Evening star., 1950-08-19
Virginia Legion
ToHear Smith in
Final Sessions
Byrd Says Troops
Will Quit Koreu if
Russiu Declares War

! All duul coo NY representative
Smith, Democrat, of Virginia to-
day was to highlight the conclud-
ing day of the 32d annual con-
vention of the Virginia American
Legion in Alexandria.
Representative Smith was to be
presented with a medal by the
organization for his work in Con-
gresS. Convention sessions are
held in the Virginia Theater.
The Legionnaires yesterday heard
from Senator Byrd and Paul Grit
fifth, an assistant Secretary of De-
fense. The annual parade also was
held with Gov. Battle in the re-
viewing stand.
Senator Byrd, whose remarks
brought frequent cheers from the
audience of several hundred Le-
gionnaires and members of the
auxiliary, declared our troops will
evacuate Korea if Russia declares
war on the United States, because
! it has no military value.
Says He Has Seen Plans.
Senator Byrd, a member of the
Senate Armed Services Commit
tee, said he had seen plans for
that eventuality and did not
think he was revealing something
that should not be made public.
The Korean fighting, the SEN
ator declared, has done nothing
to settle the situation that con-
| fronts the United States. He pre-
dicted many "sideline wars" may
develop and that the country is
faced with Dangerous initiation"
Referring to Korea, Senator
Byrd charged Congress is mysti-
fed by the complete breakdown
of the United States intelligence
service.
The audience cheered as SEN
ator Byrd declared:
Il say to you the intelligence
service of our Government should
be completely reorganized."
He termed the intelligence serv-
ice the first basis of our defense"
Says Europe Would Fall.
Regarding the arming of other
nations by the United States, Sen
ator Byrd said he does not believe
Western Europeans can withstand
Russian invasion.
ITO my way of thinking" he
asserted, "the only way to stop
RuSsia's march over Europe. when
it starts, is to keep in Europe from
3 million to 5 million American
soldiers"
A round of applause followed
this statement. after which Sen
ator Byrd asked:
"Are the American people will
ing for an indefinite period to keep
that large a standing Army out
side our continent?"
The Legion adopted resolution
Of its convention National Defense
Committee recommending that the
State be divided into a northern
and southern district for purposes
of civil defense.
Function of Two Areas.
The northern district, compris-
ing cities and towns north of
line running from east to west
north of Richmond, would be or
ganized for mobile support of the
State and second for the major
target area of the District of Co.
lumbia.
/ In the southern district, counties
would be organized for civil de-
fense in three critical areas, listed
as Richmond, Hampton Roads and
Roanoke.
| The resolution declared that
every effort should be made to
organize on a county basis SO that
/ full use of the resources of the
State county and other local au-
thorities can be made without un-
due expenditure.
/ The measure requested that a
Legionnaire be included on each
of the civil defense advisory COM
mittees at the State and local level.
The Legion. according to the
resolution, "offers its manpoWer,
facilities and its energies" to the
State.