The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1950-02-16
CONGRESS AND LEGION
He'll On Earth

The American Legion has launched frontal assault on
the Hoover Commission recommendations respecting vet
erans affairs AS often happens when logic lacking
the Legion oversateS its substituting vehemence for
argument The Hoover Commission recommendations it'll
declares in broadSde make veterans the targets in
vicious attack and amount to another knife in the backs
of the and who have honoraby served their
country in time of serious sacrifice to their per-
sonal welfare 1t is disparagement of the service and
sacrifice of veterans that this is plain tommyro Any
veteran who stops to think about it must know that the
Hoover Commission was not vicious and was not attack
ing his rights in any way
The Hoover Commission after a careful disnterested
study came to the conclusion that veterans would bet
ter efficient treatment from their
tain operations at present conducted by the Veterans A
minStraon delegated to specialized service agencies
performing the operations for Construc
tion operations would be placed interior department
along with all other construction activities of the federal
government Operations relating CT housing loans would
be handled by the federal housing authority Veterans
hospitals would be brought within united hospita adj
minstraon to make hospitals available to veterans
and to avoid waste and duplication services facilities
veterans life insurance CORPORATION yod he cree+aJ -
take care OF all functions relating adminsra
ton insurance policies Nevertheless control over all
erans programs would be retained by the Veterans Ad
nnstraon and this agency would continue be the serv
ice center for all claims interests The commits
sion does not propose to curta single the benefits
accorded to veterans proposes merely reorganization
VI lunc'ons oesgned TO promote economy and efficiency
The Hoover Commission proposed in addition an ex-
ceedngy modest modification of the system of veterans
preference IN the civil servcea system that ought to be
abandoned completely because it gives veterans dubious
oenes at the cost of coruptng the whole merit basis of
government employment But the Hoover Commission did
not recommend abandonment of veterans preference IT.
recommended merely relaxation of rigid rule of three
10 permit selection OF non-veteran better qualified for
particular Job than the veteran put the head of the eli
gole list by virtue of his preference
then only when adequate dictate such selection
ana the Hoover Commission recommended at the same time
d aggressive natonWde recruiting system place vet
erans in federal positions" ~ Wv
Inc American Legons assault these recommenda-
os looks less like defense of interests than like
Geense OF It's own power as manipulation of the Veterans
The broadside issued by the organizations
atona headquarters every Legonnare every post
d ouo Ia i; contact your Senators and Congressman
ana do 1t in such forceful manner that thew will know
you you mean @ What you say The time for silk gloves is
knucks if necessary" e "'e oidSS
We now is the time for the Congress of the United
des 10 te the American Legion quit that kind of tall
o take OH those brass knucks The Legion has been
orass knucks to influence legislation much too LONG Nov
5s good time as any for Congress to make it piain tbt
doesn't yield to that kind of intimidation No is t;
tme @ TO call the Legions bluff If Congress will do CO
VIII discover that those aren't brass knucks At all
just dime-store imitation The WasL;l. a., 1iey re