Resolved

Last week the American Legion passed a spine-tingling resolution: "In defense of all it holds sacred, the American Legion has fought in three wars--yet this was not enough. Now the world must make its bloody choice between human dignity and godless tyranny . . . In the forefront of this combat, many Legionnaires will fall. For those men who are about to die, the American Legion has dedicated itself to call for and develop, among the citizenry of our land, the leadership it will require to win this world decision . . ."

To help meet the "bloody choice," the Legion ticked off points 'for a strong U.S. foreign policy. Items:

P: Korea: The Communists should be told that the U.N. will "end the truce talks if no agreement is reached, [that] we will no longer give them sanctuary from which to launch direct attacks upon us . . . The Korean war must be ended . . . in a military victory."

P: Southeast Asia: The U.S. should help the various governments of southeast Asia "fulfill their national destiny"; should proclaim that the U.S. will tolerate no "manifestations of Communist aggression . . ."

P:The Middle East: The U.S. should call a conference of the Arab states to study '"tension, unrests and disagreements" in the area; should "make it crystal clear to all the world that any move toward Russian political, economic, or military domination in the Middle East, be it covert or overt, will not be tolerated."

P: In Europe: Strengthen the North Atlantic pact; grant military and economic aid to West Germany; implement the Schuman plan; and strengthen relations between Spain and NATO members.

The Legion's key demand was for the firing of Secretary of State Dean Acheson and a general housecleaning of the State Department. "New and stalwart leaders we must have," said the resolution, "men of strong character and undeniable integrity whom the whole world will recognize as the emancipators of Communistic enslaved peoples . . . Our patience is exhausted . . . We accept nothing less."

In Washington, some 25 war veterans in the State Department, claiming to speak for 7,000 veterans in the department and its foreign service, replied that they were "fed up" with "dishonest criticism" and "character assassination." At his press conference, Harry Truman said that his reply to the Legion's demand would not be printable.

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