◆ SpookStack

IT am submitting also with this report, us Exhibit "A", 3 detailed alphabeticn) list of each one of the 1069 men out af the fou. . 4723 borrovers who have police records, giving in detail the time and 1 piace of their arrests or convictions. It will be noted thet many of them had been repeatedly convicted under various names. ‘Then it is realized that the men who applied for loans to go home after Congress adjourned were the most sensible and the least disorderly, that many - with criminal records no doubt refrained from disclosing their identity for any purpose, and a considerable portion of the Bonus Army were not ex-service men and included Communists, radicals, and disorderly élements which always congregate under such conditions, it is probable the Bonus Army brought into the City of Yashtagton the largest agere- gation of ecrimingis that had ever beon assembled in the city at any one time. {ce} conmunists. As soon as the bonus march was initiated, and as eurly as Vay, 1932, the Communist party undertook an organized campaign to foment the movement, and induced radicals to join the marchers to Washington. As early as the edition of May 31, 1932, the Daily “Jorker, @ publication which is the central organ of the Gommunist party in the United States, urged worker veteran delegations to ga to Washington on June 6th. Under date of June lst, Emanuel Levin, alias Hermen Levin, manaring editor of the Daily ‘Yorker with a long police record for Red activities and rioting, arrived in the city. He then contended that the bonus march had been largely planned in the head- quarters of the Vorkers Ex~-service Mens League, e Communist organization with headquarters in New York City. Another Communist leader present in Washington was John T. Pace, who led a lerge contingent of bonus marchars to Weshingzton, and in a demonstration on July 25, 1932, udar> the White House he was arrested by the Washington police. Face was elected Figld Marshal of the Detroit bonus marchers. James W. Ford, colored, Hey candidate for Viee President an the national ticket of . , the Communist party, wes one of the bonus marchers arrested on July 29th. Clair Cowen, another Communist leader, Le? a contingent of bonus marchers E from Cleveland consisting of several hundred men. Cowan himself was 2 t 4 # t ‘ + ¢ 1 é intercepted ond arrested at Pittsburgh on Juno 8th and did not reach Washington, Another leader of the radical element among the bonus a marchers was Walter F. Eicker. He wes arrested on July 2lst and agein a: on July 25th by the ‘Yashington police. Another leader of the demon~ oS stration made by bonus marchers on July 25th et the White House was Sylvester G. MeNinney, a Communist orgenizer with a police record for Communist servi ty One of the bonus camps ~ that within l&th and 14th and & ard ¢ Streets, 5. /, - was cacupied principally by Communists heeded by Pate. Possession of this government property had been seized and occupied by these marchers without any suthority. During June end July, while the Bonus Army was present, Communist meetings were held in this city frequently. The files of this Department contain voluminous reports of these meetings, at many of which incendiary speeches and plans to stir the Bonus army to violence and bloodshed were made, . During the various disorders, including the finel riot, persons vem identified as radicals and Communists were observed TOD & the aisturbers, There is irrefutable proof that a very large body of co Ty Soa radicais, some ex-service men and soma not, were in the ev. ot the Bonus Army, cirenl ating among thom and working ailige ~] incite them to disorder. (a4) The investigations we have conducted have demonstrated thet a very much larger proportion of the Bonus army than was realized at the time, consisted of ex-convicts, persons With criminal records, radicals, and none-service men, On the other hand, a very considerable number were genuine ex-cervice men of good intentions and clean records. This is particularly true of the conditions prior to the adjournment of Congress and before the exedus of these who realized thet they had no further justification for remaining in the city. Some of their leaders were decent and law-abiding, end others were not.