Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-03-29
VETERANS LAUNCH 4
. FIGHT upon c. P. 0.
Form Defense League to
Force Reinstatement of
Ex-Service Men.

violation or notification" by Gov
eminent officials Of acts Of Congress
and executive orders giving ex-ssrv-
Ice men preference over civilian en-
ployes in matters Of appointment 10
or retention in the civil service, rep
resentatives of five veterans' organ
izations met in the District Building
last night and created THE Veterans
Defense League" to fight for the vet
Grams rights.
Losing no time in launching the
battle" the league Immediately pro
ceeded to auth oriZe the appc intment
of an executive committee, composed
Of two representatives each of the G.
A r, Spanish War Veterans, Amer
lean Legion. Veterans OF Foreign
Wars and Disabled American Vet
Grams of the World War, and one
m ember- at-large, and to empower
this committee to Secure to the vet
Grams wrongfully discharged and
those now employed their lawful
rights"
Carroll Made Chairman.
William Homer Carroll. department
commander of the Veterans of For
eign Wars, who called the meeting,
was named chairman Of the commit
tee and was directed to employ such
assistants, clerical and otherwise, as
may be necessary ito effectuate the
intention Of said acts of Congress
Mr.. Carroll at the same time was
made the representative at-large on
the executive committee. The other
members of the committee VIII be
elected by their respective organfza-
lions.
James A. Burns, department adju-
tant of the Spanish American War
~ ~ ha
league and was authorized to expend
the funds of the new organization las
It becomes necessary, from time TO
time, for the purpose of maintaining
the rights and protection of honorably
discharged soldiers, sailors and Ma
rines in their positions and employ
ment in the civil service of the Gov
eminent"
A free will Offering" was taken up
at the meeting to defray expenses
pending the launching of drive for
funds with which to carry on the
cause" A resolution adopted by the
league requested it's members TO seek
contributions from their respective
posts, camps or departments.
Declare Law Violated.
The meeting last night was the sec
ond within a week, and grew out OF
the recent discharge from the Gov
eminent Printing Office of about IFS
men, a number of whom, 1t was
charged, were eX-service men entitled
to protection under the act of Con
gress of 1921 and executive orders Of
Presidents Wilson, Harding and Cool
idge, giving preference to veterans in
matters of civil service employment.
Investigation of the printing office
discharges led to the discovery OF
ybot ~ 10
called absolute notification of the in
tent of the law and of the executive
orders through failure of the Bureau
of Efficiency to rate veterans in &C
cordance with the system of classif
cation laid down in the veterans
protective laws.
Resolutions creating the league last
night declared that large numbers
of honorably discharged soldiers,
sailors and marines have recently
been discharged from positions in the
civil service of the Government con-
trary to the spirit, If not the letter.
of preference acts" and asserted, fur
Their, that 1T is the belief of a num-
Der of honorably discharged soldiers.
sailors and marines now employed
in civil capacities in the Government
service that in the event of future
reductions in personnel. said prefer
nullified without cause"
Legal Action Likely.
1t was indicated by speakers that
legal action will! be taken, If neces-
sary, to insure respect by Govern
ment heads of laws giving preference
to veterans in the civil service.
Veterans who have just cause for
grievance against department Off
81 II
for the law in this connection were
urged by Chairman Carroll to present
their cases in writing to the execu-
tive committee, so that appropriate
action" could be taken.
Chairman Carroll. at the outset of
the meeting, bitterly assailed Public
Printer George H. Carter and some
other department heads for their
treatment of ex-service men. He de-
clared he has affidavits tending to
show that carter has no sense of
patriotism-that he has no regard for
the interest of veterans"
Ss5 Raised Toward Fund.
Department Comdr. Frank L Peck
ham of the American Legion and
Department Comdr. Hussey of the
Disabled American Veterans spoke in
support of the action taken at the
meeting ana pleQBeQ the services Ol
their organizations in assisting in the
fight to protect civilly employed vet
Grams.
William F. Franklin of Vincent B.
Costello Post of the Legion, declared
that veterans sent as patients to
Government hospitals also were in
need of protection citing an in
stance of a patient in an out-of-town
service hospital who was forced to
wash windows before his case had
been diagnosed.
The Costello Post started the offer
ing last night with a subscription of
IS, other bodies and individuals
quickly joining until the sum of So
had been raised for preliminary ex-
penses.
The league will meet hereafter at
the call Of the chairman.