LEGIONTHE AMERICAN 15^ DECEMBER I9S7 MAGAZINE BOTTOMS UP! A toast to the riotous movie from the No. 1 best-seller about the Navy public re- lations boys in the South Pacific who made almost everything except sea duty! M-G-M presents in CinemaScope and METROCOLOR DON'T GO NEAR THE WATER starring GLENN FORD GIASCALA-EARL HOLLIMAN ANNE FRANCIS • KEENAN WYNN • FRED CLARK EVA GABOR • RUSS TAMBLYN • JEFF RICHARDS Screen Play by DOROTHY KINGSLEY and GEORGE WELLS • Based on the Novel by WILLIAM BRiNKLLY AN AVON PRODUCTION Directed by CHARLES WALTERS • Produced by LAWRENCE WEINGARTEN . Railroads have Vol. 63, No. 6; December 1957 changed since 1830. THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE Contents for December 1957 THE CHRISTMAS CAKE by Benton Resnick 11 A TRUE STORY ABOUT HALF-STARVED MEN WILLING TO SHARE. THE LEGION'S NEW COMMANDER by Robert B. Pitkin 12 MEET JOHN S. GLEASON, JR., OF CHICAGO AND WINNETKA, ILL. WE SAW THE RUSSIAN ARMY FIGHT by J. Frank Diggs 14 WHAT "THE MIGHTY RED ARMY" IS REALLY LIKE. MEDICAL RESEARCH ON A MAMMOTH SCALE by Tom Mahoney. 16 THROUGH THE VA ALL MANKIND WILL BENEFIT. WITHOUT WARNING by CoL Rudolph L. Duncan 18 THE GENERAL COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE WAS NOT TOLD. READY FOR THE ROAD by Larry Siegel 20 WHY NOT THIS CRAZY DRIVING TEST FOR DRIVERS WHO ARE LIKEWISE? OUR FORGOTTEN WAR 22 FOUR PAGES OF PICTURES TO REMIND YOU OF A WAR WE LOST. NEWS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION 29 Features SOUND OFFI 4 ROD AND GUN CLUB. 8 PRO AND CON 26 EDITOR'S CORNER . 6 PRODUCTS PARADE . 8 NEWSLETTER 27 PERSONAL AFFAIRS. 8 ABOUT BOOKS 8 PARTING SHOTS ... 64 Manuscripts, artwork, cartoons submitted for consideration will not be returned unless a self-addressed, stamped envelope is included. The American Legion Ttie American Legion Nlagazine /Midwestern Executive and Editorial & Advertising Offices Advertising Sales Office Administrative Offices 720 Fifth Avenue Center and Monroe Streets Indionopolis 6, Indiana New York 19, New York Bloomington, Illinois Please notify the Circulation Dept., Publications Div., P. O. Box 1055. Indianapolis 6, Ind., of change of address, using notice Form 22-S which you may secure from your Postmaster, Remove your address label from the cover of the magazine and paste it in the space provided. Give your latest membership card number and both your new and your old address, and notify the Adjutant of your Post. John S. Gleason, Jr., Notional Commander, The American Legion, Indionopolis 6, Ind. The Americon Legion Cocreham, Baton Rouge, L, Meyer, Alliance^ Publicotions Commis- La.; Clovis Copeland, Nebr.; Herschiel L. tion: John Stelle, Mc- Little Rock, Ark.; Paul Hunt, EI Compo, Tex.; Leonsboro, III. (Chair* B. Dague, Downingtown, George D. Levy, Sumter, Drinkord, man); Dan W. Emmett, Po.; John E. S. C; Dr. Chorles R. Dove H. Ookdoie, Colif., and Cullman, Ala.; Logon, Keokuk, lowo; Fleischer, St, Louis, Rev. Milton B. Foust, Emmet Sofoy, Jackson- Mo.; Samuel J. Gor- Solisbury, N. C. (Vice mon. West Hartford, vilie, Flo.; D. L. Sears, Choirmen); Long Arm- Toledo, Ohio; Harold Conn.; Earl C, Hitch- strong, Spokane, Wash.; cock, Glens Foils, A. Shindler, Newburgh, Charles E. Booth, Hunt- N. v.; Howard Lyon, Ind.; Roymond Fields, but the good taste ington, W. Vo.; Roland New Costle, Pa.; Earl Guymon, Oklo. Publisher, Jomes F, O'Neil of TEACHER'S Aist. to Publishej Associate Editor Advertising Manager Frank Lisiecki Irving Herschbein William M. DeVitalil Editor ssts Eastern Adv. Manager never changes 1 Editorial A Joseph C. Keeley Edward W. Atkinson (toward F. Parkes Managing Editor Alda Viorengo Detroit A dv. Kep. Robert B. Pitkin Manager Adv. Soles Assoc, Art Editor Irving N. Larson West Coast Adv. Kep. Al Marshall Indianapolis, Ind. The Eschen Company The American Legion Mogozine is the official publicotion of The Americon Legion and it HIGHLAND CREAM owned exclusively by The American Legion. Copyright 1957 by The Americon Legion. Pub- lished monthly ot 1100 W. Broadway, Louisville, Ky. Second class moil privileges outhor- ized at Louisville, Ky. Price single copy, 15 cents; yearly subscription, $1.50. Non-member subscriptions should be sent to the Circulation Department of The American Legion Mogozine, 86 PROOF • Blended Scotch Whisky P. O. Box 1055, Indionopolis 6, Ind. Schieffelin & Co., New York 2 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • DECEMBER 1957 FORMER SERVICEMEN There's an important job and a guaranteed future for you ... in the U. S. Air Force There is no more important job than being an Air Force specialist. For he is not only a fine technician, but also a man of responsibility. On his shoulders rests the vital assignment of maintaining and operating the increasingly complex equipment that makes his Service the world's most efficient striking force. But with this responsibility, he also knows great pride... and a future that's guaranteed. As a technician, you, too, can have this same satisfaction and assurance— in the U. S. Air Force. See your Air Force Recruiter, or mail the coupon. The Future Belongs to the Airman Today and PASTE ON POSTCARD AND MAIL TO: Tomorrow, Prior Service Information, Dept. AL-4321 Box 7608, Washington 4, D.C. Please send me more information on the Air Prior Service Program. you're better off Force Name- in the Address- -Age- U. S. AIR FORCE City -Zone- -State- . our government. It is my firm con- viction that lack of adequate and ap- propriate legislation has, to a large ex- tent, hindered and negated the collec- tive efforts of the congressional com- mittees, the Justice Department, and the FBI in meeting this danger. Now that the United States Supreme Court has rendered valueless the tenor of the Smith Act, and the State Sedition Acts, it is apparent that new legislative steps are necessary. Therefore, I earn- estly and sincerely suggest to the loyal citizenry, and to the Congress of the United States, that an Amendment to our Constitution be adopted which would define and punish conspiracy, sedition, and treason— in peacetime as well as in time of war. Matt Cvetic Pittsburgh, Pa. DOPE FROM RED CHINA SAVED BY THE BELL Sir: Trade with Red China? No, a thousand times no. Such trade will Sir: I noticed in the October issue the open up the largest dope market we insert "Saved By the Bell." In all my ever experienced. James Roosevelt's years as a member of The American they disagree on arguments for trade with Red China, Legion, since 1922, I have never seen in "Pro' and Con" for September, just in the magazine sucii a wonderful reels, but . don't make good sense. Just weasel setup of what the organization does words of another Roosevelt. If you for its veterans, and I'd suggest that go along with Roosevelt and his this insert be sent to all Posts to be crowd on this, don't come around and placed on the bulletin boards. As a cry on my shoulder. This is what you disabled veteran I can appreciate this will get the day we recognize Red insert very much. Keep up the good China. work and God bless you in all your George P. Harper efforts to enroll those veterans who Engleivood, Fla. do not belong to the Legion. Fred P. Amthor Washington, D. C. SCHOOLS OR PALACES? Sir: What is a safe amount to spend Sir: I have been a Legionnaire for 35 per pupil in a new high school build- years, having held practically all Post ing? Must schools be palaces? Those offices as well as District offices. When controlling the schools here seem to I first saw "Saved By the Bell," I three to four mil- groaned and said to myself: "Oh, no! want to spend from lion dollars to build a high school to Not going to comics." However, I hundred started reading and soon found that house from eight to nine pupils. These debts are periodically in- it was far from being a comic. Gentle- curred by issuing bonds payable in men, may I congratulate you! This is years along with increasingly one of the greatest, clearest articles on 20 to 30 it our activities of our organization that has crippling taxes. We owe to ever been published. This should open children to see that they do not in- the eyes of the most bullheaded vet- herit a bankrupt nation. Withheld eran. Name Chester D. Rowton WilDiington, Del. CLEAR HEADS Nevada, Mo. WANTS NEW BOOK CLUB AGREE: Sir: "Saved By the Bell" is a good story, but I really burned when the Sir: Will somebody form an anticom- Calvert tastes better last page came and went without a munist book club? My letters urging single, lonely, encouraging word for this have been ignored by our leading those of us who are working so hard book supplements. And since there are No matter what your choice in to revive the Sons of The American no full lists of sucii books at such sporting equipment, next time Legion. libraries as the New York Public Li- you head for the great outdoors, John M. Groat brary or the Library of Congress, I'd take along the handy Pocket Lo7ig Beach, Calif. appreciate pointers from readers about Flask pint of Calvert. At day's titles and publishers of books, especial- end, millions of clear-headed AMENDMENT NEEDED ly those printed since 1917. sportsmen prefer the Calvert Arejas Vitkauskas Sir: For nine years, from 1941 to 1950, taste. You will, too! Jersey City, N. J. I posed as a communist for the FBI. During these long and trying years I COMMITTEE observed, from within and from with- WELCOMING out the Communist Party, how easily Sir: like suggest that when the Call for Calvert Reserve I'd to Soviet agents and their cohorts, the 41 American youths return from Com- Nothing Finer in American Taste American communists and their sym- munist China a slightly different type pathizers, have been able to manipu- of welcome be organized for them.