Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-08
NATIONAL LEADERS
/. COMING TOLEG|ON
jOBLESS FARLEY
States, Cities, Labor and
Capital Represented
Monday.
VETERANS WOULD HELP
ALL RELIEF AGENCIES
Closer Coordination of Posts EN-
ployment Bureaus With Va
rious Groups Sought.

National officials of the American
Legion here received notice from Ralph
T. ONeil, national commander. that
Governors, mayors and representatives
or labor, capital and industry have
accepted invitations OF the Legion to
meet in Washington next Monday for
conference on unemployment and the
economic situation.
Officials said that during the confer
ence the full strength and influence of
the Legion will be offered to the Presi-
oents organization on unemployment
relief and to all municipal, State and
other governmental agencies to be used
in helping relieve the present unemplcy-
ment condition.
PIans nave been going forward sew
eral weeks for the conference according
to Comdr. O'Neil, and now acceptance
to the invitations are being rcceived
daily from Governors and other officials.
The invitations to mayors are limited
to the IS largest cities and several
others where large public projects have
been started. The American Federation
Of Labor and the United States Cham
Der OF Commerce have signified they
would have high officers and committees
present, with such advice and Informal
ton as would be possible to supply.
Closer Cooperation Sought.
Zone main purpose of the confer
ence," ONtil said, lis to get ideas and
suggestions that will enable the Legions
National Employment Committee to be
more effective. We believe the Legion.
through the agencies of its many posts,
can be very effective in helping solve
this serious problem which now con-
fronts our Nation.
1T is our intention to cooperate with
all existing agencies, both public and
semi-public. have called this confer
ence at this time so that suggestions
and ideas we receive can be submitted
by our Employment Commission to the
national convention to be held in De-
troit, September 21-24.
We believe the Legion will be able -
increase employment during the coming
Winter and also help outline prOgra n
that may be of some permanent benefit
during any period of depression.
Three Phase Program.
The national commander said the
Legion's National Employment Com
mission. Of which Howard P. Savage OF
Chicago, past national commander is
chairman. last year worked on three
phase program. The first effort has been
to provide employment for as many as
possible, and this has been done for
200, 900. The commission, as the second
phase, advocated such meeting as will
now be held in Washington.
AS the third step. the commission
several months ago inaugurated a Ma
tion-wide campaign to promote needed
public Improvements and speed up such
public projects as have been authorized,
but have not yet passed the paper stage.
The commander said there is now
$4,000, 100000 worth of public and semi
public buildings upon which work has
not been started, while actual contracts
in this years building program Of the
Nation have been let for about 81
000000,000 worth. He said these figures
were obtained recently in q survey made
under Legion direction here
Mondays conference will be held at
the MayfloWer Hotel.