Evening star., 1946-10-03
Hargrove Pursues
Legion Hearing for
Post Reinstatement
By q s,aff Correspondent Of III. ssa

SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. 81
Marion Hargrove and his "delega-
|tion" from New York, whose Ameri-
can Legion post was officially ousted
from the organization this week
conferred with Legion officials to-
day to press a hearing in the hope
|of reinstatement.
Arriving by plane, Mr.. Hargrove
filed notice that unless he gets sat
|isfaction" he will take the con-
troversy to the courts, and then
charged the Legion's machinery
with "undemocratic operations.
His unit, the Duncan-Paris Post
granted temporary" charter last
March, was turned down by the New
York department when 1t applied
for a permanent charter in August
The Legion's controlling Executive
Committee, backing up the State
groups action, wrote the post of
its books last Sunday among num-
ber Of other inactive posts"
Says Hearing Refused.
At a press conference yesterday
the excl author said his post had
never been formally notified why II
was refused charter, that the
New York department refused to
grant a hearing, and that the ma
tional organization refused hear
ing along with automatic approval
of the State groups action.
But the most important thing
if this is allowed to happen" he
told reporters, sis that any one can
be kicked out by the State Legion
department and can have nothing
to say about it." Admitting that
"a few" Communists are enrolled in
the post, Mr.. Hargrove pointed out
that "the Legion has given us nc
means of expelling them. We are
one of the Legion's most articulate
and liberal posts, and you will find
Communists in even a family lib
eral group"
Cornering Legion Comdr. John
Stelle last night, Mr.. Hargrove won
conference with Harry Colmery
former Legion commander, in a ho-
tel room session, ito talk things
over" Also sitting in were Arthur
OConnell, New York play direc-
tor; Walter Bernstein, New Yorker
writer, and Justin Gray, paid Le-
gicn worker. All were officers OF
the post.
Says Hearing Promised.
Today, Mr.. Hargrove said he was
promised "a fair hearing" and hoped
he would be invited to appear be-
fore meeting of the National Ex-
ecutive Committee meeting this
week end.
Meanwhile, a convention commit
tee on national defense voted to
stand pat in a controversy with the
War Department over the Legiont
stand on universal military training
Essentially agreed on a year-long
program for teen-agers, the Legion
demands that basic training be held
to four month period, while the
War Department contends that six
months are needed to fulfill training
requirements.
Secretary of War Patterson, CIV
ing the Legion credit for the pro-
gram in an address yesterday, said
the four month period would not
afford the Nation the protection 1t
should have in return for the dollars
spent on the program.
Weakness is the short. straight
path to war" he. asserted, while
a strong military force viii give
pause" to any enemy power and at
the same time furnish strong sup
port to the United Nations in its
aim of maintenance of worldspeace.
Hear Wyatt Today. Il
Also urging unification Of the
armed forces, Mr.. Patterson said
that a single department will give
us discussion followed by decision in
place of endless debate"
In other addresses yesterday, dele
gates heard Fleet Admiral William
F. Halsey, Undersecretary of the
Navy Sullivan, Selective Service
Director Hershey, Gen. Jonathan M.
Wainwright, Retaining Administra-
tor Erskine, Quartermaster General
T. B. Larkin and Gen. Carlos P.
Romulo, Philippine Ambassador.
Resolutions on nearly every i'm
portant issue are due for presenta-
ton to delegates today, while they
are scheduled to hear addresses by
Housing Expediter Wilson w. Wyatt,
Attorney General Clark and Civilian