Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-28
Veteran Center
Sought
By Gen. Young
Visit to New Quarters
Reveals Lack of
'One-Stop' Service
BY MIRIAM GUTENBERG,

started operating in its new quarters
at 1400 Pennsylvania avenue NV,
today, Brig. Gen. Gordon r. Young,
Engineer Commissioner, launched
campaign to make the center really
a "one-stop service"
Gen. Young moved from desk to
desk in the new quarters, asking
veterans how long they had been
waiting, what they wanted and what
kind of service they were getting.
At the same time, he asked repre-
sentatives sent from the agencies
dealing with veterans affairs why
they had to refer so many of the
veterans back to their agencies in
stead of taking care of the men at
the center.
Referred to Headquarters.
He found that the Red Cross rep
resentative referred every case that
came along to Red Cross Headquar-
tiers. Gen. Young Immediately got
on the telephone to inquire why
emergency funds could not be kept
in a safe at the center so that men
needing small grants could be taken
care of on the spot.
When he was told that was not
the usual procedure, he asked, why
not?" That's the way they did it
at Fort Belvoir"
Gen. Young formerly commanded
Fort Belvoir.
He arranged a meeting with Red
Cross representatives for next Mon
day to see if more of the Red Cross
work, including emergency funds,
could not be done at the center.
and expressed confidence that the
Red Gross would follow other agen-
cies in their efforts to keep veter-
ans from getting the run around"
Suggests Usinr Telephone.
MOVING to the desk occupied by
the Civil Service Commission rep
resentative, who just moved in
today, Gen. Young found that his
representative, too, had been IN
structed to refer all veterans to the
various commission Offices.
Conceding that some veterans
would have to be sent to the Civil
Service Commission, he asked why
more of the work couldn't be done
over the telephone and said he
would make further arrangements
with the commission.
He suggested that the veteran
being interviewed at that moment,
a man seeking an administrative
job, also be interviewed by the
United States Employment Service
representative for a job in private
industry. Gen. Young listened in
while the man moved to the next
desk where the USES representative
found out the mans qualifications
and picked up the telephone to find
out what jobs were on file in the
USES Office.
The USES representative told him
that only men seeking CT unemploy-
ment compensation had to be
referred to the USES. Gen. Young
responded that he would try to get
an unemployment compensation
representative at the center to save
that trip.
so Per Cent Licked.
After interviewing the Veterans
Administration representative, Gen.
Young said he believed that agency
has the referral problem 80 per
cent licked" and suggested that some
of the forms for which men were
being sent to the Veterans Admin
istration could be filled out at the
center.
When he was told that men now
are being sent to the District build
ing to have their discharge papers
he wanted to know
why can't we send a messenger to
the District Building with the papers
and let the men sit here where it's
comfortable and waltz"
After his morning-long survey,
Gen. Young said he believed it
would take weeks to get the center
running as it should be, but that he
was determined that we've got to
take care of the men here"
Bradley Attends Dedication.
Led by Veterans Administrator
Omar N. Bradley, Selective Service
Director Lewis B. Hershey and two
of the District Commissioners, more
than 100 representatives of Federal
and local, public and private agen-
cies witnessed the dedication of the
center yesterday.
After looking over the center,
which occupies half the central Sec
ton OF the United States Public In
formation Building, both Gen. Brad
ley and Gen. Hershey commented
that the larger space was an impor-
tant step toward giving better serv-
ice to Washington veterans. Gen.
Bradley pointed out that while one
stop service" might be impossible
because of necessary records located
in other agencies, there we're many
services the center could perform
which no other single Federal or
local agency offered. He said it
should never be necessary for a man
to make more than two stops for
help.
Col Waldron E. Leonard, center
director, said he hopes to get
three typists who will write neces-
sary letters for the men, and ma
chinery for discharges to be regis
tered at the center. He said he also
hopes to obtain representatives from
other agencies who will give advice
on loans, legal and financial assis-
lance, vocational guidance and adj
vice on surplus property.
Both Joseph McGarraghy, chair
man of the center's advisory group,
who presided, and william E. Leahy,
District selective service director,
who made the keynote address, en-
phasized that the center's success
on community co-opera-
ton.
Maynard H. Smith, Congressional
Medal Of Honor winner, who ac-
cepted the center for the World War
II veterans. said his comrades were
mot too difficult to satisfy. They
don't want and don't expect the inn
possible. A courteous reception,
some understanding and definite
action is all they want" Mr.. Smith
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