Like many, I have often thought of the Bonus Army when thinking of Occupy Wall Street. All Things Considered thought about the same thing. They ran a piece about some of the nation's most famous veterans on Veteran's Day. The Bonus Army: How A Protest Led To The GI Bill
They laid out strict rules: no alcohol, no fighting, no panhandling and no communists.
The veterans had the support of many Washingtonians. Locals came down and brought them cigarettes and food, came to be entertained by the bands that played in the camp, or came down just to talk to the veterans.
"I never saw such fine Americanism as is exhibited by you people," he said. "You have just as much right to have a lobby here as any steel corporation. Makes me so damn mad, a whole lot of people speak of you as tramps. By God, they didn't speak of you as tramps in 1917 and '18. Retired Marine Corps Gen. Smedley Butler came to speak to the marchers.
"Take it from me, this is the greatest demonstration of Americanism we have ever had. Pure Americanism. Don't make any mistake about it: You've got the sympathy of the American people. Now don't you lose it," he said.
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