Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-01-19
Legion Head
Calls for End
Of Red Tape
Il Hampers War Effort
Waring Asserts

Legion, january II, DelOTe
the Senate and House military
and naval affairs committees,
the House world war veterans
committee and key legion
naires from many states as
Sembled for annual committee
meetings.:
I SHALL speak frankly 10 you
Il upon some of the questions
that face our country in this,
the most serious time in its his
tory. / speak for more than
1,135, 900 men who in time of
war proved their devotion, and
by their service earned the right
10 speak with authority and with
a knowledge gained in war.
The men of the American
Legion are now a vital part OF
this country. They represent a
croSs-Section of America. Many
of them have assumed their
rightful places as leaders in
business. professional, military
and public life.
More than $50, 900 legionnaires
again are wearing the uniform.
Hundreds of thousands of their
sons are fighting on every battle
front.
OUR objective is TO kill, TO de-
" stroy, and to wipe the Axis
governments from the face of
the earth. This must be done in
the quickest time possible.
We must realize that every
minute. every hour and every
day this war is prolonged will
be paid for with the blood of
American fighting men.
Our sole aim must be to de-
vote our every effort, our every
thought, our every resource, to
the victorious conclusion of this
war. Until this war is over and
victory is won, we must not
weaken our efforts by vain and
premature planning for a new
and never to be attained world
wide Utopia.
We must meet the challenge
of this hour with the needs Of
the hour-we must make war!
We must not busy ourselves
with the terms of peace not
yet won, except to make the
single resolution that it must be
a peace of absolute military VIC
tory, a dictated peace, and never
negotiated peace;
CURTAILMENT in the size OF
~ the army is advocated by
some who argue that the forma-
ton OF the army as called for by
the general staff will take from
the home front some of the man.
power necessary for war produc-
ton, and that such an army will
reduce the man-hour pool below
the point necessary for efficient
war production.
If they are correct in this
there is merit in their conten-
ton. But before we change the
army's plans for fighting this
war, let us on the home front
put our own house in order.
Let us effectively organize
and augment existing man-hour
pools by checking on the work.
slackers and bringing them into
the field of war production. This
can and should be done by clos
ing gaps that now exist. by
stepping up the tempo Of pro-
duction.
Let us first exhaust every eff
fort 10 increase the civilian pool
of man-hours by eliminating all
civilian construction and pro-
duction not essential to the war
effort and by substituting
woman power for man power.
Let us first break down and
do away with the age limit re-
strictions which are now in eff
feet in many war plants =. and
most important of all-let us in
crease civilian hour production
by taking the steps to decrease
absenteeism.
nUR enemies are working so,
" 20 and so hours a week. We
can not expect TO beat them by
working half that time.
BY a little more energy and
work and toll and sweat at
home, we can produce what the
army needs, and still not have
TO take men who are needed as
soldiers on the fighting line.
Just a little less folderol and
trimmings, a little less concern
about the world of the future,
more concentration on the Job
of winning the war, and we will
achieve our goal.
When slow-downs. work stop
pages and strikes cease, when
industry realizes that there are
plenty Of man-hours OF labor left
in the hearts and muscles and
brains of older men who, while
too told TO fight, beg the oppor-
tunity to do their part in pro-
duction; when we discard for
the duration the now perfectly
ridiculous theory OF limiting
hours Of work in wartime; when
women are given a greater part
in production. and, yes. when at
least the thousands upon thou
sands Of government employees
and bureau attaches. entirely
unnecessary in the war effort
and who only serve the purpose
OF harsssing. delaying and i'm
peding American industry by