Evening star., 1940-12-21
Peace Group Pickets
Defense Commission
And Calls on Dykstra
Conditions at Truinino
Comps Protested by
Delegation Of 20

A group of New York visitors.
identifying themselves as members
of the American Peace Mobilization,
picketed Defense Commission head
quarters at the Federal Reserve
Building today and sent delegations
to confer with Selective Service Di-
rector C: A. Dykstra and with the
Defense Commissions Consumers
Division.
The picketers bore signs reading
Keep Intact the johnson Neutrality
Act to Keep America Out of War"
and Cargo Ships Today Mean Troop
Ships Tomorrow: Keep American
Ships Out of the War Zone"
The some 20 members of the dele
cation calling on Mr.. Dykstra COM
planned of alleged inadequate shelter
at some training camps and other
conditions with which they were dis
pleased. While the delegation was
in Mr.. Dykstras conference room,
two youths picketed the building
the old Potomac Park Apartments at
Twenty-first and C streets NV
and carried signs reading Defend
America-Not the Bank of England
and Dollars Today Mean Troops
Tomorrow"
Camp Conditions Hit.
One member of the organization
said 68 had arrived this morning
ito see a couple of Government
officials" in Washington. Another
picketer said there were 100 in the
group that came from New York.
Their spokesmen told Mr. Dykstra
| that housing conditions were bad,
particularly at Fort Dix N. j., and
Camp Upton, on Long Island, N Y.
Trainees, they said. were living in
tents without adequate heat and
| there was much influenza.
They also objected to the prices
| charged soldiers for such daily needs
| as cigarettes. A man earning IS
cents a day. according to spokes-
man for the delegation, has to pay
Is cents a package for cigarettes
| at an Army canteen.
Another grievance was the as
serted appointment of local draft
board members of conscription age.
! He also was told that many board
members were not residents of the
community, as required in the regu-
lations.
I The delegation also protested to
Mr.. Dykstra against alleged racial
discrimination in carrying out the
selective service program. The group
charged that colored registrants
were not being given an even break
and that there was discrimination
/ in the smaller number of these men
! inducted into service and in the
work to which they were assigned
DR.. Walter Scott Neff headed the
group that visited Selective Service
headquarters.
After listening to the protests Mr.
Dykstra had no comment to make
/ About 40 of the group met with
Miss Lena Ware. assistant to Miss
Harriet Elliott, head of the consumer
division of the Defense Commission,
and John Cassels. executive assistant
to Miss Elliott.
Economies Protested.
DR.. Annette Rubinstein. who said
she was the executive secretary of
the women's division of the Ameri-
can Peace Mobilization, Informed
Mr.. Cassels and Miss Ware that the
group objected to curtailment of
budgets for other Government
agencies in favor of defense opera
tions
DR.. Rubinstein declared there was
a greater need than ever to improve
the welfare of slum dwellers and
that funds should be continued for
their we'll being instead of being
spent for munitions.
Two of the pickets appeared this
morning in front Of the main en-
trance of the Labor Department on
Constitution avenue. Each carried
a large sign. one urging that labor
be protected in its right to strike
"to protect American democracy"
and the other demanding that no
Government contracts be awarded
to violators of labor laws.