Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-30
Delegates Warm
As Serious Business
Gets Under Way
By John v. Horner and
George Beveridee

The serious side OF the 36th
annual American Legion con-
vention got under way today
in the steamy National Guard
Armory with solemn warnings
that america must stay strong
to hold its leadership position in
the free world.
Attracted by President Eisen-
hover and other notables, Le-
gionnaires and women's auxil-
larry members filled every one of
the $500 seats on the floor and
in the north balcony. Overflow
chairs brought the total present
to about $500. The south bal
cony, just above and behind the
stage was closed off for security
reasons. However. about 800
spectators with semiofficial status
were admitted there.
Most of the men were coatlesS
and they and the women present
constantly famed themselves to
seek some relief from the OPP
pressive heat.
Contributing to the discomfort
was the fact that the auditorium
has no air conditioning and it's
circulating air outlets were Writ
ually blocked by bunting hung
from balconies along the north
and south sides. Bandsmen did
their best to help the delegates
keep their minds off the heat as
they filed into sections marked
by the State signs.
Other Leaders Speak.
President Eisenhower's noon
address was preceded by series
of talks by national leaders, once
National Commander Arthur j..
Connell got the opening session
under way at 9:58 a.m.-28 min
uteS late.
The delegates heard Admiral
Arthur w. Radford, chairman
OF the Joint Chiefs of Staff, say
that military intelligence has
not turned up anything "to in
dictate any reduction in the
threat which the Soviet Union
continues to hold over free Ma
tionS."
And they heard Francis
Cardinal Spellman of New York
warn that. the United States is
threatened by the "encircling
pincers" of communism.
Two other speakers, Republic
can Gov. Lodge of Connecticut
and Lewis K. Cough, past Le-
gion national commander, Joined
in the need for armed strength
to back up Americas desire for
peace.
Peril Stated Bluntly.
Admiral Radford, highest
ranking military figure to be
heard by the veterans at the
convention, spoke out plainly !;
telling them that there is every
evidence that the diabolical
forces of communism are COM
mitted irrevocably to a struggle
for. control of the free world. u
He said the Red military
threat was "a very considerable
and rapidly growing menace"
1T has masshive power-on
land. on the sea and in the air., -
he continued. And now, too,
it has nuclear weapons, on a
scale substantially ahead of the
schedule we once forecast for
their program.
Therefore, he said, the Joint
Chiefs are confronted with a
double barreled preparedness
problem:
1--WE must be ready for ire
mendous er-offensive blows
in the event of a global war, and
we must be ready for lesser &C
tons in local hot spots when
and as directed by our Govern
ment."
Superior Weapons Sought.
But, Admiral Radford said.
this country was not trying to
match Red forces, man-for -man
Our best chance of matching
totalitarian manpowoer is by
having superior manpower sup
piled with superior weapons" he
said.
1--WE have to devise, develop
test and produce equipment
superior to that produced by
any other nation. I'VE have to
evaluate and re-evaluate our re-
quirements and demonstrate the
imagination and realism that will
keep our forces paced with
changing needs and changing
techniques."
Admiral Radford recalled that