Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-08-25
TRADE BOARD ASKS
DEFENSE DAY AID
Calls Upon Members to Co.
Operate in National Test of
, Potential Man Power.

Further .appes.I today was made to
the membership Of the Washington
Board of Trade. through its president,
Edward F. Colladay, promptly to
send in the figures as to the num-
Der Of men in the various establish
ments' Of the city who will enroll for
the Defense day test.
The fullest cooperation of the
American Legion and its auxiliary
was promised by officials Of these or
ganizations in letters to Mrs. Anthony
Wayne Cook. president general of the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton.
Mr.. Colladay's letter follows:
Under date of August 5, 1924, a
letter was addressed to you from tho
committee on cooperation with vet
cial. patriotic and civic societies,
relative to National Defense Test
day-September ~, 1924.
Our communication has undoubt-
ediy escaped your attention, as we
have had no response.
Merely Seek Data.
The object of National Defense day
is to test the numerical strength of
American manhood between the ages
OF Is and As years. This enrolment
is purely voluntary for one day only.
No obligation will be taken, and no
records except aggregate numbers
Will be kept, SO that this is not a
movement to prepare for any service,
but is an effort to work out a system
OF enrolment of the manpowcr and
place each individual in the unit to
which he is best fitted.
1T is not the wish or desire that
business should close for the day.
The purpose is to spare as many male
employees as possible within the mill
tary age without disrupting business
for the afternoon only Won't you
please take the necessary steps to as
certain how many members of your
organization or establishment will
voluntarily enroll for the occasion
and advise US on or before the 2Sth
instant, so that the required number
OF enrolment blanks may be sent
you?
Our time is limited. and we will
appreciate your prompt and full CO.
operation"
In announcing the cooperation Of
the legion. John r. Quinn, national
commander. said that "the American
Legion does not want war There is
no organization which desires more
strongly to see world peace nor
which will work toward that end
than the American Legion. But that
does not mean that we are pacifsts,
nor does it mean that we are in
favor of disarmament in view of the
present condition.
Opposed Drifting Policy.
"The American Legion has been the
practical result of preparedness
The World War exemplified the enor-
NOUS waste of lives and money
brought about by the drifting policy
OF non-preparedness. So strong was
the effect of that Installation of the
hideous waste of on-preparedness
that the legion in 1920 turned its eff
forts toward having this Government
establish a military policy, something
this country has never had.
THE Government now has a mill
tary policy for which the legion feels
partly responsible. The Defense
Test demonstration Is a trial of that
policy to see whether it Is adequate
for the need. Therefore, the Ameri-
can Legion is behind it wholehearted-
~ and unreservedly. If there are
any weak points in it they must be
brought out by the demonstration so
that practical measures of correction
may be taken"
There will be a meeting of the
national committee to support the
defense test here August 20, to dis
cuss further steps necessary to make
the demonstration a success More
than 100 patriotic societies have sig
mined their intention of participating.
The meetings will be held at Memo
rial Continental Hall both morning and
afternoon of the day. Speakers will
include Maj. John L. Hines. deputy
chief Of staff. and Maj. Gen. Hugh l..
Drum. There will be a dinner con-
ference at the New Willard Hotel in
the evening.
The letter announcing the co-opera-
ton of the American Legion Auxiliary
was from Mrs. Franklin Lee Bishop.
national president.