Evening star., 1946-10-05
Legion Ends Session
After Backing Plan
10 Merge Services
By George Beveridse
Stor StoH Correspondent

1lO WHge 9eIvlCG
By George Beveridse
i Sser staff Correspondent
/ SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 5.-After
ending what old-timers termed one
Of the "best behaved" conventions
of its history, thousands of Ameri-
can Legion delegates and members
boarded trains and planes for home
today, taking with them a new Ma
tional Commander and a well de-
fined policy platform for the COM
ing year.
At their final session yesterday,
the delegates unanimously elected
Paul II. Grifith, veteran of both
wars, their new chief, and named
three World War II members among
five vice-commanders to assist him.
Mr.. Grif1lth, who maintains resi-
dence in Uniontown, Pa, has lived
for several years in Washington, at
1886 Livingston st. NV. A public
relations counselor by profession, he
served as colonel in World War II
and has wide background Of par
ticipation in Legion affairs.
Virginian Given Post.
The vice-commanders also elected
by acclamation, were Ernest H. Der
vishian, 20, Of Richmond, Va, hold
er. of the Congressional Medal OF
Honor; Martin B. Buckner, %, OF
Michigan; Richard G. Cadwallader,
33, Of Louisiana, the World War II
men, and Joseph w. Brown, Of New
Hampshire, and Edward Sharkey, Of
California.
Preceding the elections, the con-
vention heard resolutions from its
National Defense Committee and
committed the Legion to q program
that demanded the United States
keep possession of atomic bomb
secrets, that universal military
training be inaugurated without
delay" and that the Army, Navy and
Air Force be unified on co-equal
basis" into a single department.
Hargrove Wins Tempory Victory.
Meanwhile, Marion Hargrove and
his New York Duncan-Paris post
won at least temporary victory
last night when the Legion's Execu-
tive Committee rescinded its de-
cision of last Sunday approving ex-
pulsion of the post, and promised
"a fair hearing" While time Of the
hearing was not specified, the post
officially is still In the Legion-un-
der suspension by the New York de-
partment.
Justin Gray, vice commander of
the post and paid Legionnaire in
charge of investigating subversive
activities, who has strongly backed
up the post this week, announced
he was compelled" to tender res
ignation from his So 3,600-a-year po-
sition with the organization.
II was fired because I spoke out
publicly against an outrageous and
illegal action Of the National Execu-
tive Committee in expelling my
post" he declared, and charged that
"this action, directed against World
War II veterans, was against the
interests Of the American Legion
and therefore all veterans"
Reafdrming its stand on a four
month basic training course for
teen-agers in opposition to the War
Departments six-month proposal,
the Legion emphasized criticism of
a program that would interfere with
schooling and advocated the train
ing be given during summer.
Also asking that, the universal
training "be removed from the COM
plete control of any exclusively
military CASTE" the resolution read:
The American Legion reafirms
its policy in favor of universal mill
tary training and urges that said
training be accomplished by the
giving of an adequate basic period
Of training at q camp, field or sta
ton as near as possible to the home
Of the trainee, followed by period
Of training in school, in the civilian
components or in the regular serv-
ices, at the option of the trainee."
One of the conventions most
heated debates grew around the
armed forces merger Endorsement,
recommended only "in principle"
by the Legion last year A strong
move to refer the resolution to the
national executive committee was
defeated, however, and the indorse-
ment stood.
More emphatic on the question of
Air Forces status, the delegates
unanimously approved a specific
demand for a separate and CO.
equal" air unit.
Minimum Permanent Force.
At the same time insisting that
the permanent armed forces be
maintained at a minimum consist
ent with necessity" the national
defense policy called for reinforce
ment in time Of emergency by units
drawn from citizen reserve or
ganized for this purpose in time of
peace" Another resolution asked
continuance Of scientific research
in nuclear energy "and other scien-
tiflc and technical fields" Other
points Of the program were:
Organization of a civilian defense
program as an integral" part Of the
total defense policy Of the Nation;
maintenance of necessary bases
consistent with our policy of ma
tional Defense" establishment of
and maintenance of stockpiles of
strategic materials; development of
the merchant marine for COM
mercial service in peacetilne and its
maintenance for military service as
"a vital arm of our national de-
fense"; legislation to permit Ma
tional Guard or reserve service to
be counted toward retirement, and
a general overhauling" of the
military courtsmartial system.
Earlier, delegates carried out a
recommendation of John Stelle,
who retired as commander, and di-
rected the new chief to appoint
special committee ito make a thor
ough study and analysis of the
public relations service of the Vet
erans Administration to determine
uy1aafbnr ifS cncf ron ha illctif7od DI