Evening star., 1954-08-29
Leaders Of Legion
And vFW Exchange
Harsh TeIeqrams

The national commanders Of
the nations two biggest veterans
groups - the American Legion
land the Veterans of Foreign
Wars-clashed sharply in an ex-
change of kilograms yesterday
over past treatment given to
veterans by the Government.
*. VFW Commander Merton B.
Tice accused Legion Commander
Arthur j. Connell Of a vicious
and unjustified" attack in dis
=. agreeing with a recent VFW
convention charge that some
Federal officials have had a
cynical disregard's for disabled
veterans.
- He charged Mr.. Connell with
stprovoking a dispute" between
1.-the two groups.
~.1s, In a reply, Mr.. Connell told
Mr.. Tice there were certainly
no facts to support" his tele-
gram. Citing benefits available
70 veterans, he added: II believe
that all veterans Of this country
should rejoice"
\. Tice's Telegram to Connell.
Gs9 The comments which brought
on the long-range exchange were
made at a press conference
Thursday, when Mr.. Connell ar
lived here to attend the Legion
convention opening tomorrow.
The wires follow:
Mr.. Tice to Mr.. Connell:
'Press dispatches quote your
a&riticism of a resolution adopted
aAt the 55th annual encamp-
snent of the Veterans Of Foreign
Mars in which we charged lead
Ars of the Federal Government
with cynical disregard for the
welfare of the Nations disabled
veterans and their dependents.
when you accuse our organ
tzation of being ingrateful to
the American people, you are
twisting the truth because your
statement simultaneously indi-
Gates your awareness of the fact
that we directed our criticism
toward the Federal Government
and only those who nearly sue
ceeded in defeating the welfare
measures which the recent
session of Congress approved
over their opposition. Because
your organization is petitioning
Congress for the same veteran
benefits to which we are COM
mitted, your criticism of the
VFW is vicious and unjuStif1ed.
"Your attack on the VFW can
only confuse and bewilder the
millions of veterans in this coun-
try who have assumed that the
American Legion, like the Veter-
ans of Foreign Wars. is also
pledged to defend the rights of
our disabled veterans and the
widows and orphans Of deceased
veterans.
I'm provoking a dispute over
veteran benefits between the two
major veteran organizations in
this country you must accept
full responsibility for a betrayal
of the nations veterans if the
veteran benefit measures ap-
proved by the recent Congress
are vetoed by the President"
Connell Answers Tice.
Mr.. Connell to Mr.. Tice:
II was greatly surprised to
receive your telegram, as there
were certainly no facts to sup
port it. In response to a ques-
ton at recent press conference,
as to whether or not I agreed
with the VFW resolution that
stated there had been a cynical
disregard for veterans during
the last IL years by our Govern
ment,' I said I did not.
MY reasons were that the CT
bill which had provided school,
ing, job training. homes for mil
Hons of veterans and the VA
system of hospitals were indica-
ions of the generous treatment
ct our Nations veterans by the
congress of the United States.
II am hopeful this will cor
rect the misapprehension under
which you are obviously labor
ing and further. in view of the
approval today by President Eli
senhower of HR 1920 and HR
1862. which provide a modest
cost-of-living increase for dis
:ssabled veterans, their widows and
yheir dependents, I believe that
all verterans of this country
xhould rejoice"