-old
white girl Deborah Poore, and a
l3-year-old Negro boy, Claude
Jones. also formed the human OBJ
stacle, as they all sat on protest
placards.
what are you doing, GodfreyH
the little boy was asked.
He started to answer but his
mother interrupted.
Tell the man. I'm sitting down
to fight the trucks so I can grow
up in a better world " she said.
The boy couldn't quite get the
words out.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

time to press their views on the
new President and Congress.
General" Rosalie Jones and a
little group hiked $50 miles from
New York through mud, rain, snow
and criticism. Thousands more
came from all parts of the Ma
ton. General" Jones arrived In
the Capital February % carrying
a pilgrims staff and a bunch Of
American beauty roses.
The suffragettes' big show was
parade on March 3, the day be-
fore Wilson's Inauguration. The
city's population was swelled by
crowds coming for the Inaugural
ton.
Like Amazons marching on to
battle. the suffragists looked nei-
ther to the right nor left" a Star
correspondent wrote of the
parade.
Police Lox
But like their drive for the
vote, their parade ran into
obstacles.
Apparently a firm believer that
the woman's place was In the
home and not in the voting booth,
the District police chief let police
protection get q little lax along
the parade route. In fact, some Of
the ladies thought the chief rather
enjoyed it when crowds of men
Surged into the streets and sub
jected the marcherS to ribald and
insulting remarks and In some
cases severe jostling.
When it appeared the march Of
the suffragettes might turn into
a rout, a unit of cavalry from
Fort Myer was dispatched to clear
the parade route. The ladies
marched on undaunted.
Nor were they frightened by the
failing four years later Of many
suffragettes during picketing Of
the White House. They finally
won in 1919 when Congress sub
mitted to the States a constitu-
tional amendment giving women
the right to vote. 1t became ef-
fective in 1920.
1t was the depression Of the
1930s, though, that produced the
decade of marches.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

holding their infant son, Legal
Tender" Coxey
At the Capitol it looked like
Inauguration Day. There were
spectators behind the East Plaza
as far as the eye could see.
Coxey, who had been given per-
mission to parade in Washington
but had not been authorized to
go on the Capitol grounds,
marched his little army around
the Peace Monument to First and
B streets.
Riot Ensues
Guards around the Capitol
had been doubled and $500 troops
were being held In the city in
case they we're needed.
After being told they could not
go on the Capitol grounds, Coxey
and Browne, followed by a small
contingent including Jones, made
a dash for the east steps. They
scrambled over the wall and dis
appeared into the shrubbery with
mounted police In hot pursuit.
With the mob Of spectators
pressing in and members Of
Coxey's Army trying to see what
was going on, a near riot devel-
oped. Police used the clubs freely
and one writer said it was as
wild a scene as Washington had
witnessed since the Civil War"
Browne was overpowered and
hauled off to the police station.
Coxey reached the steps and tried
to make a speech. Police stopped
him. He was arrested but not con-
fined.
His mission thwarted, Coxey led
his army to new camp at First
and M streets S.W., a former gar
bage dump. He got a license al
lowing him to charge admission
to the camp so he could raise
funds to feed his ragged army.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
BY PAUL HOPE
Star Staff Writer

Afoot and on horseback, by
Model T, bus, train, plane and
taxi, "marchers" through the
years have made the trek to the
Nations Capital.
Their causes have been many:
Coxey's army Of paper money ad-
vocates, the hungry, the unem-
ployed, the bonus marchers, the
ladies seeking a vote, the peace
walkers.
This Capital has been their
mecca, the place where grievances
could be registered, where wrongs
might be righted, where publicity
could be found.
Sometimes they were few, some
times many. But none of the
marches has even approached
the number expected for the Au-
gust % civil rights demonstra-
ton Of this year.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Petition in Boots

General" Coxey, a 40-year-Old
stone quarry operator from Mas
sillon, Ohio, thought he had the
answer to the country's economic
ills. His plan was simple: Print
$500 million in paper money and
put the unemployed to work build
ing roads. And allow municipali-
ties to obtain loans without in
terest from the Federal Govern
ment.
Coxey furnished the ideas and
Carl Browne, one-time cowboy
with a religious bent, furnished
the hoopla for the march on
Washington. A petition in boots"
they called it.
Coxey once declared that his
army would number 100000, a
figure that turned out 20 be about
299, 900 too high.
Under the banner Of the Army
of the Commonwealth Of Christ"
Coxey's Army set out from Mas
sillon on Easter Sunday, March
Is. There were about 100 in line,
accompanied by 43 special cor
respondents, 4 telegraph operators
and linemen.
BY the time Coxey reached
Cumberland, Md, the army had
grown to about 300.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

using children, according to one
Of its top officers, land we nat
urally can't keep track of NAACP
parents who might take children
to demonstration"
To q group Of ministers In
Brooklyn. who have promoted and
committed themselves to involve
ment of children even 2-year-
olds, this is nonsense.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Motley Crowd

At Rockville, an Eastern con-
tingent. headed by Christopher
Columbus Jones, Joined the ranks.
Jones was to have 10000 men but
he showed up with 48.
On April 20 the bedraggled
army arrived at Brightwood Park,
then a race course on the north
ern edge Of the District Of Colum-
bia. Coxey declared he was pre-
pared to stay all summer If
necessary to get his bills through
Congress.
Washington was agog. People
came out in droves to look over
Coxey's Army.
On May /, Coxey's Army-about
400 strong-marche down the
dusty road to Fourteenth street.
One writer described them as
faded, spiritless, hungry and dirty.
They turned the corner on Penn
sylvania avenue and went on to
the Capitol grounds.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18

Garner refused them permission
to demonstrate at the CAPITOL.
Police penned them in an area
along New York avenue NE. over
looking the Ivy City roundhouse.
Nearly 5000 marchers huddled
over bonfireS in an improvised
street camp. A Star correspondent
said they were frankly Reds" and
that very few of them showed
signs of having been hungry
lately"
Formers, Too
They paraded to the Capitol
December 6 where their leaders
presented a petition to the Vice
President and speaker. Then they
left for Baltimore.
The next day it was the dirt
farmers" turn. Some 300 marched
to the Capitol and afterwards
went to a convention. Resolutions
we're passed urging recognition Of
Soviet Russia, an immediate SOL
diers' bonus and withdrawal Of
armed forces from foreign lands.
They also protested disfranchise-
ment of Negroes in the South.
On May 3, 1888, a group Of
unemployed college graduates
staged a cap and gown" march.
A few days later the second
bonus army began arriving. This
time they were put up at Fort
Hunt near Mount Vernon, where
they apparently we're treated SO
we'll they had hard time find
ing anything to grumble about.
Describing the food-second and
third helpings were available-a,
Star reporter wrote: After such
a meal-sometimes stuffed into q
long empty stomach-about all q
fellow can do is law down in the
sun and go to sleep.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Matter Of Troumo

W
Says the Rev. william A. Jones,
Negro pastor OF Bethany Baptist
Church in Brooklyn and father
Of two pre-school children who
have participated in picketing:
II say the children are affected
by the effects Of job discrimina-
ton in the clothing they wear, the
tenements they live in, the food
they eat. the schools they go to.
They have a stake In this war
and they have to take the risks.
We don't want to see anybody
hurt-but 1t is a greater evil for
people to be deliberately hurt by
discrimination fostered by q Vi
cious social system than to be
accidentally hurt in fighting that
system"
Another Negro man watching
the picket line at the Downstate
Medical Center construction site
in Brooklyn, turned from the chill
dren to say:
THE white man, whether he
wants to admit 1t or not, really
loves the Negro when the Negro
is or 4 years old He loves the
stereotype OF the little boy with
the big glad eyes, chomping on
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Poy March

In 1888, when Congress was Sit
ting in Philadelphia under the au-
thority Of the Articles of Confed-
Grafton, a group of Army re-
cruits, bolStered by few regulars.
marched on the Congress to de-
mand more pay.
The Congress moved to Prince
ton, N. j. When Gen. Washing
ton threatened to send troops to
deal with the demonstrators the
pay march ended and the Con-
gress moved back.
For reasons that have become
obscure-probably the lawmakers
were tired Of having banner-wav-
ing zealots camped on their door,
step - Congress in 1882 enacted
legislation prohibiting demonstra-
tons in the Capitol or on the
Capitol grounds.
A recent search by the Library
Of Congress turned up no debates
which might reflect on the events
leading to" enactment of the law.
No printed reports or records of
hearings could be found.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-18
Tension Mounts

Still the bonus army stayed on,
trying to get the bill reconsidered.
On July 7, Congress authorized
100000 for transportation home
for the veterans, the money to
be deducted from their final
bonus payment. Some 5000 took
advantage of the offer and went
home. But there were still plenty
left.
At one point the Vice Presi-
dent called a detachment of Ma
rines to the Capitol but Police
Chief Glassford put up such a
protest that they were sent back.
Congress adjourned. Still the
bonus army stayed on.
Washington was becoming in
creasingly tense. Then on July %
the fuse was lighted.
The Treasury said 1t wanted
the Pennsylvania avenue build
ings evacuated Immediately. New
Federal offices were to be built
there and the bonus marchers
were holding up the work. Chief
Glassford and some of his Of
ficers went with Treasury agents
to carry out the eviction.
Bricks began to fly. There were
Scuffles between police and bonus
marchers. Shots were fired. BY the
time the melee was over one vet
eran had been killed by police
bullet and another was wounded
and died later.