Evening star., 1954-08-05
.vFW Delegates Ban
Assessment 10 Erect
Building in Capital
BY the Assoeiesed Press

PHILADELPHIA, "A u g.. o.
Delegates to the 55th annual en-
campment of the Veterans of
Foreign Wars today rejected a
plan to assess the VFW's .1.3 mil
lion members ST each to erect q
memorial building in Washing
ton. D. c.
Representative James E. Van
Zandt, Republican. of Pennsyl-
vania, former VF'W national COM
mander, had urged adoption of
the assessment so the $1,250, 900
ultra modern five- story Shrine of
Patriotism could be built quick
ly" without financial headaches.
Opponents of the assessment
said contributions should be vol
untary.
Mr.. Van Zandt said the pro-
posed building would serve to re-
mind Congressman in the Ma
tion's Capital that it is their
duty to keep America free of
communism"
Amendment Tabled.
But the delegates shouted
down the VFW leaders who
plugged for the 81 assessment
and a motion to table the amend
ment until next years encamp-
ment in Boston passed easily.
Hundreds of resolutions deal
ing with everything from COM
munisIn to comic books piled
high awaiting action from the
VFW delegates.
The measures must be adopted
or rejected by tomorrow when
new national officers will be
elected and installed and the
week-long annual parley adj
journS.
In keeping with the conven-
tion's Air Force Day, today's
business session called for pres
entation of special awards to 1t.
Gen. James II. Doolittle, one of
the World War II Air Force
greats, and to a young Air Force
reserve officer.
Gets. Gen. Arnold Award.
Gen. Doolittle was selected for
the Gen. H. H. Hap) Arnold
Award as "the individual judged
to have contributed most out
standingly in the field of avia-
ton"
The Gen. Douglas A. Mac
Arthur Award went to End 1t.
Weldon Wayne Saylor. commits
stoned this year after his gradu-
alton from the University of
Oklahoma.
The annual award of $1,000 is
given to the outstanding Re-
serve Officer Training Corps stu
dent in the Nation on a rotation
basis among the three military
services.
The spectacle side of the en-
campment, which has drawn
nearly 10000 official delegates
from all States and territories,
ended last night with a much
heralded pageant of drums and
bugles." ENa
Viewed by $4,000.
More than $4,000 persons
watched fancy stepping mu-
sicians parade to martial airs
on the turf of Philadelphia S
huge Municipal Stadium.
Among the numerous resolu-
tions concerning communism
presented to the convention is
one aimed at preventing the
spread of the Communist move
ment by setting up a special
committee within the WV. It
would be known as the Com
mittee to Combat Communism.
Yesterday the convention ap-
proved with cheers a surprise
proclamation" introduced sud-
denly in the midst of routine
business. accusing the Federal
Government of failing to take
strong action to destroy the
Communist Party within the
United States.
Along with the resolution to
create a VFW committee to fight
communism is one urging Con-
gre6S to refrain from consolidat-
ing its committees investigating
subversion by forming a joint
congressional committee to in
veStigate communism.
Check on Comic Books.
Comic books entered the pic
ture when the Louisiana delega-
ton submitted a resolution urg-
ing the VFW to work for the
suppression of the sale of such
books containing material det-
rimental to the morals and edu-
cation of children"
The resolution asserts that
"much salacious, vulgar and
frightening material consistently
appears in many of these publi-
cations" 1t names none how
ever and sets up no standards
to judge merits or shortcomings.