Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-01
Legion Votes !
UNIT Quiz Of
All Candidates
Convention Hears
ALL and VA Chiefs
At Armory Session
By John V. Horner and
George Beveridee

american Legion delegates
voted today to poll all candi-
dates for national Office in next
November's elections to get their
views on series of questions.
including their stand on uni
versal military training.
Later today. the Nations big
gest veterans organization is
expected to issue strong appeal
for UMT-as its major legislative
goal in the next Congress.
The vote on the poll was the
first policy stand taken at the
Legion's seth Convention here,
as business sessions resumed in
the District National Guard Ar
mory.
AS the voting started, the
more than 5000 seats for dele
gates and alternates in the vast
hall were only about half filled.
Get Series Of Reports.
The policy matters are pre-
sented to delegates in a series
of reports. with recommends
tons from special committees
which have mulled over the
nearly $50 resolutions sent in
for consideration. Explosive
proposals on national security
and veterans benefit issues will
highlight today's meeting. Reso-
buttons on foreign policy were
put off until tomorrow to give
committees time for more study.
In addition. delegates heard
today from prominent speakers,
headed by Veterans Administra-
tor Harvey v. Higley and George
Meany, AFL president.
Delegates ordered the poll Of
national candidates in approv-
ing a report of its Legislative
Committee. The committee rec
commended 1t because of serious
threats to veterans benefits made
during the last Congress through
appropriation cuts and riders to
money bills.
Other Questions.
Other questions to be asked
Of each candidate are their po-
sitions on:
The controversial matter Of
VA disqualification for veterans
with non-service connected all
ments; keeping all veteran bene-
fits within VA instead of spread
ing them among other agencies;
the extent of compensation to
the disabled; veterans preference
job laws and appropriations
needed to operate VA hospitals.
The approved report rejected
a number of moves, including a
District resolution on the control
of pollution in the Potomac
River. The committee previously
has urged delegates to stick to
veterans legislation.
The report. however, also
voted cooperation with Hoover
Commission reorganization pro-
posals, opposed veteran benefits
for merchant marine and other
non-military veterans and called
for formation of a Senate COM
mittee such as the House has to
deal purely with veterans affairs.
Aim at Comic Books.
The convention unanimously
approved a child welfare COM
mittee proposal aimed at elimi-
mating lewd and other objection
able comic books. The resolu-
ton stated that a majority of
comic publications are harmless
but that small percentage have
a definitely harmful influence
upon children.
The Legion offered to help
publishers of comic books estab-
lish an effective system of self
regulation but decided that until
this is achieved. its National
Child Welfare Commission will
work with local communities to
eliminate undesirable publica-
tionS.
Introduced to the convention
delegates during break in COM
mittee reports were five former
members of the Communist Chi
nese volunteer" army, which
swarmed into North Korea late
(See LEGION, Page A-9.)