Evening star., 1942-09-20
McNutt and Patterson
Say Draft Of Labor
Is Likely 10 Come
Legion Convention Told
Winning War Must
Be Put Above All Else
By the Associated Press.

KANSAS CITY, Sept. 1o.-
American Legionnaires were
warned today by war leaders
that the Nation must utilize all
its manpower to win over the
Axis and if voluntary methods
failed, a system of compulsory
service may come.
From Paul McNutt, director of the
War Manpower Commission, came
a broad hint at the opening session
of the Legion's national convention
that some sort of industrial con-
scription might come.
America" he said, 'is faced to-
Gay with the urgent need to pro-
duce. Every worker, every man
hour of every workers energy, must
be applied at that point which will
help the war effort most.
People Seen Ready.
I'VE are now seeking to obtain
such ends as these by voluntary
means. We are in this war to win
and if that means discipline, we,
the people, are ready"
Earlier, Secretary of the Navy
Knox told the veterans there must
be strong unity on the home front
to win, and Undersecretary of War
Patterson said, THE time will come
when we shall have broad national
service legislation under which men
and women may be assigned to in
dustrial jobs"
"The task for us at home" he
said, lis to give our soldiers and
sailors the munitions and supplies
the planes, the tanks, the ships. the
guns, and all the rest of the stuff
The doing of that task is the real
second front, and all who are not in
the armed services must serve on
that front"
Louis A. johnson, former Assist
and Secretary of War, and William
F. Witherow, president of the Ma
tional Association of Manufacturers.
spoke of what might come after the
war.
The convention is dedicated en-
tlrely to major war problems. The
Leglonnaires have pledged all of
their time to seeing what can be
done about speeding up prosecution
of the war.
National Comdr. Lynn U. Stam-
baugh, Fargo, N. Oak, in his annual
report told the legionnaires that I'VE
should make clear recommended
ton to Congress to lower the draft
age to Is.
USO Recognition Urged.
He also suggested that the Le-
glon's National Defense Committee
explore the question of what to do
about college students who are in
the enlisted reserve. ....
ANY training that is given to
men OF this age group very definitely
should be geared to the part they are
to play in this war" he said, and
that means in 1912 and I943 not
1945 and 1896"
Mr.. Stambaugh declared that it
would be impossible for the Legion
to choose city and plan for con-
ventlon next year because "condi-
tions are changing too rapidly" He
suggested it be left to the National
Executive Committee to choose
convention site later.
He also recommended that the
Legion take official cognizance of
the United Service Organiza tions as
a desirable war activity.
The color of other years was for
gotten and so were the parade and
all of the making of former
Legion conventions. Only $4,000
came, in contrast to other years,
when as many as 100000 attended.
Will Depend on Air Fleet.
Mr.. johnson told the Legionnaires
that just as the United States had
depended after 1918 on her Navy,
so she will have to depend at the
close of this war on her air fleet"
Mr.. johnson said that under any
international agreement of peace
loving and friendly countries, we
shall also have to handle our eco
nomic resources SO that no country
in the world has any great motive
TO start on a mad career of aggres-
sion"
Mr.. Witherow, emphasizing that
today's task was the war, but that
it was imperative to look ahead