Evening star., 1947-06-23
ave Elects Paterson,
Washington Resident,
In Anfi-Red Sweep
By George Beveridge
s.or siaH Correspondent

eral-minded American Veterans
Committee today held the firmest
footing Of its young existence after
sweeping in slate of new officers
on a strong wave Of anti Communist
feeling.
Delegates organized by moderate
leaders named Chat Paterson OF
1725 Seventeenth street NV, Wash
ington, national chairman at the
session Of the second AVG conven-
ton yesterday. Former legislative
director of the AVG, Mr.. Paterson
won substantial majority over two
over candidates. He polled 36,02l
votes.
The runnerup was Kenneth Pet
tus, Chicago, with Is, 160 votes. He
ran on the committee for a united
AVG ticket. Mr.. Pettus is former
Tokyo editor of Stars and Stripes.
Third was George Ebey Of Chico
Calf, candidate of the Build AVG
Caucus. who polled 9,772. The cau-
Gus is headed by Michael Straight
New York, publisher of the New Re-
public, the magazine edited by Hen
ry Wallace.
Paterson Ticket Wins.
The Paterson slate also won the
vice chairman Office and a con-
vincing number of positions on the
24-man AVG National Planning
Committee ruling body OF the
group.
The new vice chairman is Rich
ard Boiling, Kansas City, an organ
izer of Americans for Democratic
Action, who won in a close race
with Franklin Williams, Brooklyn
assistant counsel for the National
Association for the Advancement OF
Colored People. Mr.. Boiling hao
80, ,497 votes to Mr.. Williams 29,9o8
Mr.. williams, one Of the strongest
personalities of the meeting, was
running on q ticket opposed to both
the right and left factions. He
pulled in votes of the left-wingers
however, when Don Rothenberg
delegate from George Washington
University chapter, Withdrew In his
favor. ~
Most of the $500 delegates here
left for their homes before the COM
plicated AVG ballot-counting sys-
tenn disclosed names of the new Of
flcers early today.
Policy Stand Uncertain.
u,..at1,, ,,,bara AVE- Stopdc on ite
controversial policy platforms still
is not certain, and chances are that
delegates won't find out for several
weeks. Unlike most veterans or
ganizations, whose delegates them
selves decide policy at conventions,
AVG regulations provide that each
delegate votes with the number OF
members he controls in his home
chapter on every issue of the do
mestic, veterans and international
platforms. 1t will take about a
month to compute them all. officials
said.
Indications are, however, that the
policy programs will not be as far
left as the convention voted last year
This stand was borne out by majority
reports on nearly every question.
Differ From Last Year. -
The majority reports differing
from stands last year include:
/. Strengthening of the United
Nations rather than pleas for this
Nation to take the lead in Big
Three unity as a means of insur-
Ing world peace.
2. Maintenance of atom bomb
stockpiles by this Nation until an
efficient international system oil
atomic control Is established.
8. Opposition to "totalitarianisn
of both the left and right"-instead
of a former platform which merely
condemned fascism.
Most heated argument OF the
policy sessions revolved around a
Federal bonus, but majority re-
port strongly opposed the grant
An extremely weak report, how
ever, favored universal military
training, the discussions indicated
Mauldin Favors Training.
One of the few strong arguments
in favor of compulsory training
came from Bill Mauldin, the for
mer CT cartoonist, who said in a
statement to the convention that
he wanted to see strong "citi-
zens' army"
Mr.. Mauldin contended that 8
volunteer army would be "a pro-
fessional army" He said it would
perpetuate the caste system "in
which the officer is the gentleman
and the enlisted man is the bum. .
Delegates strongly approved a
part of the policy platform favoring
economic aid for relief and recon-
struction of foreign countries, but
opposed the grant of money or
troops to bolster governments
merely because they are anti
Soviet"
In a separate resolution, the dele
gates voted to sponsor a rally OF
veterans in Washington next year
If the present Congress fails to pass
the -Ellender- Wagner housing
bill.
Another resolution approved the
action of the United States in with
holding aid from the present gov
ernment in China and urged this
Government Ito extend economic
aid to China when government
has been formed generally repre-
sentative of the people of China"
Bolte Declines to Run.
Charles G. Bolte. first chairman
of AVG, was not a candidate for re-
election. He will begin studies al
oxford University with Rhodes
scholarship this fall, he tolo
delegates.
Other leaders who have been as
sociated with AVG since its begin.
ming, however, won positions on the
National Planning Committee. Mr.
Straight was on the slate of al
factions and polled the most votes
He was followed by Franklin D
Roosevelt, jr., AVG housing chair
man, and Robert Nathan, Wash.
ington economist.
Eight members of the commit
tee, elected by regions they repre-
sent, included:
Max Roller, New Jersey attorney
Middle Atlantic region, which in