A COMPLETE ACCOUNT OF THE NATIONAL CONVENTION What's Ahead in Jobs COMMUNISM AND STATE LAWS . Theres nothing like it . absolutely nothing Charcoal glowing, sirloin sizzling, Budvveiser There's more Budweiser now—and there will be still more as our vast s^mk'^ expansion program continues. J^^f 800,000 people own the Bell Telephone Business One out of every 60 families in the United States shares in the ownership of the Bell System There are 800,000 stockholders of the American Every time you use the telephone, the accumulated, Telephone and Telegraph Company. Their savings have small investments of these hundreds of thousands of helped provide the telephone system that serves you. people go to work for you. Most of them are small stockholders. 230.000 own They have built the best and most widespread system five shares or less. The average holding is thirty shares. of communication in the world for you to use at low cost. More than one-third have owned their shares for fifteen It is from their savings, and the savings of many like years or longer. them, that the money needed to improve and expand the service comes. No one—no individual, company or institution—owns as much as one-third of one per cent of A. T. & T. stock. A fair and regular return on the money these stock- holders have invested is an important factor in making The people who own the Bell System come from all possible the good telephone service you get today. walks of life throughout the cities, towns and country- side of America. One in every 60 families in the United BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM States shares directly in this ownership. Vol. 47 No. 4 THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE POSTMASTER: October, 1949 Please send copies returned under labels Form CONTENTS 3579 to Post Office Box 1055, Indian- The Traitor (fiction) by wyatt blassingame 11 apolis 6, Indiana. The story of Alfred, who read the wrong books What's Ahead in Jobs by darrell huff 14 The American Legion Mogo- zine is the official publica- The immediate prospects and several years tion of The American Legion ahead ond is owned exclusively by The Americon Legion. Copy- right 1949. Published month- Who Invented Everything? .... soys fraveling man ly at 1100 W. Broodwoy, by colonel stoopnagle 16 Louisville, Ky. Acceptance The Russians say they did; the Colonel has Lew C. Oesterle for mailing at speciol rate of postage provided for in ideas of his own Los Angeles Section 1103, Act of Oct. 3, 1917, outhorized Jan. 5, 1925. Price, single copy, 15 I Saw the Gl Bill Written by david camelon 18 cents; yearly subscription, $1.50. Entered os second They ganged up to fight this Legion-sponsored class matter June 30, 1948. legislation "I can't say enough for ot the Post Office ot Louis- ville, Ky., under the Act of March 3, 1879. Will Glass Do That? by alton l. blakeslee 20 EXECUTIVE AND things ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES Some you probably don't know about this substance Indianapolis t, Indiona EDITORIAL AND SUPPORTER BELT!** ADVERTISING How the States Are Dealing with Communism One Park Avenue by GEORGE FIELDING ELIOT 22 New York 16, N. Y. Loyal citizens should concentrate on State WESTERN OFFICE Capitals 333 North Michigan Avenue Chicago 1, Illinois Do You Know Your Great of Football? James F. O'Neil, Man- Moments chester, New Hampshire, by ROBERT B. PITKIN 24 Chairman of the Legion Publications Commission; If you don't know, you'll enjoy learning Lawrence W. Hoger, Owens- boro, Kentucky and Don W. Emmett, Ventura, Califor- The National Convention 26 nia, Vice-Chairmen. Mem- bers of the Commission; A complete account of the big events at Vilos H. Wholey, Rocine, Wis.; Tom W. McCaw, Philadelphia Dennison, Ohio; Theodore Cogswell, Washington, D. C; Paul B. Dogue, Downing- town. Pa.; Josephus Daniels, FEATURES Jr., Raleigh, N. C; George D. Levy, Sumter, S. C.; Dr. Previews 4 Report from Hollywood. 50 Charles R. Logon, Keokuk, Iowa; Eorl L. Meyer, Alli- once, Neb.; Charles E. Editors' Corner 6 Life in the Open 60 Booth, Huntington, W. Va.; That's right, Mr. Oesterle! Men in all A. C. Jackson, Lubbock, Sound Off! 8 Vets With Ideas 66 walks of life report that "BRACER" helps Texas; Max Slepin, Phila- them look trimmer, feel better, helps delphia, Pa.; Roland Co- creham. Baton Rouge, La.; Newsletter 45 Parting Shots 72 relieve fatigue. George D. Boron, Bethany, Conn., Lang Armstrong, other similar offers all No garment Spokane, Wash.; Earl Circulation Publications the features of "BRACER"; full 2-way Hitchcock, Glens Falls, N.Y.; Please notify the Depar*ment, Division, P, O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, Indiana, if you have changed your address, using stretch all-elastic seamless belt gently Edgar G. Vaughn, St. Paul, Minn.; Harold notice form 225 which you will secure from your Postmaster. Be sure to but firmly pulls your stomach in, helps A. Shindler, Newburgh, Ind.; Emmett cut off the address label on your magazine and paste it in the space pro- you stand straighter, your clothes fit Sofay, Jacksonville, Flo. vided. Alwoys give your 1950 membership cord number and both your new and your old address. better. Special design of waistband Director of Publicotions assures snug fit, minimum roll; soft, James F. Barton roomy, no-gape fly-front pouch is self- Indianopolis, Ind. In football, as In other sports, some adjusting to any position; exclusive Ass't to Director of the most exciting games ore played tubular elastic leg bands — no crease, Frank lisiecki by the teen-agers who make up In no curl, no roll. irditor enthusiasm for their lock of finesse. Ask at your department, men's wear, Joseph C. Keeley Last fall our artist sow a high school drug or surgical store for the Advisory Editor Alexander Gardiner game In which an Incident occurred supporter belt first in popu- •^^^W Managing Editor similar to the one portroyed on our /tfr/Vy — "BRACER ' Boyd B. Stutler cover. It wasn't quite the same and "BRACER*" Royal . .wider, Art Editor those of our readers who have played cooler, more porous waist- ^3*'*'^EOO At Marstiall football will recognize the technical band with more support . Associate Editors error immediately. For our non-play- FOR FREE BOOKLET, "Hints on Correct Dress," Robert B. Pitkin ing readers we will point out that Irving Herschbein underwear Is not usually worn under write Dept. N9-10, Bauer & Black, 2500 S. Advertising Director a football suit. Dearborn St., Chicogo 16,111. • R«r. u. s. p«t. Off. Fred L. Moguire Eastern Advertising Monoger BAUER & BLACK Russell Holt Western Advertising PICTURE CREDITS: Tom C.aiew, 14-15; Corning Glass Works, PittsburBh Plate Division of The Kendall Company, Chicago 16 Manager Glass Co., Llbbey-Owens-Ford Glass Co., Pittsburgh Cornlnj? Corp., 20-21: Acme, Fred E, Crawford, Jr. Wide World, U. of Illinois, 24-25; Richard StatUe, Donato Leo, 26-43. FIRST IN ELASTIC SUPPORTS 2 * The American Legion Magazine • October, 1949 1 Time for a Toast with — How to Meet a Kinfl Sometimes a ludicrous accident can relieve the tension of an un- usual situation — as Judge Henry Stevens. Jr.. of Warsaw. N. C, Past National Commander of The Ameri- can Legion, discovered some years ago. One morning in 1932, Judge Stevens, then National Commander of the Legion, walked up to the massive doors of the palace in Brussels, Belgium. Accompanied by the Belgian Ambassador to France, Judge Stevens was on his way to meet King Albert of the Belgians. The pair was met by a flunky in the knee breeches, silk hose, and \ evening tail coat of traditic .lal X court dress. Around his neck he ' wore a huge silver link chain with pendant. He led the two down a long stone corridor. "Being a country boy from Dup- lin County, N. C, I was a little bit out of my element," Stevens smiled. "I had met a king before, having to in ^ talked King George V Buck- \ ingham Palace some days previous- * ly, and I had called on the Presi- * dent of France. But this was differ- I j ent. had never been the personal » guest of a king, and I was very careful of J my p's and q's. * "We finally came to a tremendous ^ room that had the slickest floor I > had ever laid my eyes on. That ^ flunky must have taken hundreds > of people in to meet the King, but \ this time, when he stepped off the > stone corridor onto that slick floor, \ he slipped and sat down with a tre- mendous thud — and slid across the floor. "It just tickled me to death and I couldn't help myself. I let out a real Duplin County yell. "Suddenly, a door across the room opened and there stood a very tall gentleman, about six feet six, wearing the sloppiest double- breasted brown suit I have ever seen. His shoes were battered and his bow tie was askew. Taking off his pince-nez, he looked at the flunky, who was still stretched out on the floor, and he, too, gave a mighty yell of laughter. "Thrusting out his hand. King Albert of the Belgians stepped for- ward and grinning, said: 'I pre- sume this is the National Com- mander of The American Legion? friendship—mal^e famous Miller High Life When it's time to lift a glass in We certainly do meet under highly fine beer s unijorvilj smooth flavor. ridiculous circumstances.' your choice. You^^ll like this wonder it s the beer America is talking "The flunky's accident broke the It is always mellow—never bitter.