Evening star., 1946-09-17
Legion, W Using
'Underhanded Tactics
On ave, BoIte Says


On ave, Bo|te Says
Accused by Charles G. Bolte, ma
tional chairman of the American
Veterans Committee, Of using "un-
demanded and fraudulent tactics in
their effort to smear ave-" the old
line veterans organizations today
had an open invitation from Mr..
Bolte to investigate AVG and make
the facts public.
In a Nationwide radio address
from the Willard Hotel last night
launching the AVC's million MEM
Der campaign, Mr.. Bolte used the
refusal of the American Legion and
the Veterans of Foreign Wars to
participate in a panel presented by
the Womens National Press Club as
one springboard for his attack on
the Older veterans organizations.
The Legion and VFW refused to
send representatives 10 the clubs
panel yesterday because the AVG
was there, too
Mr. Bolte charged the efforts Of
the Legion and the VFW Ito tell the
Women's National Press Club what
to think indicate careful campaign
to discredit the AVG is underway"
Two Seats Left Empty.
Mrs. Alice Rogers Hager, president
of the Women's National Press Club,
had noted the absence of the two
veterans representatives at the panel
held earlier in the day by leaving
two empty seats at the head table
as symbol" She commented that
I'VE are supposed to have fought for
the right of free speech and every
one has a right to be heard"
Mr. Bolte charged the leaders of
the VFW and the Legion have
demonstrated no conception OF the
real needs of this wars veterans" :"
that they failed to press vigorously
for housing and have done nothing
to prevent a disastrous imitation
which would halve the value Of
every veterans benefit"
The leaders of the VFW and the
American Legion defaulted on their
responsibilities after the last war
and they are defaulting now" he
declared.
Mr.. Bolte said that the little
campaign of whispers against AVG,
conducted under the backstairs by
q few cfficials" Of the older veterans
groups had recently swelled to a
more open although certainly no
more accurate, campaign of mis-
representation. slander and sour
rility, designed to discredit AVG in
the eyes of the public and the vet
erans."
Denies Red Leanings.
He described as the most serious
charge in this pattern of deceit
fulness' the accusation that AVG
was Communist dominated. List
ing half a dozen policies of the
American Communist Party. he said
AVG was in direct opposition to the
Communists on all of them.
Mr.. Bolte said that he was un-
alterably opposed both to the OBJ
jectives and methods Of the Com
munists. that he did not welcome
their support and that he was con-
fident the vast majority Of AVG
members shared that view.
On one Communist-supported
policy-a Federal bonus for veter-
ans-he commented that the Com
munists were lined up solidly" with
the Legion. VIEW and Disabled
American Veterans.
On the other hand. he said, Sen
ator Taft, AVG and the Communists
are agreed that veterans. should
have places to live" He referred to
AVG support of the Wagner-El-
lender Taft bill, which the Com
munists also support.
ITO attempt to smear AVG with
the Communist Brush he declared,
lis to ignore the fact of AVC's estab-
lished record as vigorous supporter
of the American way of solving
problems and as a vigorous op-
ponent OF every undemocratic idea" "
Charges Are Specified.
Devoting most of his speech to re-
capitulation of attacks made on the
AVG and his answers to them, he
cited specifically charges by Joseph
Stack, then commander of the
VFW; Louis z. Starr. now vFW
commander; Dow Walker, DAV
commander, and Irwin Snyder, Cali
fornia commander Of the Legion.
In reply to these attacks, he re-
piled directly:
Let me state simply, in answer
to ex-Comdr. Stack, that AVG would
be delighted to have the VFW inves-
tigate it and publish the results. Let
me say to Comdr. Starr that If he
can flnd one dollar Of AVG funds
that has come from sources outside
this country AVG will pay 1000 to
any charity Comdr. Starr cares to
name. Let me say to Comdr. Walker
that the members of AVG, whom he
says are '4-Fs and draft dodgers,
fought the enemy In every theater
and defeated him. thus preserving
for Comdr. Walker the right to at
tach vicious slander to their names
without fear Of being thrown into q
concentration camp.
Determined to Have Peace.
And let me say to Comdr. Snyder
that the veterans of this war, includ-
ing all the members Of AVG, are de-
termined to have peace in the world
not to die In the front ranks Of his
holy war against Soviet Russia
while he cheers us on from the
orange groves OF California"
Other speakers at the banquet in
cluded Wilbur s. Finch, president ol
the Federation Of Citizens Associa.
tions; Mrs. Raymond Clapper, wife
Of the late newspaper correspondent
Peter Henle. representing the AFL
FL.