Evening star., 1942-04-13
Leaders Of u. 5. 0.
Leave 10 Prepare
$32,ooO,ooo Drive
Greatly increased Need
Stressed at Doy.Long
Conference Here

Community leaders from all parts
Of the Nation returned to their
homes today prepared to begin
plans for the opening. May IL. of
the United Service Organizations
drive for $50 ,o00, ,000-nearly triple
that Of last year-following . day.
long rally called by the Federal
Government in the Mayfiower Hotel
yesterday.
High ranking officials Of the
Army. Navy and Federal Security
Agency Joined in issuing . call for
support Of the campaign to provide
recreation and other facilities for
the Nations fighting forces and war
workers.
The drive viii open simultane-
ously in the principal cities of the
country. including Washington.
Speakers heard through the day
were unanimous in agreeing the
needs Of service men and those
behind the lines had increased
greatly since the 1941 campaign for
slo,76o,00o opened nearly q year ago.
Patterson Sounds Keynote.
The keynote was sounded by Un-
dersecretary Of War Patterson, who
stressed the Army at the end of
this year would be double that of
its strength at the beginning of
1912. He declared:
I'VE are supplying them with the
weapons they need. Our war plants
are working day and night to give
them the planes and ships and tanks
they must have and will have. They
will have the air support and the
naval support they need. But when
the end Of the day comes, they will
need your support"
Every soldier, he declared, ought
to have the best his country can
provide, for they are expected to
give their best, and they may have
to give their lives" Reminding the
audience Of nearly 1000 persons he
had returned week ago from a
tour Of our Caribbean bases, the
Undersecretary said:
There is nothing theoretical or
artificial about their need for the
U. s: o. They are down there in
the jungle. the mud and the dust.
working night and day and ready
70 night at the drop Of a JAP"
Problem Of Sailors.
With the Navy growing by "leaps
and bounds" and since Pearl
Harbor the personnel expansion
tremendous" Undersecretary OF
Navy Forrestal told the community
leaders that the problem Of the
sailors recreation is expanded
MANIFOLD" U. S. O., he added
battles against the boredom of his
on-duty hours and provides the
link between the training station
ano MS normal existence"
The sailors Of the Navy are not
the seasoned men of past years but
lads fresh from the farms of Iowa,
the OIL fields OF Texas, the mills of
New England and from every part
OF the country" Mr.. Forrestal said,
Tor these boys the discipline on
shipboard and the ceaseless watch
at battle stations are doubly hard.
but to be deposited, friendless, in a
strange coastal town is 10 times as
heart breaking"
Word From President.
From Federal Security Admins
traitor McNutt, who called yester-
days conference, came word of
President Roosevelt's wish for the
continuation Of the U. S. o. program.
The Chief Executive wrote Mr.. Mutt
Reports Of progress during the
past year leave no doubt that this
great work is well in hand. I look
forward to the continuing co-opera-
tion and active participation OF the
United Service Organizations, its
member agencies and the host of
individual citizens in whose behalf
the U. S. o. Is rendering this great
service"
The Nation, as well as the COM
munity, has an obligation for the
leisure-time welfare of servicemen
and men and women In war indus
tries-an obligation shared by Gov
eminent, by voluntary organizations
and by the people at large, Mr.. Mutt
asserted.
267 Buildings Approved.
The administrator disclosed that
267 buildings for recreation had been
approved by r. S. A. to date and
that 239 Of these are located in con-
tinental United States and 20 at
bases from Newfoundland to
Panama to Hawaii"
Harper Sibley, national president
of U. s. O.. reported that the or
ganization now had in operation
428 clubs for servicemen in 30s
communities Of 43 States and nine
foreign bases. Operating the clubs
are 1888 trained professional stan
workers, he said. In addition items
of thousands of active volunteers
are serving on U. S. o. councils and
committees, it was disclosed.
Little more than half Of this years
goal will 60 toward construction OF
S55 additional U. S. o. clubhouses
to bring the total to $40, Walter
Hoving, chairman Of the U. S. o
Board, reported. He estimated $15,-
466,046 for this work Other esti-
mates made by the chairman were
sf,876,518, for operation Of overseas
clubs; 81 900 900, to help defray ex-
p{nses OF leave-area clubs; $3.50, :
1874, mobile services for men isolated
from communities; $4,000, 900, U. s
q camp shows.
Other Speakers Heard.
AOthers heard In the general ses.
sion held In the afternoon were
Rear Admiral Monroe Kelly Of the