Evening star., 1946-10-03
Legion Chiefs Draft
Plan 10 Answer
Attack by Bradley
By George Beveridee

forces today for a stand IN TIT
face of Veterans Administrator
Bradley's condemnation of theil
commander, John Stelle, as 9
constant and deliberate lob.
structionist" to the Veterans
Administration activities.
While a packed auditorium still
bilzzed excitedly late yesterday with
comment on Gen. Bradley's charges
legion leaders went into, action
with these results:
= /. Plans to throw the on-the-jot
training issue, cause of the Steele
Bradley battle. on the floor for i'm
mediate debate after Gen. Bradley's
Speech were quickly Cancelled and
deferred until today.
- 2. Mr.. Stelle announced he woulc
Step down from the rostrum and
answer the charges when the train
ting resolution is introduced.
$ 8. Harry Colmery, past national
commander and acknowledged Le-
gion "trouble-shooter," was put in
charge of plans for today's session.
.., 4. Employment Committee men,
fbers, repeatedly ready to demand
srepeal of recent on-the-job training
.spay ceilings and time limits, re-
assembled for discussion but are
expected to stand behind their leader
= and put the, repeal motion up to
/. delegates for a vote.
) Secretary of War Patterson, who
T. also addressed the convention, dis
: closed new universal military
I. training plan, broader in its basic
phase than the Legion favored.
. The Legion, on hearing Patter-
!. sons plan to qualify 1,000, ,000
. youths of 18 to 20 annually with
basic military camp training of six
: months a requirement, issued a
. headquarters release stating that
tour months was sufficient. How
ever, Mr.. Patterson already had said
four months would mot suffice to
give the country the security 1t
needs in trained manpower."
Bringing out his big guns from
: the speech's opening lines. Gen
Bradley made it clear that he feels
the veteran is first a citizen OF
these United States. He is, there
after, a veteran"
There were audible gasps as he
told delegates that what we have
been able to accomplish during this
year in the Veterans Administra-
tion has been achieved, not because
Of, but in spite of your national
commander.
This is not the first time I have
been forced to differ publicly with
your national commander" he de-
clared. This is not the first time
he has questioned our sincerity and
impugned our motives"
Charges Special Interests"
Charging that Mr.. Stelle, with his
condemnation of on-the-job pay
ceilings, has elected" to champion
a minority group of veterans whose
incomes exceed the level beyond
which Congress will not supplement
their wages, he added:
while l am administrator of
veterans affairs, the Veterans Ad-
ministration will do nothing to sur
render the welfare of this Nation
to the special interests of any
minority" L
While considerable applause greet
ed this decision, 1t was evident from
the first that Gen. Bradley was
addressing a predominantly hostile
audience.
Answering charge leveled by Mr.
Stelle in his annual report that
''the general is not entirely respon-
sible" because the Veterans Ad-
ministration is primarily Govern
ment agency, Gen. Bradley said:
THE Veterans Administration is
first an agency of Government. 1t
is, thereafter, an ally of the veteran.
There is no agency of our American
Government that dares place its
special interests above the interests
of this Nation"
More dangerous than the Ger
man Army is the demagoguery that
deceives the veteran today by
promising him something for moth
ing" he asserted.
Studies Fairness of Ceilings.
Warning that abuse of the train
ing law "by a small minority" can
poison the American people
against all veterans" the admin
istrator said faith with veterans
can be broken only if we cause
the country to lose faith in him.
At the same time he disclosed
that his agency is conducting q
study on fairness of the ceiling
levels ($65 and $50 a month, with
a top income of 5000 and prom
ised that if the need is found 1--WE
shall have no hesitancy in going
to Congress again "for a change
MY host-your national COM
mander-has inferred that Con-
gress is off on an economy spree
that will pauperize the American
veteran" he continued. "He is
manifestly unfair to Congress
which this year voted more for the
veteran than ever before in the
history of our country. His ac-
|. cusation, I believe, is an affront tc
the millions of American citizens
who this year will gladly devote a
substantial share of their earnings
for the veterans benefits they pro-
vided."
Citing recent veterans Legislation
passed into law. he asked: do they
sound like double cross?"
: Last February, my distinguished
sshost-your national commander
asserted in a letter to Congress there
had been tragic breakdown in the
administration of veterans affairs,
the general continued. HE citec
figures in his effort to show oul
work a failure.
/. Cites disqualification Gain.
! cat that time, your national COM
/. mander also predicted that thou
sands of disabled veterans would be
! kicked o,lt of ollr hospitals. He