Evening star., 1942-01-24
Women 10 Hear
OF Defense in
Latin America
Club Session Is Told
U. S. Moy Fight in
All Ports Of World

Informed by Brig. Gen. Frank z.
Lowe, OF the ONCE of the Army Chief
Of Stan, that American forces will
probably "fight In all four corners
Of the earth before we're through"
more than 1000 clubwomen who are
gathered in Washington for q ma
tional defense forum will tonight
turn particular attention to military
preparedness in Latin America.
Nelson A. Rockefeller. co-ordina-
tor of Inter American Affairs; Lau-
renee Duggan, the State Depart
ment's expert on the Southern ma
tions; Ambassador Diogenes Esca-
lante Of Venezuela and DR.. William
Sanders of the Pan-American Union
win act as instructors in a special
session to be held at $50 pm. In the
Pan-American Building. Ambassa-
dors and ranking diplomats from II
other Latin American countries will
be on the platform.
This hemisphere discussion follows
an afternoon forum today in which
Secretary of Agriculture Wickard,
Price Administrator Leon Hender-
son and Secretary of Labor Perkins
were scheduled to outline their ideas
on Defense Of Our Economic Sys-
tenn"
To Hear Labor Aides.
Like most other sessions In the
four-day gathering of the General
Federation Of Women's Clubs, end
Ing Monday, this was to be held in
the Mayflower Hotel. Others dis
cussing the same topic were to in
clude William p. Witherow, presi-
dent, National Association of Manu-
facturers; Robert j: Watt Of the
American Federation Of Labor, and
Van A. Bittner of the Congress of
Industrial Organizations.
Gen. loves prediction of far
fiung American military action came
while he was reporting yesterday on
the rate Of mechanization of our
Army-declaring with one-fourth its
strength in air squadrons and one
sixth in tank divisions, it is rapidly
becoming more highly mechanical
than the German army.
For the men manning these ma
chimes, the United States is provid-
ing feeding, housing and general
care unrivaled by any except the
British Army, he declared.
Knox Arrives Too Late.
Secretary of Navy Knox was also
scheduled to speak, but was detained
so long at White House conference
that his audience finally adjourned.
Seconds later he appeared at the
door, breathless but too late.
Last night Mrs. Roosevelt staged
an impromptu quiz program on
problems of the ONCE of Civilian
Defense, of which she Is assistant
director. Assisting her in answering
audience questions were four other
o. G. D. officials, Miss Jane Seayer,
director of the youth division; James
p. Kirby, chief of press relations;
Brig. Gen. L. D. Gasser, in charge Of
civilian protection, and Miss Wilmer
Shields Of the community volunteer
service.
Mrs. Roosevelt advocated fair play
and careful legal procedure in deal
ing with aliens, but said that many
"borderline" cases of possibly dan
gerous foreigners can only be dealt
with by internment.
o. C. d. Powers Advisory.
Reporting that in some States
women have been denied the privi-
lege OF serving as air raid wardens,
she pointed out that the o. c. D. has
only advisory powers and cannot
dictate the voiding of such rules.
Declaring that Capitol Hill is be-
ing flooded with appeals to abolish
the National Youth Administration
completely, Mrs. Roosevelt also
asked the clubwomen to create con-
trary sentiment.
Three-year college courses are
eliminating vacations during which
poor students earned tuition money.
she said. II N Y. A. funds are also
eliminated, she declared, "a very
serious and undemocratic situation"
will arise.
We're going to cut out students
with brains that would be useful to
U.s." commented Mrs. Roosevelt.
only those whose parents have
money could 60 to college"
At the same time she recalled
the contention of Brig. Gen.
Lewis B. Hershey that no more vol
unteer enlistments should be per-
mitted in Army or Navy. She indi-
Gated she believes college boys
should be kept in school until Sc
lective Service boards determine
where they belong.
HinckIey Sees Rosy Future.
Bright prospects on the civilian
front-after the war-were held out
by Assistant Secretary of Commerce
Robert z. Hinckley, who pictured
the American family of the future
buying airplanes as they did the
"tin hzzies" Of 1903 to 1912.
Seconding q plea from Gen. Lowe
that families realize the danger of
unwilling cooperation with the
enemy through 'loose-tongued"
spreading of Nazi-inspired rumors.
Mrs. Edward Macauley of the Red
Cross said complaints were coming
from all over the country that the
Red Cross sells bandages and clothes
to soldiers.
This rumor must have been started
to sabotage the Red Cross war fund
drive, she said, because the Red
Cross rnever has and never will"
sell its benefits to American soldiers,
to disaster refugees or to any other
cnllntYv