“RESOLVED:  That each local post or organization of the American Legion is urged during the period of demobilization to constitute itself a committee of the whole, which shall cooperate with the local Employment Bureau and shall establish and maintain a liaison between such Bureau and every employer in the community through members of the local post or organization who are already employed in such establishment to the end that it may be made easy for the employer to avail himself of the service of the Bureau by communicating with someone in his own establishment, and that every soldier, sailor, and marine already replaced in industry may have an opportunity to assist his comrades to become likewise.”

“Gentlemen, this is the crux of that whole business—­getting somebody close to the employer where you can bring about that liaison which is suggested in this substitute motion.”

The motion to adopt the substitute resolution was made by Mr. Leveree and seconded by Mr. Luss.

MR. DESMOND (of Pennsylvania):  “What has been said, in my estimation, is not comprehensive enough.  In the city of Philadelphia which is known as the Cradle of Liberty, when the men who had given up positions in the educational system—­I mean teachers—­returned from the service of their country they were not, as promised, given the exact positions which they left.  Neither were they given positions of parallel importance.  They were actually demoted in grade so that these motions do not cover such circumstances.  In many cases, in municipalities, men have returned from the service and have been forced to take positions not of a parallel grade but positions of a lower grade.

“Men, Americanism depends on America’s school systems, and if the ones who are directing our school systems are so unpatriotic as to demote those who go forth to serve their country, what is going to become of America and Americanism?  And I wish to make an amendment to the effect that municipalities and boards of education in those municipalities be forced to give men their parallel positions if not positions of better grade and that in no instance will they be allowed to demote a man because he has gone forth to serve his country.  I put that forward as an amendment, that the municipal governments and boards of education in our municipalities be forced to give men positions of equal grade if they cannot give better grade.”

MR. SIMINGTON (of Washington):  “I speak in opposition to that amended resolution.  In my State I represent ten thousand organized men.  In my State the present system has proven a failure.  The organization that I represent handles an employment bureau that places 350 service men a week in permanent positions and 150 in temporary employment, and I say to you that that record is far and above the record of the U.S.  Replacement Bureau.  It is a proven failure.  Gentlemen, I believe that it is ’For George to do’—­and we are George.