Evening star., 1944-12-31
Col. Legendre 10 Head
Center for Veterans,
War Workers Here

Commissioner John Russell Young
who will open the Districts new in
formation center for veterans and
war workers at $50 am. Tues
day, announced last night that the
center will be in charge of 1t. Col.
Leonce R. Legendre, executive Of
ficer Of the Regional Office of
Civilian Defense.
Located at 1850 Pennsylvania
avenue NV, directly in front of
the District Building, the new CEN
ter is part of the Civilian Defense
Department, headed by Capt. H. C
Whitehurst, who also is director
of highways.
To Use Trained Interviewers.
Capt. Whitehurst said the Office
has been set up in cooperation with
the State Veterans Service Commit
tee. Trained interviewers will be
placed at the center to help return
ing veterans or unemployed war
workers by providing them with
the necessary information as to the
appropriate agency in connection
with their various rights. benefits
and opportunities given them under
the laws and regulations applying
to retraining and Unemployment
and the provisions of the 'GI Bill
of Rights
Col. Legendre, who will have Mai.
Ennalls Waggaman as his assistant.
said the interviewing staff will have
both paid and volunteer help. with
the latter supplied by the Volunteer
Office of the District. which will
remain in the same building. Mrs
Harry S. Bernton will continue as
head of the volunteer organization
Also assisting the information
center will be Malcolm Morrow.
chief of the branch of inquiry of
the Office of War Information, and
an attempt will be made to supply
information not usually given by the
Federal agency. Mr.. Young empha-
sized that the Office will be "a re-
ferral center and will not attempt
to answer complex questions con-
corning veterans
To Contact Veterans Group.
The office also will keep close con-
tact with the States Veterans
Committee, which includes Frank
Norton, Selective Service. chairman:
Charles E. Farmer. War Manpower
Commission. and Howard = Dicken-
sheets. Veterans Administration.
The various Federal agencies con-
cerned with returning servicemen
have promised to send a repre-
sentative to observe the center
land to remain for such period of
time as their services are required
in the continued training of those
who will interview the returning
veterans These Federal groups in
clude Veterans Administration, Sc
lectlve Service, United States En-
ployment Service. Civil Service Com
mission and the Railroad Retirement
Board.
Efforts to be Co-ordinated.
Capt Whitehurst said that as
soon after the center gets under
way as possible he plans to call all
service organizations and other
groups interested in supplying as
slstance together so that efforts
may be co-ordinated He stressed
that it was the intention of the
center to avoid sending veterans or
war workers Ito the wrong point
of contact" An effort will be made
to have persons referred to specific
officials of Federal agencies rather
than general reference to the
agency.
Office hours of the new informa-
ton center will be am. to 5 pm.
daily, except Sunday Creation of
the Office was announced early this
month, after such a step was rec
commended by E. c. Graham, chair
man of a Commissioners commit
tee for surveying facilities for re-
turning veterans and dislocated war
workers.