Evening star., 1947-08-28
Legion
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an address at the first plenary ses-
sion.
ITO think that we must reach for
the sword every time we are in dis
agreement with the policies of an
other country is to deny that we
have either the will or the intelli-
gence to work for peace" he de-
clared.
Mr.. johnson called for a foreign
policy that is less negative and
more affirmative, taking out posi-
ton as neither pro nor anti-Soviet."
The former Legion head said the
organization always has been
against communism, and added:
Let no one have the false illusion
that America will not draw the
sword when occasion demands"
But the grass has hardly begun
to take root on the graves of the
dead we left behind on the battle
fields" he said Already we hear
talk of another war Entirely too
much talk, perhaps. We cannot
leave the world alone, because the
world will not leave us alone
To strengthen the United Nations
power to keep the peace, the report
stresses pleas for elimination of the
veto power by Security 81 G.eHnciI1
members in cases of aggression. 1t
also urges that the Assembly be
made more democratic" and
strengthened to enforce peace and
resist aggression.
1t goes on to support Secretary of
State Marshall's plan for aid to
foreign nations and said the
amounts of; assistance should bs1
enough to make the plan work.
The purpose OF the Marshall
plan," it said, lis to maintain the
bulwark in Western Europe, which
at present is damming back the
rising flood of communism. That
dam is fragile structure, and if 1t
should break, the Red tide would
rush through to the Atlantic sea-
board"
In the need to carry out the Mar
shall Plan. the report declared,
time is of the essence" 1t said that
in the economic shell-shocked"
countries of Europe land in our own
country, the Communists are busy
striving to bring about a crash both
here and abroad"
Dewey to Speak Today.
Meanwhile, convention delegates
today were to hear addresses by
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey. Secretary
of Defense Forrestal; Kenneth C.
Royal. new secretary of the Army,
and Field Marshall Alexander, gov
ernor general of Canada. The Legion
also will present Distinguished Serv-
ice Medals to Chief Justice Vinson
and Senator Martin, Republican, of
Pennsylvania.
Delegates are piling into New York
at tremendous pace, by train,
plane, bus and car. The Legion re-
fuses to make an official estimate
of the expected attendance, but un-
officially puts conservative guesses at
100000 More than 100000 men,
bers, officials said, live within days
travel time by train from New York.
District Department Commander
Owen c. Holleran said about 500
delegates already have
arrived, and that another 500 are
tomorrow and Saturday.
A special train will leave Union
Station at midnight tomorrow to
bring visitors here for a special
24-hour trip to march in the 12-hour
parade slated for Saturday.
O'Neil Believed to Have Edge.
Even before sessions began, dele
gates formed all-night caucuses
last night to hear candidates in
the first wide-open race in years
for national commander Of the
organization.
The leader generally is agreed on
weeks before the convention meets
giving rise to the frequent charge
of "kingmaking' in the Legion. But
this year there are at least five
actively campaigning candidates.
One is Joseph J. Malloy, 48, Wash
ington attorney, who served as the
District Departments executive
committeeman for 13 consecutive
years. He saw duty in World War
as an infantry private, and seryel
as a lieutenant colonel during World
War II, winning five battle stars
in the European theater.
The edge, however, generally is
conceded to James F.. O'Neil, police
chief of Manchester, N. H. Mr..
O'Neil served during the first war
During World War II, he was in the
office of the Assistant Secretary of
War for Air. The other candidates. !
none of them younger World War II
veterans, are:
Martin " Coffey of Ohio, Perry
Brown of Texas and Bascom F.
Jones of Tennessee.
Among resolutions offered to the
convention by the district delegation
are:
Support of the Taft -Ellender-
Wagner housing bill. demands for
investigations Of violations of the
veterans preference act charged
against Federal agencies, and plea
to "drasticaHy reduce immigration
standards" and to deport those who
have demonstrated a lack of del
sire to beSme citizens"