Evening star., 1947-06-15
Policy Issue
Before A. VIC.
Convention
By George Beveridge


H At its second annual convention
this week at Milwaukee. the Ameri-
can Veterans Committee viii try to
find out just where it stands as a
self styled liberal organization.
4 The four-day sessions. to begin
1 Thursday, loom as crucial point
in the life Of the 2-year-old group.
/ Tagged throughout the Nation as
radical and "Red- -infiltrated," the
organization has failed to go very
far either in membership claims
100 900 World War II members-or
in reaching its main aim-to be the
Nations principal voice for the lib
eral movement. In most cases, the
reason can be traced to Its extreme
left-wing faction.
| AVG leaders claim the group has
only handful of Communist Party
members. What they admit is that
some members who owe no allegi-
ance to the Communists believe
party line thought must be followed,
and support of the party accepted,
/ If q liberal movement Is to gain
momentum here.
Left Wingers Stronger
Present AVG leaders, headed by
National Chairman Charles G..
Bolte and Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr..
have issued statement condemning
entrance of Communists into ave.
It Is due to cause rumblings at the
convention. The left-wing element
is more strongly crystalized than at
last years meeting, when it was
defeated in elections and policy pro-
grams at a hardworking and thor
oughly democratic convention.
For their part, the present leaders
represent a stand that closely pat
terms policies Of Americans for DEM
ocratic Action-the new liberal
group headed by Wilson Wyatt and
founded by Leon Henderson and
other New Dealers. During the last
few months, the two groups have
worked closely in calling meetings
and holding rallies.
Especially close to ADA ideals
will be the AVG convention plat
form for domestic affairs, drawn
up by Washington Economist Rob-
ert Nathan-a policy maker of
Americans for Democratic Action.
Mr.. Roosevelt, AVG national hous-
ing chairman. is another early stall
wart of the Wyatt organization.
Military Training Issue
And Richard Boiling, Americans
for Democratic Action organizer for
the Midwest, has been mentioned
prominently as a candidate for new
chairman of AVG. While wide
open campaigns are not yet under
way, other possibilities mentioned
for the top Office include Robert
White, former District AVG leader
who now is practicing law in Cleve-
land, and Chat Paterson, legisla-
tive chief OF the group.
One of the principal convention
fights on Mr.. Nathan's policy pro-
gram, as it now stands, is due on a
proposal to oppose universal mill
tary training. Writing of COM
pulsory training as unnecessary, the
program urges stronger voluntary
Army through increased service
and retirement pay and asks for an
overhauling Of the court-martial
system.
Another feature would urge an
increase of income tax personal
exemptions for low-income groups.
1t would oppose the present labor
bill and urge fair employment prac-
tice legislation to insure equal
working opportunities. In housing,
the program urges support of the
Taft -Ellender-Wagner long-range
housing bill, Federal funds to assist
producers of Sindustrialized housing
and a government housing program
to provide rental units If industry |
fails to do So"
Other Matters Coming
Delegates also will be asked to
support a compulsory health in
surance program, and resolutions
calling for an end to racial discrim-
ination in schools, teacher pay in
creases and Federal aid to state ed
ucational programs according to
need"
Main provision Of the foreign
policy platform would give the
United Nations power to prohibit
production Of atomic weapons
Until such machinery is set up,
however, 1t would advocate the
United States maintain its stock
of atom bombs. Another feature
of the program, drafted by Cord
Meyer, .jr, who formerly acted as
economic adviser to Harold Stassen,
would oppose entry by this country
into any alliance directed against
Russia or England"
For the convention veterans plat
form, AVG leaders have turned to
Meyer Bernstein, veterans leader
of the CIO. His program would
oppose a Federal bonus with the
specific provision that this money
be used for Nation wide, low-cost
public housing program.
About SIS delegates from the "a
chapters in the Washington area
expect to make the trip to Mil ]
waukee to meet with about $4,000
other representatives. Most Of them
will be coming from New York,
which has nearly rs per cent of
the AVG membership. California
follows next with about $4,000 men, ,
bers. The District claims about
3 200, while the Southeastern States :
total only about 1000.