Evening star., 1946-12-27
Legion Wants
D. {. 10 Set Up
Veterans Office
Executive Committee
Also Approves Plan
For Memorial HuII

The Executive Committee of the
District Department., American Le-
gion, has approved unanimously a
Legislative program which includes a
proposal to establish a department
of veterans affairs in the District
government.
Legislation to authorize construc-
ton of national memorial audito-
rum here, to add three judges to
Municipal Court, to provide unre-
stricted retirement credit for time
spent in armed services by police
and firemen and to exempt certain
Legion property from taxation also
was recommended by the depart
ment Legislative Committee and ap-
proved last night by the Executive
Committee.
The Legislative Committee re-
ported without recommendation leg
islation to provide national repre-
sentation for the District. The
Executive Committee had ordered
this legislation prepared. BY ap-
proving the report last night, it
assured the bill a place in the de-
fpartment legislative program.
Plan for Medals Rejected.
The Legislative Committee recon-
|mended rejection of q proposed bill
to provide medals for all District
residents who served in World War
II. The Executive Committee con-
CURED, although the proposal origi-
mated as a mandate from the de-
partment convention.
eve didn't feel it would be appro-
pirate to spend large amount of
money for medals at this time when
the veterans are crying for housing"
Chairman Edwin w. Luther of the
Legislative Committee explained.
Department Comdr. Guy c. Ma
deau said the program was presented
to the District Commissioners last
week and was received favorably."
The proposed District Department
of Veterans Affairs would take over
all District responsibilities for vet
Grams and their dependents. 1t would
be headed by a director, an officer
or enlisted veteran of World War I
or II, who would be paid $1,000 a
year.
Selected by Director.
The director would select and rec
ommend to the Commissioners for
appointment, without regard to the
Classification Act or the civil serv-
ice rules and regulations, such per-
sonnel and in such classification as
the director may deem necessary"
Preference would be given to vet
Grams of the World Wars, widows of
such veterans and wives of disabled
veterans.
With respect to the additional
Municipal Court judges, the COM
mittee report, as approved, supports
the proposal, providing that the
judges to be appointed shall have
been residents of and have engaged
in the practice of law in the District
of Columbia for a period Of five
Syears-service in the armed forces
of the United States during World
War II to be considered In the
computing of the five-year resi-
Dental and legal practice provision
and that preference on considera-
ton shall be given to veterans Of
World Wars I and II for such judi
scial appointments"
Retirement Law Proposed.
The retirement legislation would
permit Metropolitan, Park and
White House police and District
firemen to pay into the Treasury
the amounts which would have been
deducted from their salaries for re-
tirement funds had they not been
in the armed forces.
This would enable these veterans
to use their service time toward
voluntary retirement.
At present, policemen and fire.
men are credited with service in the
armed forces only in computation
of retirement for age. Under rul-
ing of the controller general, they
are not permitted to "buy" the
lost years for voluntary retirement
credit.