Evening star., 1946-10-04
Rank and File 10 Guide
Legion on VAIssues,
Incoming Chief Says
By George Beveridse
Stor SioH Correspondent

Pdul n. trlIIlCn OF washington
D. c., slated to be elected ma.
tional commander of the Amer.
lean Legion today, declared thai
any future "animosity" between
the Legion and the Veterans
Administration will be the result
of Legion mandates-and not
ION a basis of personalities"
Comdr. John Stelle gained full
Legion support in a demand for an
immediate" congressional session
to repeal on-the-job training pay
and time-limit ceilings.
Mr.. Griffith, only candidate for
commander, also pointed out in an
interview that If 1t becomes neces-
sary to differ publicly with the vet
erans' agency. he believes 1--WE can
get better results by attacking the
Veterans Administration-and not
the administrator"
"The best thing for me to do" he
said, "is forget there were any per-
sonality clashes, and then go ahead
and follow the program laid out by
the Legion" He added that in
former contact with Gen. Bradley,
I'VE have always gotten along splen-
didly."
New Veterans on Slate.
Other elections today will be for
the five posts of vice commander
A slate including three World War
II men will 60 into office without
opposition, barring unforeseen NOM
nations from the floor. The slate,
repeatedly agreed on by the king
makers" in the conventions early
sessions. includes:
Ernest II. Devourshian, Medal of
Honor winner, of Richmond, Va,
World War II: Joseph w. Brown,
New Hampshire, World War l.;
Richard C. Cadwallader, Louisiana,
World War II; Martin Buckner,
MICHIGAN, World War II, and Ed
ward Sharkey, California, World
War I.
The closing plenary session also
will see consideration Of final policy
platforms, including the Legion War
Department controversy over the
universal military training program.
The Legion is expected to sit tight
on its demand for a four-month
basic training program.
In policy action yesterday, the
Legion sustained committee report
rejecting Endorsement of a bonus
but demanded immediate cash re-
demption of terminal leave bonds
and asked income tax exemption for
three years after discharge on the
first $4,000 per year.
Housing Study Ordered.
On housing, the convention failed
to propose a concrete program, but
appointed a seven-man committee
of World War II members to COM
pletely study the problem and re-
port to a national executive COM
nittee meeting next month in
Indianapolis. AS expected, delegates
also abstained from indorsing the
Wagner-Ellender-Taft housing pro-
gram.
Strong Endorsement of Secretary
of State Byrnes' foreign policy was
given in a resolution that demanded
the policy be kept free from parti-
san politics" Other points of the
foreign affairs platform included:
Constant resistance of the "totali-
tartan and tyrannical ideologies"
of Communism; condemnation of
the Yugoslavian government and
demand that all shipments of food
and materials to that country be
stopped; formation of a definite
policy, neither hostile nor sub
servient, and which scorns appease-
ment."
Other Resolutions Approved.
Other committee reports resulted
In approval of these resolutions:
l. Opposition to proposals that
merchant marine members be
granted benefits of the CT Bill of
Rights.
2. Recommendation that 80 per
cent of all critical building mate
rials be channeled exclusively for
veterans housing programs.
8. Opposition to export to foreign
countries of any critical building
materials.
4. Demand that former enlisted
personnel be granted opportunities
to purchase surplus supplies with
out discrimination"
AS principal speaker yesterday,
Housing Administrator Wilson Wy
att told delegates he felt GER
tain the Wagner-Ellender- Taft bill
would pass the next Congressional
session. Deploring pressure groups
and other headline-h hunting lobby
ists'' who are trying to scuttle" the
Governments housing program, he
nevertheless expressed optimism
and general satisfaction with its
progress.
Bradley Is Answered.
Delegates also heard addresses by
Civilian Production Administrator
John D. Small and Attorney Gen.
eral Clark, but all the speeches were
subordinate in interest to those of
Commander Stelle and his legal lieu
tenant, Harry Colmery, as the Brad
ley-stelle fight came to the fore
ground.
Assigned the job of formulating
the Legion's principal answer to the
administrator, Mr.. Colmery took
Gen. Bradley's address apart near
ly word for word in defense of the
Legion's activities and beliefs.
Representative Scrivner, Repub-
ican, of Kansas, and a Legionnaire,
also was called to the platform for
added support. A member of the
House Committee on World War II
Veterans Affairs, which received
and passed on-the- job-training leg
islation, he predicted the amend
ment will be repealed by the next
Congress.
To answer the personal charges
of Gen. Bradley, the Legion brass
brought up Mr.. Stelle.
II had nothing but kindness in
my heart when I invited the ad-
ministration of veterans affairs to
Baby Girl Delivered
By Light of Candles