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Story
June 18, 1932
The Daily Worker
Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
What is this article about?
On June 17, 1932, 3,000 Bonus Army veterans in Washington, D.C., occupied the Capitol steps in protest, ousted fascist leader Everett for W.E.S.L.'s Pace, revolted against police-aligned commander Waters, and organized rank-and-file committees amid internal strife and police intimidation.
Merged-components note: Continuation of the story on veterans camping on Capitol steps from page 1 to page 5.
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3,000 VETS MOVE ONTO THE STEPS OF THE CAPITOL
Camp Bartlett Adopts Fighting Policies of the W.E.S.L., Fires Waters' Lieutenant
Chief of Bonus Army Calls for Formation of Permanent Anti-Labor Force
WASHINGTON, June 17.-Spurning the reactionary policies of the police-controlled leaders of the Bonus March, 3,000 Ex-Servicemen today stormed the steps of the capitol in a demonstration for the bonus. (Details on Page 5).
WASHINGTON, June 17.-The militant, fighting policy of the Workers Ex-Servicemen's League triumphed here today when the veterans in Camp Bartlett ousted the fascist leader Everett, and voted for Pace of the W. E. S. L.
As a result, the administration gang under Waters refused to reconcile revolting radical veterans, and during the "negotiations," a rank and file vet from Texas beat up Waters' commissary man and vice-commander.
Faces Revolt
The hand-picked commander, Waters, was today faced with a revolt of the southern group when he cut off their miserable food supply after they moved from the muddy Anacostia flats and seized an empty building. The vets denounced Waters, and got the food.
Waters' own Oregon group is revolting, protesting against the constant police "guard" and intimidation. They say Waters betrayed them, deserting them in Illinois by playing sick. Resentment is great also against the denial of their demands for mass meetings to elect their own leaders.
Leaflets of the Workers Ex-Servicemen's League, putting forward a militant program for the vets, is being read openly in the camp.
Break Growing
A new break in the high command is evident, with vets refusing in many instances to obey commanders, asking the question: "Who elected you, anyway?" The Hoover government is being openly denounced in the camp.
Joe Garner, Negro veteran of Chicago, was today elected leader of the Chicago group which is composed two-thirds of white vets.
Rank and file committee of vets is being organized to demand permit to demonstrate before the Capitol, and the movement to commandeer
(CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)
3,000 VETERANS
CAMP ON STEPS
OF THE CAPITOL
Fighting Policies Now
Gaining Ground
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)
empty buildings is growing.
In a leaflet issued today the Workers' Ex-Servicemen's League called for the election of rank and file committees from the industrial centers, with the proposal that the Bonus Army set up headquarters in Chicago, publish a veterans' paper, and organize meetings enroute when they are ready to leave for their home towns.
Glassford's device to oust the veterans by talk of "farm lands" got the laugh from the men.
In Fighting Mood
The vets are in a real fighting mood, the only ones actively opposing the program of the W. E. S. L. being the fascist leadership and the police.
A truckload of food for the W. E. S. L. from New York was turned over to the general commissary.
WASHINGTON June 17.—A direct repudiation of the reactionary policies of the official leaders of the Veterans' Bonus March, a large contingent of 3,000 ex-servicemen today occupied the steps of the Capitol and sent for their camp kitchens. They announced they would remain there pending the discussion of the Bonus Bill in the senate. That the bill will be defeated seems a foregone conclusion.
Veterans attempted to lead a donkey with a large placard on each side labelled "Hoover" up the steps of the Capitol but were balked by the police.
This was the second blow struck at the police-controlled leadership of the Bonus March. Yesterday 800 worker ex-servicemen, the entire Illinois delegation, elected their own commander and committees.
Leaders Disturbed.
Plainly disturbed by the growing rank-and-file activity on the part of the veterans, Waters, commander-in-chief of the Bonus Army who has been working hand in hand with the police and politicians in an effort to blunt the fighting edge of the bonus march, called for fascist measures.
On the eve of the expected Senate defeat of the bill, Waters prepared a proclamation urging that the bonus "expeditionary force" be organized on an organized basis "to act as a unit of red-blooded citizens in time of need."
Previously Waters issued orders that any veteran caught begging on the streets would be expelled from the stinking mud-holes of the Anacostia flats. Meanwhile, the refusal of the Marine Corps medical details to take care of the sick and exhausted veterans left them a prey to disease and death.
Betrays Police Threats.
Internal strife between George A. Alman, former Capt. W. G. Stott, police commissary officer, revealed the role of the Washington police in terrorizing the veterans.
Seventy-five of the hungry men had been kicked out of half-wrecked buildings on Pennsylvania Ave. presumably on orders of the Fire Department which resorted to the usual subterfuge of condemning them as "unsafe." In a heated, unguarded moment, Alman let it be known that the "police had threatened the veterans with tear-gas bombs."
Propose "Farm" Scheme.
Glassford, police superintendent, recently proposed that the ex-servicemen be lured out of Washington by military bands playing "Home Sweet Home" today came forward with the suggestion that the veterans be set up as farmers in lieu of the bonus. Just how ludicrous this proposal is can be seen in the light of the thousands of ruined farmers who are being kicked off their farms, victims of the Hoover hunger regime.
Illinois Men Call for Action.
Sharp interest was aroused among the veterans by the action of the Illinois delegation which had set up its own leadership.
A vigorous leaflet of the Illinois delegation, consisting of 800 men, declared:
Rank and File Veterans of the Bonus March—Attention!
The fight for the immediate cash payment of the bonus, regardless of veteran organization affiliation, political opinion, race creed, is the principle which brought us all here to Washington.
In order to better carry on our work in camp, the Illinois State Delegation, numbering more than 800 men, chose their own commander and their own committees.
After we did this yesterday, our newly elected commander was placed under arrest, cross-examined, intimidated, finger-printed and questioned about his political opinion.
They re-examined his discharge papers and found that his record in the service was excellent and that his conduct in the camp was very good, and in spite of being elected over five other candidates and even after declining to run for office, we all demanded that he be our commander. He was taken by the M. P. placed under arrest and told that we had no right to elect our own commander.
Rank and File Veterans—regardless of what your political opinions are, regardless of what organization you are a member of, it is just this kind of treatment, it is just this kind of action in our camp that is interfering with an organized and unified movement of the rank and file to carry on a successful campaign for the immediate cash payment of the bonus.
Spying on the men, intimidating them, turning them over to police authorities and refusing to let us elect our own officers, should be protested loudly by every delegation.
We call on all other delegations to support us in this protest and urge that all veterans stick together for one united fight for the bonus.
—ILLINOIS STATE DELEGATION
Camp Bartlett Adopts Fighting Policies of the W.E.S.L., Fires Waters' Lieutenant
Chief of Bonus Army Calls for Formation of Permanent Anti-Labor Force
WASHINGTON, June 17.-Spurning the reactionary policies of the police-controlled leaders of the Bonus March, 3,000 Ex-Servicemen today stormed the steps of the capitol in a demonstration for the bonus. (Details on Page 5).
WASHINGTON, June 17.-The militant, fighting policy of the Workers Ex-Servicemen's League triumphed here today when the veterans in Camp Bartlett ousted the fascist leader Everett, and voted for Pace of the W. E. S. L.
As a result, the administration gang under Waters refused to reconcile revolting radical veterans, and during the "negotiations," a rank and file vet from Texas beat up Waters' commissary man and vice-commander.
Faces Revolt
The hand-picked commander, Waters, was today faced with a revolt of the southern group when he cut off their miserable food supply after they moved from the muddy Anacostia flats and seized an empty building. The vets denounced Waters, and got the food.
Waters' own Oregon group is revolting, protesting against the constant police "guard" and intimidation. They say Waters betrayed them, deserting them in Illinois by playing sick. Resentment is great also against the denial of their demands for mass meetings to elect their own leaders.
Leaflets of the Workers Ex-Servicemen's League, putting forward a militant program for the vets, is being read openly in the camp.
Break Growing
A new break in the high command is evident, with vets refusing in many instances to obey commanders, asking the question: "Who elected you, anyway?" The Hoover government is being openly denounced in the camp.
Joe Garner, Negro veteran of Chicago, was today elected leader of the Chicago group which is composed two-thirds of white vets.
Rank and file committee of vets is being organized to demand permit to demonstrate before the Capitol, and the movement to commandeer
(CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE)
3,000 VETERANS
CAMP ON STEPS
OF THE CAPITOL
Fighting Policies Now
Gaining Ground
(CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)
empty buildings is growing.
In a leaflet issued today the Workers' Ex-Servicemen's League called for the election of rank and file committees from the industrial centers, with the proposal that the Bonus Army set up headquarters in Chicago, publish a veterans' paper, and organize meetings enroute when they are ready to leave for their home towns.
Glassford's device to oust the veterans by talk of "farm lands" got the laugh from the men.
In Fighting Mood
The vets are in a real fighting mood, the only ones actively opposing the program of the W. E. S. L. being the fascist leadership and the police.
A truckload of food for the W. E. S. L. from New York was turned over to the general commissary.
WASHINGTON June 17.—A direct repudiation of the reactionary policies of the official leaders of the Veterans' Bonus March, a large contingent of 3,000 ex-servicemen today occupied the steps of the Capitol and sent for their camp kitchens. They announced they would remain there pending the discussion of the Bonus Bill in the senate. That the bill will be defeated seems a foregone conclusion.
Veterans attempted to lead a donkey with a large placard on each side labelled "Hoover" up the steps of the Capitol but were balked by the police.
This was the second blow struck at the police-controlled leadership of the Bonus March. Yesterday 800 worker ex-servicemen, the entire Illinois delegation, elected their own commander and committees.
Leaders Disturbed.
Plainly disturbed by the growing rank-and-file activity on the part of the veterans, Waters, commander-in-chief of the Bonus Army who has been working hand in hand with the police and politicians in an effort to blunt the fighting edge of the bonus march, called for fascist measures.
On the eve of the expected Senate defeat of the bill, Waters prepared a proclamation urging that the bonus "expeditionary force" be organized on an organized basis "to act as a unit of red-blooded citizens in time of need."
Previously Waters issued orders that any veteran caught begging on the streets would be expelled from the stinking mud-holes of the Anacostia flats. Meanwhile, the refusal of the Marine Corps medical details to take care of the sick and exhausted veterans left them a prey to disease and death.
Betrays Police Threats.
Internal strife between George A. Alman, former Capt. W. G. Stott, police commissary officer, revealed the role of the Washington police in terrorizing the veterans.
Seventy-five of the hungry men had been kicked out of half-wrecked buildings on Pennsylvania Ave. presumably on orders of the Fire Department which resorted to the usual subterfuge of condemning them as "unsafe." In a heated, unguarded moment, Alman let it be known that the "police had threatened the veterans with tear-gas bombs."
Propose "Farm" Scheme.
Glassford, police superintendent, recently proposed that the ex-servicemen be lured out of Washington by military bands playing "Home Sweet Home" today came forward with the suggestion that the veterans be set up as farmers in lieu of the bonus. Just how ludicrous this proposal is can be seen in the light of the thousands of ruined farmers who are being kicked off their farms, victims of the Hoover hunger regime.
Illinois Men Call for Action.
Sharp interest was aroused among the veterans by the action of the Illinois delegation which had set up its own leadership.
A vigorous leaflet of the Illinois delegation, consisting of 800 men, declared:
Rank and File Veterans of the Bonus March—Attention!
The fight for the immediate cash payment of the bonus, regardless of veteran organization affiliation, political opinion, race creed, is the principle which brought us all here to Washington.
In order to better carry on our work in camp, the Illinois State Delegation, numbering more than 800 men, chose their own commander and their own committees.
After we did this yesterday, our newly elected commander was placed under arrest, cross-examined, intimidated, finger-printed and questioned about his political opinion.
They re-examined his discharge papers and found that his record in the service was excellent and that his conduct in the camp was very good, and in spite of being elected over five other candidates and even after declining to run for office, we all demanded that he be our commander. He was taken by the M. P. placed under arrest and told that we had no right to elect our own commander.
Rank and File Veterans—regardless of what your political opinions are, regardless of what organization you are a member of, it is just this kind of treatment, it is just this kind of action in our camp that is interfering with an organized and unified movement of the rank and file to carry on a successful campaign for the immediate cash payment of the bonus.
Spying on the men, intimidating them, turning them over to police authorities and refusing to let us elect our own officers, should be protested loudly by every delegation.
We call on all other delegations to support us in this protest and urge that all veterans stick together for one united fight for the bonus.
—ILLINOIS STATE DELEGATION
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
Heroic Act
What themes does it cover?
Justice
Bravery Heroism
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Bonus Army
Veterans Protest
Capitol Occupation
Waters Revolt
W.E.S.L.
Rank And File
Police Intimidation
Illinois Delegation
What entities or persons were involved?
Waters
Everett
Pace
Joe Garner
George A. Alman
W. G. Stott
Glassford
Hoover
Where did it happen?
Washington, D.C., Capitol Steps, Camp Bartlett, Anacostia Flats
Story Details
Key Persons
Waters
Everett
Pace
Joe Garner
George A. Alman
W. G. Stott
Glassford
Hoover
Location
Washington, D.C., Capitol Steps, Camp Bartlett, Anacostia Flats
Event Date
June 17
Story Details
3,000 veterans occupied Capitol steps demanding bonus payment, ousted police-aligned leader Waters' lieutenant for W.E.S.L. representative, faced revolts from groups like southern, Oregon, and Illinois delegations against intimidation and betrayal, organized rank-and-file committees, and protested police threats amid expected Senate defeat of bonus bill.