Evening star., 1951-08-15
|GoIu Group
AT Legion


An open committee hearing on
the defense budget never attracted
more top service officers and legis-
Ilators than did the reception yes
terday which followed the dedica-
ton by President Truman Of the
American Legion Washington
Headquarters Building.
Everywhere one looked in the
South American Room Of the
Hotel Statler shoulders boasted
clusters Of stars and the ear fire.
|quently caught the stentorian
tones Of one solon addressing al
|conferee.
Hosting the 7 to 8 o'clock party
which attracted so many notables
was American Legion National
Commander Erie Cooke, jr., who
received guests with National Ad-
jutant Of the Legion Henry A.
Dudley of indianapolis, Ind, and
District Commissioner F. Joseph
|Donohue. General Chairman Of
the Dedication Committee.
President Sends Friend
President Truman dedicated
the headquarters at 1903 K street
NV. at 6 o'clock and then made
his way back to Blair House, miss
ing out on the post-ceremony fes-
tivities.
He sent his Press Secretary,
Joseph Short, as his personal rep
|repentative at the gathering.
Among those who did not miss
out on the hors d'oeuvre and drinks
part of the program were the
Secretary of Agriculture and Mrs.
Charles Brannan, Army Secretary
and Mrs. Frank Pace, the Secretary
of the Treasury and Mrs. John w.
Snyder. Undersecretary of State
and Mrs. James Webb and Com
merce Secretary Charles Sawyer.
Passing Through the Line
Former Defense Secretary Louis
johnson was among those who
congratulated Mr.. Cooke on the
dedication Of the headquarters.
He, himself, is a past national
commander of the legion.
Mr.. George Craig, who was ma
tional commander when the build
ing's cornerstone was laid in 1949,
came from Brazil. Ind, for the
ceremony and Mr.. Perry Brown,
still another past national COM
mander, made his way here from
Beaumont, Tex.
Mr. Morris Cafritz, whose office
building was roped off during the
ceremony for security purposes
it's behind the legion headquar-
ters-dropped in on the party
after being closed down.
K street between Sixteenth and
Seventeenth streets was roped off
by Secret Servicemen while the
President was around.
Profusion Of Senators
The Senate had the most solid
representation Of any group in !
vited to the reception which was
attended by more than 1000 peo-
pie.
Among those invited were Sen
ators Chavez, Brewster, Capehart,
Dworshak, Kerr, Mcmahon, Morse,
Munt and Buffers, John and Hugh
and wives.
Senator Warren Magnuson and
Senator Lister Hill were also bid
to come down from Capitol Hill
as were Representatives A. K.
Mike Monroney and Francis Case.
Then, too, there were Senators
Olin johnson, William LANCER and
Kenneth Wherry.
Bross and Bross Bond
Air Chief Of Staff, Gen. HoytI
IS. Vandenberg. was among the
high ranking officers to attend the
party along with Brig. Gen.
Robert Ginsberg. 1t. Gen. Herbert
r. Herman, 1t. Gen. Anthony
McAuliffe and Maj. Gen. Floyd
Parker.
Also representing the services
were Navy Secretary Dan Kimball
and Undersecretary of the Army
Robert A. Lovett.
Providing the music for the re-
ception appropriately enough was
the United States Army Band and
a special attraction was the sing
ing Of Morton Downey, who also
sang the Star Spangled Banner
at the dedication. |