Camden Courier-Post – February 21, 1936
Test Case Decree Awaits Jurist’s Signature Today On Federal Employment
Camden Group Endorses Action of Philadelphia Martine
The Philadelphia veteran of the World War who was responsible for obtaining a court ruling safeguarding veterans rights for preference on Federal employment projects, last night told his story to Camden ex-service men.
More than 200 veterans heard Benjamin J. Spang address an open meeting of Corp. Mathews-Purnell Post No. 518, Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The test case brought by Spang was decided last week by Federal Judge George A. Welsh in Philadelphia. Today, Judge Welsh announced, he will sign a decree to carry out the ruling.
Spang told the veterans he fought for two years to obtain preference for veterans and that he fought alone, despite charges he was allied with the Economy League and the Liberty League.
It was decided to take action tonight to endorse Spang’s move at a meeting of the Camden County Council, V. F. W., at the headquarters of A. Mucci Post, Third and Line Street. Ten posts are represented in the county council.
The only veteran ever to have brought a test case against the government, Spang has received nation wide acclaim. He is 42, and lives at 548 South Fifty-second Street, Philadelphia.
Refused Relief Job
He went to court after he was refused a job with the Business Census Bureau because his name did not appear on the public relief rolls.
“All I want is a job,” he stated after winning his suit. “When the Government decides to live up to the Veterans’ Preference Act, then I’ll withdraw my suit against them, not I before. We’ll go right on to the Supreme Court if necessary,” he said.
Spang served three enlistments in the Marine Corps, was wounded in the Belleau Wood in 1918, was discharged from an army hospital and returned home to find a gold star in the window because his mother thought he had been killed. Then he re-enlisted in the Marines and was assigned to recruiting work as a sergeant. Doctors sent him to the Poconos for a chest condition. Then he returned to Philadelphia and entered Temple University as a student under the Veterans’ Rehabilitation Administration. He was graduated in 1923 in commercial law and real estate.
While at Temple he met H. Eugene Gardner, attorney who successfully presented Spang’s side of the case to the court. His disability allowance of $42 a month was cut to $10 and during CWA he was unable to get a job and was appointed a committee of one to investigate the failure of veterans to receive appointments.
He worked with the Federal Housing Administration until June 19, 1935 as a senior investigator, then he was fired and has not worked since.
“Since then I have conferred with all the officials of the various agencies in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Washington but could get no satisfaction. Then I hunted up Gardner and we decided to enter suit,” he said.
His financial backer, he says is Henry Asher, proprietor of a cigar and variety store at 5211 Market Street, Philadelphia.
Spang has two children for whom he keeps house, his wife being dead. They are Benjamin, 16, and Mary Ellen, 13. Both attend school.
Daniel Conner, Seventh District councilman, said veterans in South Jersey are able to obtain fairer treatment than those in Pennsylvania because they are more strongly organized.
Thomas J. “Reds” Donlon, who led the bonus march from Camden to Washington, asked Spang whether those veterans who obtain their bonus payments would be taken off relief. Spang declared he hoped they would not be discriminated against and that Judge Welsh’s decision was looked for to answer that question.
Sergeant Ray Smith, Camden veteran, who also addressed the group declared fairness was one of the qualities the veterans should insist on.
He said he was angered by the fact that on driving down Broadway, where workers were clearing the streets of ice, most of these working with picks and shovels appeared to be undernourished, while others were standing by waving flags to let the cars by.
“The flag-wavers should take their turns at the shovels,” Smith declared.
Allen Kline was chairman of the meeting.
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