America's " Bonus Army" Since Mr. Hoover's drastic action cleared
the " Bonus Army " of unemployed ex-Service men out of Washington, the multitude has melted away. Both parties in the Presidential campaign are trying to make capital out of the episode. The Republicans commend the President for his courage in restoring order : the Democrats chide him for allowing tear-gas and tanks to be used by the troops. But the removal of an unruly mob from the precincts of the capital was clearly necessary. The purpose of their leaders was avowedly to overawe Con- gress, and compel it to vote many scores of millions for distribution in cash to so-called " war veterans." It is fortunate for the United States that such a bare-faced attempt to extort public money from timorous legis- lators has failed. Yet the demonstration revealed the desperate pass to which many thousands of men have been reduced by the all-pervading unemployment, to meet which the United States have no regular policy, while charitable funds are drying up.
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