Evening star., 1946-10-01
Legion Studies Plan
OF Housing Divorced
From Federal Control
By George Beyeridse
Star StuH Corfespondent


Siar Stoff corrsspendent
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. Ar
American Legion committee to-
day considered turning over
formulation of a new veterans
housing program which would
veer away from strong Govern
ment control to its World Wal
II members.
Unhanipered by plenary meet
ing, the. group's Internal Affairs
Committee went into an all-day ses-
sion as the Legion suspended regular
convention business to stage 9
mammouth seven-hour parade this
afternoon.
The housing discussion came after
National Commander John Stelle
had delivered a second direct attack
on Gen. Omar Bradley, veterans
administrator, charging that he had
broken faith with returning veterans
by his recommendations that led to
congressional limitations of on-the-
job training.
The convention heard an imposing
list of speakers yesterday, including
J. Edgar Hoover, who declared that
communism is growing menace
in the United States, which has
made Its deepest inroads on our
national life in the last five years. u
Air Forces Issue.
Gen Carl Spaatz. chief of the
Army Air Forces, in his address
opened the convention issue of CO.
equal status for the air forces, with
the Army and Navy.
A message from Gen. Dwight D.
Eisenhower, Army Chief of Staff
read to the convention, warned that
Army expense cuts will reach IAN
irreducible minimum below which we
cannot go without jeopardizing the
protection of our country"
His view was soundly seconded In
the address of Admiral Chester w
Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations.
High lighting the housing discus
sions, according to committee Of
fetal, has been criticism of the Ma
tional Housing Agency's failure" te
meet its problems and feeling thai
communities must take larger part
in solving their own difficulties, along
with a freer production of critical
materials.
Housing Bill Antagonism.
There's also been growing antag-
onism to the Wagner -Ellender- Taft
housing bill, on grounds that il
would just mean more automatic
Government control" the official
said. The Veterans of Foreign Wars
last month urged that MIA Chief
Wilson Wyatt be given virtually
complete control over all construc-
ton.
The plan being considered would
instruct the new legion commander
to Immediately" appoint a perma-
nent seven-man housing committee,
headed with a member majority of
World War II men, to draw up a
program for submission to the Or
ganization's national executive COM
mittee at their meeting in Novem-
ber. At present, the legion is func-
tioning without a standing housing
group.
Fears "Retrenchments."
Comdr Steele said he feared the
on-the- job training program limita-
ton was only the first of a series OF
"retrenchments" that will end with
ceiling on veterans"
The attack on Gen. Bradley was
made in Comdr Steele's annual re-
port" address to delegates. The ad-
dress itself was the digest of a
lengthy printed report-not release
to reporters-which recalled in de-
tail Mr.. Steele's attack on the
agency last February.
For the record" Comdr. Steele
said, II wish to emphasize that the
American Legion has never asked
for Gen. Bradley's custer, removal
or resignation
There was only one issue at stake
In the demands of the American
Legion for a cleanup of the Veter-
ans Administration, that was the
welfare of war-disabled veterans, u
he said Extending his current at
tack much further, Mr.. Steele
bluntly said recent amendments re-
duced the on-the-job training pro-
gram to "a pauper act
a No Ceiling on Bureaucrats.
"The American Legion believes
that this is only the first step in
retrencflment. The next ceiling may
be put on the veteran who has re-
turned to school, who wants to &C
into business, who wants a home
Yes, even on the veteran who is
disabled"
But has any one heard of a CELL
ing on bureaucrats?" he asked. mo
comrades, only ceiling on veter-
ans"
The Legion chief listed these 81,
Veterans Administration shortcom.
ings that still prevail, which he sale
were brought to the agency's at.
tention last June:
/. A lack of coordination anC
gearing of operation between branch
and regional Offices.
O. Lack of initiative in utilizing
the authority granted to branch anc
regional offices.
3. Holding hospital waiting lists
down in certain localities by rejec-
ton of applications of veterans fol
disqualification and care when there
is actual evidence of need.
4. Evidence of dissatisfaction and
uncertainty among many good med
ical men and nurses with long serv-
ice who have been given no assur-
ance of their status in the newly
created department of medicine and
surgery"
Calls Picture inaccurate"
5. Presentation to the public OF
an inaccurate picture of the number
of cases adjudicated because proc
essing has been done when full rec
ords ana all data were not available
6. Lack of establishment of an
adequate number of sorely needed
mental hygiene clinics, due to ap-
parent reluctance or indifferences of