Veterans group, endorsing Reagan, hails defense talk

Ronald Reagan, appearing here Monday at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention, called for rebuilding US superiority over the Soviet Union "in conventional arms. . . deployment of troops and. . . in our strategic deterrent." His demand for "restoring that vital margin of safety" to protect both America and its disillusioned allies brought standing ovations from his audience. Repeated bursts of applause showed that delegates approved the VFW break with tradition by officially endorsing a presidential candidate, Monitor correspondent Jonathan Harsch reports.

Citing Soviet and Cuban advances in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Central America, Mr. Reagan said that "firmness based on a strong defense capability is not prvocative." The real risk of war comes instead, he warned, from "declining American power, which encourages the Soviet to think they could win a war."