The Daily Worker Newspaper, July 30, 1932, Page 3

DAILY WORKE! EW YORK, SATURDAY, JULY 30, 1932 Page Three CAPITALIST U.S. A.---CIVIL WAR AGAINST THE VETS AND UNEMPLOYED IN HOOVER’S CAPITOL . #fere are Glass- ford’s police dragging out a Negro | | s tro | the battle at its height. Following the shooting of three of their comrades, | into the city of Washington, veteran who refused to evacuate the government building. | The veterans defended themselves well against the vicious onslaught ti of the police. Twice the police were forced to retreat. The above view shows | fantry, tank corps troops, cavalry and machine gunners were marched gas bombs and drove the ragged, starving ex-servicemen out of the billets. Here was virtual martial law. government opened civil war against the hungry war veterans and the the veterans drove the police off with brick and sticks in a desperate pitched battle. This is not Chapei, China, being burned by the Japanese troops. It is Washington, D. C., capital of the United States. The smoke and flames rising from the burning quarters of dome of the capitol which looms in the bonus army almost obscures the the distance. But the’ veterans can’t The police failing, troops were | unemployed, be defeated. They will organize stronger under the leadership of the Workers’ Ex-Servicemen’s Leagu for a unitd struggle with the Unemployed for the payment of the bonus and unemployment insurance, STORY OF ATTACK IS TOLD BY A VET Southerner Describes Fight With Police By A Bonus Marcher WASHINGTON, D. C., July 28—I'd been with the Dixie units in-the Pennsylvania ave, billet since. the fight. for the bon ws | started two months ago. We'd taken \orders regularly from Waters all the ‘time, But when he showed up Thurs- day morning with Glassford and told ,us te clear out of our billets, T knew ‘it was a plain sell-out, and so did jthe rest of the boys. Waters ordered us to move out to Camp Bartlett. Why thet’s ten miles away from the Capitol where nobody would ever see us. We'd just be Waters’ private army, This wsa one time we wouldn’t ‘take orders from Waters, Some’ of us went and talked to {Glassford. We told him we’d been peaceable, we were American, white Southern citizens who'd fought for ‘our country, we ddin’t deserve this |dirty kind of treatment. — “Sorry \boys” the General say, “but I-can’t ‘disobey my orders.” Hell, that’s the line he’s been giving us for two months, as if he didn’t write his own orders. I could see the way the caps lined jup they were looking for trouble. {When those Treasury men went in land began carrynig out the men in |the corner house, the caps standing around didn’t wait for ‘us to protest, started shoving us away and ving us the clubs, We didn’t start any trouble at all. (After the first building was cleared out, a couple of fellows wanted to put tthe American flag on top, to wave lover our empty billets. As the fel- lows tried to march in, the cops rushed them. They knocked them down and started to. beat them to a (pulp. I can see now it was just an ‘excuse to get us strated. Of ‘course ‘we went to rescue our men. And jevery cop around let go with “his tstick at every head near him. fe fought them to a standstill, all t, Then Glassford got up and promised to get the Treasury Déepart- ment to take back the order for | evacuation, Instead, the skunk went and sent down every cop he couid muster. When he came back, after two o'clock, he went into one of the build- ings. The building hasn’t got any front left to it and I saw him up there. From up there I saw him signal a couple of cops, one of them I knew, ‘Shinault. They drew their guns and started on a run for where Glassford was. On the stairway they ran into a bunch of vets, and when the men didn’t move away fast enough, these cops just fired point- blank! No rhyme or reason at all to it, they just started shooting, and when they started shooting, every other cop on the lot started shooting, it sounded like machine guns, the shots came so fast one after another. Fired Point Blank This other cap stuck his gun right into one fellows face and started to pull the trigger. The fellow pushed the cop away and tripped, While he Jay there, half-stunned, this cop Shinault, gave hi mone, two, right the guts, Z z Fought Back We gave the cops the bricks as fast-as we could heave them, If we hadn't driven them away, they'd have shot us down like dogs. They cleared out all right, even though it was bricks against guns. We didn’t follow up, we only wanted them to leave us alone in our billets. The cops backed up, Glassford got up and said something about being sorry, boys, and some of fhe saps even started a cheer for him, The next thing we knew he was back with the whole army, steel. helmets, fixed bayciets, machine guns, tear gas, and every murderous weapon you can think of, DRIESER COMMITTEE PROTESTS ATTACK ON VETS Assailing the violent’ dispersal of the “BEF.” by military forces in Washington yesterday as an act of “callous barbarism” the National Committee for the Defense of Poli- tical Prisoners, which includes such men and women as Theodore Dreiser, Waldo Frank, Sherwood Anderson, Lincoln Steffens, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Mark Van Doren, Mary Heaton Vorse, John Cowper Powys, today sent through its secretary, El- liot E, Cohen, a telegram of protest to President Hoover, | Vets’ Kids Sleep On Streets, Hallways, As Troops Burn ‘Camps’ WASHINGTON, July 29—Bewil- dered, whimpering children and their mothers, distraught and hysterical, driven from Anacostia and separated from their men folk, |slept or lay awake all night on the streets, on lawns, in hallways, in store entrances ——anywhere they could lie down after the nightmare of being driven by bayonets and flames from the shacks which had sheltered them for two months in Camp Anacostia. The women and children had left Camp Anacostia just before the final drive of the troops. Their men, sur- rounded and pushed toward the dis- trict line by the encircling troops, the women and children had been un- able to persuade the troops to let them rejoin their men. Left alone in the dark by-streets, in the horrible light cast by the still-flaming billets, in which had perished their few piti- able belongings, wives in anguish at the doubtful of their husbands tried to quiet their wetping, hungry chil- dren, In one vacant lot close to the flam- ing ruins of the former family quar- ters of Camp Marks, about fifty women and nearly twice as many children Jay on the ground or walked about restlessly. Superintendent of Police General Glassford, whose at- tack on the Pennsylvania Camp was the signal for the destruction of the bonus marchers’ camps, walked through this lot. Women ran after him weeping bitterly, “Mr. Glassford, what have we done?’ What are we going to do? Where shall we go?” General Glassford brushed by without a word. NEE NG TOWNS SEIZED FROM BRAZIL REBELS. RIO DE JANEIRO, July 29.—Fed- eral troops in Brazil recaptured the towns of Berreiros and Areias from the rebel forces,-according to a gov- ernment statement issued today, VOTE COMMUNIST FOR: 5. Against capitalist terror; against all forms of suppression of the Political rights of workers. JOBLESS SCORE HOAN’S TERROR 1000. Storm City Hall; Hoan Refused to See Committee MILWAUKEE, Wisc., July 29.— Over one thousand unemployed sur- rounded the City Hall here after marching from the District Court and Police Headquarters. A Committee of ten was sent to see the socialist Mayor Hoan after the P olice drove out workers from the City Hall. Mayor Hoan disap- peared refusing to listen’ to the pro- test against packing relief stations with police and clubbing unemployed workers demanding the release of the six arrested before the 14th and Fondulac Relief Station. A protest resolution was left with his secretary Reverend Hauser, The Court room this morning was jammed to the doors with hundreds outside, Mass pressure forced the release of Teschner, Brown and Kochan; three were held for trial on August 12th with the possible charge of inciting to riot and assault with intent to do great bodily harm, carry- ing long prison sentences. Burbach, father of six children, lis still held in the Hospital. His cony dition i svery serious, an exray ex- amination revealed, A workers self defense corp pre- vented the police from breaking up @ meeting before the Safety building and the march to City Hall. March; ers passed before the office of the” Milwaukee Leader booing the social~ ists and exposing Metcalf, candidate) for governor and father of a labor scheme, Scores of meetings were held at relief stations and street corners dur- ing the week end to protest against Hoan’s police terror on unemployed and Hoover's on the war veterans. Want your fellow-workers to vote Communist? The Daily Worker Will e called out by Herbert Hoover. In- The Hoover With fixed bayonets and gas masks attached, troops under the command of General Miles exp'odd The officers ordered the sol- diers to apply torches to the ramshackle billets. .The vets’ camps, including all their belongings, were | destroyed in the conflagration. Inflamed by the murderous attack against the ex-servicemen in Wash- ington by the police and the troops of the Hoover government, workers in various parts of the country gathered to protest. The first of the wired reports to be received by the Daily Worker are here given. f se 3,000 IN PORTLAND PORTLAND, Ore., July 29.—Three thousand workers, under the leader- ship of the Workers Ex-Servicemen’s League, joined in a parade and dem- onstration of protest against the at- tack against the veterans, the murder of one of their number and the wounding of many others. A meeting was held later on the steps of the Public Library, under the auspices of Post 45 of Portland. MINNEAPOLIS PROTEST MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., July 29—A protest meeting against the attack upon the veterans is being arranged bers. In addition veterans are being invited to have speakers at the August First demonstration to be held at Bridge Square at 4 o'clock. One thousand vets held meeting ‘Wednesday to hear Johnson and Boy. ington, rank and file speakers re- turned from Washington. Rank and file representatives from the Amer- ican Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and Unemployed Council, also spoke. ACTION DENOUNCED IN CLEVELAND CLEVELAND, Ohio, July 29.—Bitter against the attack upon the vets, 400 workers held a protest meeting here last night in the Public Square under the auspices of the Workers’ Ex-Ser- vicemen’s League. They adopted a sharp telegram of protest which they dispatched to President Hoover, | whom they charged with being per- sonally responsible for the attack on the vets. Another meeting was scheduled, to be held Friday at the Public Square at 5 o'clock. This meeting is being arranged jointly by the Workers Ex- Servicemen’s League, the Unemployed Council and other working-class or- ganizations. Prottest meetings are being ar- ranged throughout the district. PROTEST IN NEW HAVEN NEW HAVEN, Conn., July 29.— One hundred and fifty workers met at the Central Green yesterday after- noon, sharply denounced the “Wash- ington Massacre,” and demanded the release of the marines imprisoned for refusing to go into action against the bonus marchers and the immediate payment of the bonus to the veterans. + OHIO PROTEST CANTON, Ohio, July 29.—Eighty ex-servicemen from northern Ohio en ruote to Washington to join the bonus marchers stopped here to hold a protest meeting—in which they were joined by local workers—de- nouncing the action of the Hoover government in attacking the vets. RALLY IN PITTSBURGH PITTSBURGH, Pa., July 29.—Mass street meetings will be held through- out the city tonight in protest against the government attack against the World War veterans in Washington. Veterans and workers in all surround. ing mining and steel towns are organizing against the bloody terror. MEET IN CHICAGO CHICAGO, Ill, July 29.—A mass meeting of veterans and workers under the leadership of the Workers Ex-Servicemen’s League sent the fol- lowing telegram to President Hoover last night: “We three hundred workers assem- bled at St. Louis and Roosevelt Road protest the murder of a war veteran and the vicious attack on the bonus marchers. We demand the release of the veterans held in jail and the withdrawal of the troops. We pledge Tell Them Why. W.ES.L. CALLS FOR AID TO VETS Urges [Workers to Answer “Bloody Thursday” NEW YORK, N. Y., July 29.—The Workers Ex-Servicemen’s League is- sued a statement today calling on veterans and workers together to or- ganize and answer the challenge of Bloody Thursday. The statement in! Part follows. “Bloody Thursday in Washington exposes the tru eface of the Hoover | regime. The use of troops and police; armed with bayonets, sabres, bullets! and tear gas is the government’s an- swer to the veterans who sought bread. “This Hoover answer to the demand for bread is a challenge to every mi- litant veteran and worker in the country, Veterans and workers. to- gether, under the militant leadership of the Workers Ex-Servicemen’s League and other workers’ organiza- | tions, will unite to answer his chal- lenge. “The Workers Ex-Servicemen’s League calls upon all veterans and workers to make August 1 a militant day of demonstration against war and for the support of the demands of the veterans. We call upon work-| ers to feed and shelter the evicted veterans and to close rank with them in a solid front against the Hoover starvation and murder policy. “Expose the fakery of the murderer Hoover.” We call upon the soldiers | who followed his orders on Bloody Thursday to wipe out their disgrace by closing ranks with the veterans.’ Down with the Hoover Hunger Mur- der Government! Long Live the Workers ExServicemen’s League an ‘We Kank and fle Commitee or Bonus Marchers.” LLD. PROTESTS ASSAULT ON VETS Demonstrations Thru- out U. S. Called For NEW YORK, July 29—The Inter- national Labor Defense issued a call yesterday through Carl Hacker, act- ing nationai secretary, to all branches throughout the country to demon- strate before Federal buildings every- where against the murder and ter- Torization of the veterans in Wash- ington. ‘The call states in part: “This bloody attack on the starving veterans is part of the intensive drive toward war and attack on the Soviet Union, ‘Telegrams have been sent to all branches of the International Labor Defense calling for immediate protest demonstrations before federal buildings, post-offices, etc., in every city and town of the United States. “These demonstrations will call upon the working class to join in the nationwide demonstrations Aug. 1, planned against preparations for war, attack on the Soviet Union, and the growing persecution of the working class, indicated by the anti- labor Dies Bill, Scottsboro frameup, the Mooney imprisonment, etc,” their struggle for immediate payment of the bonus.” BRONX, N. Y., MEET BRONX, N. Y., July 29.—A mass protest meeting against the murder of a war veteran in Washington ‘and to demand immediate cash payment of the soldier's bonus was to be held this afternoon at 4 p.m. at Ollinville and Allerton Avenues, upder the au- to support the bonus marchers in spices of the Bronx section of the International Labor Defense. “Get the Hell Out,’”’ Hoover’s Chiefs Command | WASHINGTON, D. C., July 28.— |“Get the hell out of here,” a cavalry | officer swinging a sabre shouted to the veterans at Pennsylvania Ave. ,and Third Street. | This was the answer of the Hoover Wall Street government to the ex- servicemen’s demand for their back | wages. ; ‘Sixteen abreast the troops led by | eight officers advanced on the veter- }ans who had held the building against two police attacks in which one of their number was killed, The mounted men carried cocked | pistols. The infantry fixed their | bayonets. Baby tanks clattered down the streets. A machine gunner leaped from his horse and set up his | weapon. | The veterans, with hunger staring |out of their eyes, stood grim and |determined. Argonne, Chateau Thierry and St. Mihiel were but vague memories in the minds of these men now. Here reality, a new war—civil war declared ernment, the same government they | fought for in 1917, | The troops advanced. A veteran |shouted, “The hell with Hoover.” “Here’s Hoover's Cossacks,” shouted janother. “What a war.” “Take your |}guns away.” “Boo,” “these shouts | greeted the advancing troops. Vets Stand their Ground Thereupon the cavalry advanced, | Riding into groups of veterans and homegoing government workers, | brandishing sabres, the troops cleared \the area of spectators, The veterans stood theid ground. They had faced troops before. Infantry deployed and moved for- |ward donning gas masks. gave sharp orders. Then came the tear gas. Wind blew the gas toward the crowd gathered across the street, Then came swarms of mounted troops. Use Bayoneis Infantrymen, obeying orders of their officers, prodded veterans with their bayonets. A squad of troops which the ex-servicemen had built from the muddy Anacostia flats in June, Two blocks from the scene of the fire the vets rallied and made another determined stand against the troops who had just finished the dirty job of destroying the last of the vet- erans belongings. Ragged veterans and their wives lined up along the sidewalk gad jeered the men in uniform. “Over the top 1932 style.” “Hurray for the light brigade.” ‘The veterans were grim and deter- mined. A Negro veteran paraded up and down before the soldiers carrying a large American flag. An officer on horseback galloped into a knot of veterans who surrounded the man with the flag. Cut Vets Ear Off Another officer hacked at a veteran with his sword and slashed off part of his ear. Then came the infantry again with the gas bombs. As the troops threw them veterans picked up the bombs and threw them back at the troops. Cavalry rushed the ex-servicemen throwing women and children to the ground, Then came a lull. The troops with- drew to eat. The bonus army, how- ever, went without supper. The final attack begna after dark. While mothers were putting children to bed in Camp Anacostia, troops advanced across the 11th St. bridge. “The troops are coming,” someone shouted, The veterans and their families- began packing up their few { belongings, Hoover had issued orders to the chief of staff of the army to drive the vets out and burn down the was a new | | against them by the capitalist gov- | Officers | | mass Protest Meets Thruout U.S. Follow Attack on Veterans JOBLESS CALLED 10 FIGHT ATTACK Must F ight for Bonus Insurance The war which th f the United 5' have been conducting against the kv. ing standards of the millions - of American worker: S now entered a stege of mi tions,” Herbei | Benjamin, secretary of the Unem- ployed Councils lof the U. S. leader of the Hunger March to declared in a day. statment declares “The unemployed vet tan, eran wt killed in Washington tenth jobless work death in the course of the s‘ru77le against mass stervation within Jess than twelve months. T to death by volice on t of Chicago. Two unemploved Neer were similarly murde’ |Cleveland. Four were scnt to death by Henry Ford’s police troit, De- The policy of the Hoover gov- ernment has been resronsible for ell these deaths. But the in Washington, the _ lo: of the wounding of jobless veterans end the jrazing of their misereble hoyels. is a direct result of a carefully plonned attack which was deliberately o-~7>- ized by Hoover and members of his Cabinet. Denounce Assau't “The National Com ee of the Unemployed Councils of the U. S.. whic! ‘as established by the Naticnel Hunger March of last December, de- nounces and protests with all power at our command this murderous ac- |sault upon unarmed, hungry workers and poor farmers in the Bonus March, | “We hail the heroic resistance which these militant workers offered to the | well-fed, well-equipped military forces |sent against them. This is an exam- |ple of the spirit and temper of the |great masses of unemployed workers |throughout this country. The mili- | taney and organized action of the jmasses affords the best guarantee events set fire to the miserable shanties |that the war upon the workers will not succeed. It is especially signifi- for themselves when they marched |¢ant that the veterans fought despite |the fact that they were betrayed and abandoned by their self-appointed leaders, who treacherously capitulated in the face of Glasford’s polite and Hoover's military forces. “We call upon the fifteen million jobless workers of the United States to join with all the toiling masses of |this country in vigorous, bitter pro- test that will prove to Hoover and his | masters that no amount of terror can or will stop our fight for the right to live, Organize demonstrations of pro- |test in every city and town. Send resolutions of protest to your Con- gressman.~ “Inspired by the splendid example of our militant class brothers in Washington, we will redouble our lefforts and sharpen the struggle for unemployment insurance at the ex- pense of the government and eme ployers for our immediate full paye ment of the bonus.” War Funds for the Jobless— through mass circulation of the Daily Worker, camp. 4,000 Troops Mobilized Four thousand troops, the largest mobilization in Washington during peace time, surrounded the camp, With tear gas, bayonets and machine guns soldiers advanced to drive out the veterans. Tn a few minutes the camp was @ of flames. Homeless and hungry the bonus army moved out between lines of soldiery. “We ere not through with tit fight,” said @ veteran who was carry- ing his little son, “Our fight for the bonus has just begun.”