Evening star., 1948-01-15
Red Direction CHARGED
By House Prober Of
Subsistence Drive

S0bSI1tVHOV HtlvV
New developments in an organ
ized movement to demand SUBJ
sistence payment increases for stu
dent veterans were under study to-
day by a special House Un-Ameri-
can Activities Subcommittee, which
said the campaign clearly appears
to be directed by Communist intiu-
ences."
Representative Vail, Republican,
of Illinois, chairman of the sub
committee, said he could not dis
close the phases under study at
this time"
His charges OF Communist direc-
ton arose from a closed hearing
yesterday. at which, he said, four
veterans who came here to lobby for
the increases testified they were
taken over" by a number of per-
sons known to be af1liated with
Communist front organizations"
The youths, students at De Paul
University In Chicago. arrived in
Washington Monday with 81 other
veterans-mostly from the Midwest
to take part in the Operations
Subsistence" movement.
Placed in Private Homes.
The four Chicago veterans were
greeted on their arrival here and
placed in private homes. Mr.. Vail
quoted the four as testifying that
drinking and dancing parties fol-
lowed-one of which was attended
by girl students from George Wash
ington University, who served as
dancing partners.
During their stay, Mr.. Vail told
reporters later, they constantly
were involved in discussions "prais-
ing the Soviet and life in Russia
and condemning democracy and the
capitalistic system"
Mr.. Vail said the man who greeted
the veterans on their arrival zap
pears to be the contact man with
the George Washington group, al
though he is not a student there"
Individuals who housed these
boys and attempted to direct their
thinking along extreme liberal lines
are known to have record OF Com
munist front organization afilia-
tions," the legislator said.
Direction every Evident"
"The testimony we heard" he
added, made it very evident that
Operations Subsistence Is under
the direction Of Communist in
huences."
Mr.. Vail identified the four stu
dents as William ]. Hurley, 23; VIII
liam ". Fitzsimmons, "a; Jack
Berry. 81, and Richard Collins, 20.
Legislators, meanwhile, agreed the
developments should have drastic
effect on the chances of proposed
subsistence increases getting through
Congress.
A measure granting about Is per
cent increases already has passed
the Senate. A similar bill has been
approved by a House committee,
but has run into stiff opposition
from the House leadership-despite
support from veterans organiza-
tions and education groups.
Under present law the former
servicemen get $65 month, If they
have no dependents, and 500 If they
do, as, living expenses while in
school under the GI bill.
Majority ave Members.
Mr.. Vail told reporters 30 per cent
Of the IS veterans who came here
this week in the lobbying group
were members of the American
Veterans Committee.
The legislator said it is the in
tent of AVG to take credit" in
case the increases are realized, as
a move ito increase its member
ship" He said he did not mean
to imply however, "that AVG is a
Communist-front organization"
Mr.. Vail said he merely included
the AVG figure as "a statement of
fact" This was the second slap
taken at the liberal veterans group
by a congressional committee. Last
year, the House Veterans Affairs
Committee barred AVG officials from
testifying by adopting a resolution
to hear only groups which limit
membership to war veterans. AVG
has among its members some who
served in the merchant marine dur
ing the war.
Paterson Disclaims Movement.
Chat Paterson, national chairman
Of AVG, said in another statement
that AVG has no connection, of
fetal or unofficial, with the Opera
tions Subsistence movement"
Mr.. Vail said that other major
veterans organizations-while fav-
oring the increases-were not man
dated to demand them at their ma
tional conventions.
A check of the American Legion,
Veterans of Foreign Wars and
American Veterans of World War
II, however, showed that all three
do have mandates to demand the in
creases.