The Washington times., 1932-08-20
PLANS BACKED
BY NATIONAL
SAFETY BODY
New Committee and R.0.T.C.
Join Program; Hearst and
Garner Draw Praise

"A definite statement of their
attitude on national defense
will be demanded of every
candidate for Congress this
fall, according to a plan being
put into effect by the national
defense committee of the
American Legion.
Questionnaires will be sent to
every congressional candidate
from the department headquar-
ters of the Legion. Ten questions
will be asked, covering the ground
of national defense.
The plan is part of campaign
to put the question Squarely up
to the candidates before election,
leaving no loopholes through
which they may later crawl when
the subject comes up on the floors
Of Congress.
Backed by New Group
Back of the campaign is the
American Legion, the R. o. T. c.
Association Of the United States,
and the newly organized Citizens
National Safety Committee.
The last mentioned organiza-
ton, recently formed by COM
mittee of 100 national patriotic
leaders, charges that the sub
committee of the House Appro-
priations Committee, having in
charge appropriations for the
War Department, plans during
the coming session of Congress
to demand the With olding OF
"'pay and allowances" OF '2,OOO
officers of the regular Army.
Under the new appropriations
the War Department would De
obliged Immediately to recaA
1,749 regular officers, now acting
as instructors with civilian units.
Injustice, Peril Charged
This would mean the with
drawal of officers detailed to the
National Guard, the organized
reserves and the R. o. T. c., and
in the end would mean the total
destruction of these three civilian
units of national defense.
The Citizens National Safety
Committee declares:
"The plan, if carried out,
would completely destroy the
value of the nations first and
only military policy, represented
by the national defense act"
Furthermore, the commltCee
points out, it would work a serl-
Gus hardship on the 1000 officers
dropped, and gross injustice to
men educated for the service ana
for nothing else.
Protests Called For
The committee calls on every
citizen of the United States to
protest the proposed curtailment
of the War Department funds. 1t
Is proposed that every voter:
Write or wire your State dele
CATION in Congress:
Write or wire the Hon. John
N. Garner, Speaker OF the
House;
Write or wire William Ran
dolph HearSt-AT ONCE.
It is declared:
Both Mr.. Hearst and Speak
er Garner are outstanding in
their patriotism. Both must
know that national defense can
not be destroyed without the
placing Of responsibility where
it belongs"
To augment the personal ap-
peals it is suggested that various
civic and patriotic organizations
throughout the country adopt
resolutions giving their view on
national defense. And that copies
of these resolutions be forwarded
to Mr.. Hearst and Mr.. Garner.
The r. o. T. c. Association
suggests that those believing in
national defense organize small
groups and personally interview
each candidate for membership
in the House or Senate whose
attitude toward the measure is
not definitely known.
Roll Calls Compiled
Indefinite and evasive replies
are to be counted against ma
tional defense and the candidate
is to be placed on the black list.
The R. o. T. c. has compiled
for the information of its mem
bers and patriotic citizens six
roll calls on War Department
appropriation bills, giving the
votes yea" and may" of each
member of the House and Senate,
which is being widely distributed.
The association tells its mem
bers:
Insist that every candidate
for Congress place himself
definitely against any reduc-
tion in the present strength of
the Army, National Guard,
Organized Reserves, r. o. T. c.,
! cifiZAnS' military training camnS