Evening star., 1945-08-03
PatteyrsonWarns
PeaceFeeIers
AreJap Trick
Revolt Must, Precede
Any Valid Offer,
He Tells Legion

He Tells Legion
Undersecretary of War Patterson
'aid last night that the only peace
offer from the Japanese he would
rust would be an offer backed with
action by the battered and exploited
of those islands"
Speaking at the opening of the
,hree-day convention of the Dis
,rict Department, American Legion.
ut the Mayf1ower Hotel, Mr.. Patter-
son predicted that the Jap war lead
srs will trade space for time, will
sacrifice uncounted lives for time
and will trade cities and industry
'or time, hoping that time would dull
our will to win.
Il do not believe that any of the
Japanese leaders can offer us sin
cere and candid surrender today,
without mental and physical reser-
vations by which they hope to rise
from disaster to dominate once more
the Western Pacific and Eastern
Asio," ne told the Legion delegates.
No Signs of Collapse.
He said. he could see no signs Of
the collapse of Japan. Opposing our
forces, he estimated, are over 2,000,-
900 well-armed troops, backed by a
peoples army whipped into fanatic
ism for last-ditch fight" He also
called attention to the Kwantung
Army in Manchuria and the Japa-
neSe Army in China gathering like
an evil cloud for the storm that Is
coming"
THE day that the desperate min
ions of that fantastic and medieval
citadel overthrow their masters, dis
arm their soldiers and force their
Emperor and divinity to order cease
firing that is the peace offer, that
1 shall believe as creditable," he
said.
He warned that if any of our now
PROSTATE enemies can rise in the
future. they will never tackle an
other war without knocking us ous
first" He cited as "twp prime neces-
sites for our future security" thu
giving of intelligent support to the
United Nations Charter and main
tenance of defense SO strong that
neither our sovereignty nor the
world organization which we support
will be challenged or assailed."
Six Washingtonians Cited.
Six Washingtonians were cite2
as distinguished Citizens of the
United States by the American
ism Commission, of which Russell S.
Jeffreys, is chairman. and Joseph A.
Walker is vice chairman.
Those cited are William Mont
gomery. president of the Acacia Mu-
tlial Life Insurance Co.; John Clag-
get Proctor, historian; David Babp.
secretary Of the Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations; Policeman Oliver
A. Cowan, colored, organizer of the
Junior police; Richard H. Mansfield,
former police inspector, and w. H.
Crown, 1870 Bay street Sc, who Is
active in civic work.
Mr.. Proctor and Mr.. Mansfield
were honored for their historical
work which appears in The Sunday
Star and Mr.. Mansfield; also for his
work for safety among school chill
dren. Mr.. Proctor writes a weekly
historical article on the District. and
Mr.. Mansfield is represented by h
cartoon depicting old-tine Wash
ington.
1000 Attend Session.
Highlight of the opening session,
attended by more than 1000 dele
gates from District Legion posts
was the induction into the Legion
of Bert Shepard, Army Air Forces
lieutenant who overcame the handi-
cap of an amputated leg to become
a pitcher with the Washington base.
ball club.
Sworn in by Col. Raymond J. Kelly
past national commander, the former
airman, who walked to the platform
through an aisle made by the Ma
tional Guard of Honor, said it was
every kids dream" to be- a Legion
member. He was introduced by
Lester Steinem, commander of the
National Cathedral Post, of which
the pitcher is now a member. Mr.
Patterson called 1t. Shepard "a true
embodiment of the American sol.
dier."
Maj. Oscar Jones, veteran employ.
ment representative for the District
told the Legion delegates that the
United States Employment Service
was not discriminating against en-.
listed men as he said had. beer
charged. He said that when a vet.
eran comes into the USES for job
he is sent to the job on the basis oi
his qualifications and not his ranl
or lack of it in the armed forces.
Gems. Hines, Hershey Speak.
Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines, retiring
veterans administrator, predicted
that the returning servicemen will
have much to say about your Gov
erment and its policies in the future
and that. having passed the acid test
of citizenship, they will be helpful
in leading the Nation in peacetime.
Maj. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, direc.
tor of selective service. and Maj.
Gen. Shelley Marietta, commanding
officer of the Army Medical Center
were among the other guests intro.
duced by Department Comdr. Let
Pennington. Thomas R. Callahan
convention chairman presided.
Miss Hilda Nelson, who sang sew.
eral selections, was presented with
the Legion's distinguished service
certificate for her frequent appear.
ances at Legion affairs. A WAVE
sextette and the Fort Stevens
Drum and Bugle Corps also enter.
tanned the delegates. The For
Stevens Post No. 80 ritual team con.
Quoted the memorial service anc
Jerome B. Mckee, department chap.
lain, offered the benediction.
Brig. Gen. Robert N. Young, com.
manding general of the Militar,
District of washington, will bt
principal speaker at tonight's session