The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-08-01


Actually. the Veterans OF
Foreign Wars are In better posi-
ton than the Legion to get a head
start on recruiting veterans of
World War II. The WV charter
from Congress permits recruiting
men before they are discharged,
while the Legion must wait until
a man leaves the service before
recruiting him.
Fact Is the WV has picked up
more than 100000 new members
since Pearl Harbor. while the Lee
igon's gains have been relatively
paltry. At the start OF the war;
the Legion had more than one
million members, the WV only
a quarter million. But today the
WV magazine has the largest
overseas circulation of any nom
Governmental publication. is now
read by 100000 men monthly. AS
q result. VFW Is picking up menu
bers at the rate OF 5000 q week,
while Legion officials fret, plan
their own recruiting drive later.
One reason fer VFW success
has been . policy Of taeitIy
backing the American Legion
on key policy matters. VIEW
helped point the Legion as
"antl-lab0r," then tnrned around
and attempted to arrange o deal
whereby all CIO and AFL mem
hers In the service would Join
the VFW instead Of the Legion
when they left the service. More
than two million union men are
In the service. This -would be
sixable chunk for any group 10
recruit.
However. labor has not fallen
for the bait. Instead. trade-union
chapters Of the American Legion
are being rapidly built up 10 help
combat any anti-union feelings OF
returning seryicemen.
The Veterans OF Foreign Wars
have also made "hay' with a
speech delivered by national Lee
gi0n commander Warren Atherton
in the South Pacific area re-
Gently. Atherton debunked the
idea that men In the front lines
fighting the Japs want burroughs
home. The WV Immediately
took advantage of this statement,
set up a terrific howl for overseas
Burroughs. soon found membership
applications pouring IN,
S0hfEEiVELL'S PENTA-
CON BUILDING
Gen. BTehon Someryell, who
masteF-minded the terrific job of
invasion, also conceived and built
sending supplies abroad for the
the War Departments elaborate
Pentagon bulldlnug. Proudly, he
refers to that massive structure as
his oyergrown little baby and has
good naturedly taken much kid
ding about It's intricate network
of corridors, Soothing at the
suggestion that each employ be
given a map to find his way
around, he declared that only q
fool could get lost In the Penta-
goD,
Recently, q grey-haired, states
~ officer, wearing three stars on
his Army coat, meekly stuck his
head inside an office and Sheep
ishly asked; "tRheTe am " Can
anyone here direct me 10 my Of
fleeg"
Certainly, General 60meFVell,"
replied 0 captain who consulted 0
map on the wall and then pro-
eeeded TO guide the General back
TO Service Forces heaFquarlefs,
Maps are now being printed gog
Oh Pentag0n employees,
ADMIRAL KING SLABS
Insiders now admit that gFles
ton between Heeratafy Of the Navy
FoFTestal and Chief Of Naval OPP
eFatlons Admiral Ernie KING y
Just as bad as II was between klng
and the late Prank knok-og
worse,
Knox and Admiral King rubbed
each other raw, King used 70
90 over the head Of the keeFe.
taFy OF the Navy, even oYefEnlea
him regarding the Nays new
grey summer uniform, which Knox
and most Navy meD-opposea'