The Story of The American Legion

The American Legion was conceived by practically the entire personnel of the army, navy, and marine corps! Every man in the military and naval establishment did not think of it in just such terms, but most of them knew that there would be a veterans' organization of some tremendous import, and here it is!

"A veterans' organization of some kind will be formed." I heard that identical remark not once, but a dozen times on board a transport en route to France as early as September, 1918. In fact, one night in the war zone a group of officers were huddled around a small piano trying to make the best of a lightless evening, and, having sung every song from Keep the Home Fires Burning to You're in the Army Now, paused, longingly toyed cigarettes which were taboo by ship's order, and then began to spin yarns.

"Just think of the lying we'll all do at our reunions when this war is over," chirped a youngster from South Carolina. And then spoke a tall major from Illinois:

"The organization which you young fellows will join won't be any liefest—at least not for forty years. Don't forget there's some saving to do for the United States when this European mess is over. Us fellows won't ever get out of Uncle Sam's service."

How well the Illinois major hit the nail on the head! The incident on the transport seems worth recording not only because of the major but because it shows the general anticipation of what is now the American Legion. Perhaps it was this general anticipation which is responsible for the cordial reception that the Legion has had ever since its very inception in Paris.

Spontaneous opinion, like spontaneous combustion, is dangerous when improperly handled and beneficient when rightly directed. That's what the organizers of the Legion have been and will be mostly concerned with. They have their elements—these men of the army, navy, and marine corps, and the organizers mean to direct this united and organized patriotism into such channels as will make for the welfare of the United States of America primarily, and, secondarily, for the welfare of the service men themselves.

Just how much attention this Legion with four million potential members intends to pay to the United States of America, and just how much to themselves per se, is basicly important and pertinent as a question, nowadays when the Legion is being tried and is on the witness stand before public opinion. The answer is most clearly indicated by the preamble to the proposed constitution printed elsewhere.

"... we associate ourselves together ... to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness."

This is the way the last purpose of the preamble reads.

The men who framed this constitution certainly did not believe that comradeship would be consecrated and sanctified by anything of a selfish character under the guise of mutual helpfulness. Certainly not the comradeship that made bearable the zero hour in the trenches or the watch in a submarine infested sea.

So here seems to be the place to make the patent observation that mutual helpfulness will in future years mean just what it means to-day—doing something for the United States of America.

At the present time the Legion might be compared to a two-headed American eagle—one looking towards France and the A.E.F., and the other homewards to the service men here. The two are a single body borne on the same wings and nourished of the same strength. They are the same in ideal and purpose but directed for the moment by two different committees working together. One committee is the result of the caucus at Paris in March, when the A.E.F. started the organization, while the other was born this month in St. Louis, Mo., for the men here.

GEORGE S. WHEAT.    

  NEW YORK May, 1919.

LATTER WAR DAYS IN FRANCE

On a midsummer morning in 1918, ambulance after ambulance unloaded its cargo of wounded humanity at a base hospital in Paris. The wounded were being conveyed rapidly from the front and the entire hospital was astir with nurses, surgeons, and orderlies. A major, surgeon, almost staggered out of an operating room where he had been on duty for twenty-two hours and started for his quarters when a colonel arrived on an inspection trip.

"Pretty busy," remarked the colonel as he acknowledged the major's salute.

Over across the street a sergeant, limping slightly, stopped under a shade tree and leaned against it to rest. He was almost well of his wound and eagerly awaited the word that would send him to join his regiment, the Twenty-sixth United States Infantry. As he paused under the tree another soldier with a mending wound in the knee and just able to be about stopped to speak to him. The sergeant's hand rose in quick salute for the newcomer was an officer.

"Expect to get back soon, sergeant?" said the officer.

"Yes sir," he replied. "Anxious to go back and get the whole job over, sir."

"So am I," responded the officer. "But what will we all do when the Germans really are licked?"

"Go home and start a veterans' association for the good of the country, sir," the sergeant answered.

Colonel Roosevelt, who was in the hospital convalescing from a wound in his knee caused by a machine gun bullet, told me the story and said it was the first time that he had heard the subject of a veterans' association mentioned, although he had thought of it frequently himself as an organization with boundless possibilities for good. He found later that it was being very generally discussed by men in Base Hospital No. 2, particularly those who were so badly wounded that they could not be sent to the front again and who knew they must further serve their country along peaceful lines at home.

This was during war time, remember!

Then came the armistice!

This difficulty tended to narrow what is believed to have been the wish of everyone when he first thought of the matter, that is the hope that it would be another Grand Army of the Republic, another United Confederate Veterans, but greater than either because representative of a United Country. Talk started then about all sorts of imagined and fancied veteran organizations. Some advocated an officers' association. This was believed to be possible because officers had more freedom and more financial ability to attend a convention. Others thought the enlisted men should perfect organizations by regiments first, then divisions, and finally form one great united body.

But how to do it, that was the problem.

Then kind Fate in the shape of G.H.Q. came to the rescue with what proved to be the solution.

G.H.Q. didn't mean to find the solution. There had been a deal of dissatisfaction with the way certain things were going in the A.E.F. and on February 15, 1919, twenty National Guard and Reserve officers serving in the A.E.F., representing the S.O.S., ten infantry divisions, and several other organizations, were ordered to report in Paris. The purpose of this gathering was to have these officers confer with certain others of the Regular Army, including the heads of train supply and Intelligence Sections of the General Staff of G.H.Q., in regard to the betterment of conditions and development of contentment in the army in France.

What is important is the fact that Colonel Roosevelt, Colonel D'Olier, and Colonel Wood each discovered that all of the officers in this representative gathering shared with the thousands of other soldiers of the American forces the hope and desire that the officers and men who were about to return to civilian life, after serving in the great war, whether at home or with the combat units or in the S.O.S., might sooner or later be united into one permanent national organization, similar in certain respects to the Grand Army of the Republic or the United Confederate Veterans and composed of all parties, all creeds, and all ranks, who wished to perpetuate American ideals and the relationship formed while in the military and national service.

When these officers realized what each was thinking they promptly set about with the "let's go" spirit of the A.E.F. to avail themselves of a God-given opportunity. A dinner was spread in the Allied Officers' Club, Rue Faubourg St. Honoré, on the night of February 16th and covers were laid for the following:

At that dinner the American Legion was born.

Thereby would be avoided, it was urged, the mistake of giving the impression that it was a small gathering of men, unrepresentative or serving some special and selfish end.

A sub-committee was appointed to receive from all the members of the temporary committee the names of such individuals of combat divisions and each section of the S.O.S. of the A.E.F., who were eligible and suitable to be delegates to a caucus scheduled for March 15th-16th-17th in Paris. A similar sub-committee was appointed to ascertain the names of men of the home forces in order that they might be urged to attend a caucus in America on or about May 8th-9th-10th.

The work of the sub-committee of the A.E.F. was much more difficult than would appear at first glance. It was easy enough to get the names of leaders in the various outfits, both of officers and men, but to get them to Paris! That was the job. Of course it was the ardent desire of everyone that the new organization should eventually become a society principally devoted to the interests of those who served as enlisted men, for they bore the brunt of the fighting and the work and were fundamentally responsible for the splendid victory.

But as has been said before the conclusion had been reached that if the organization was really to become preëminently an enlisted man's outfit, it would be absolutely necessary to overcome these difficulties and by hook or crook to obtain the attendance of as many privates and noncommissioned officers as possible who were leaders. So, scarcely had seventeen of the twenty officers returned to their commands before they received an urgent appeal to help out the sub-committee of three. They were told to get enlisted delegates to Paris, never mind how, the method being of small importance provided the men were there.

THE PARIS CAUCUS, MARCH 15-17, 1919

In numerous instances, enlisted men refused such assistance and took up their own collections. One amusing story was told by an enlisted man. He said that the "buddies" in his regiment had deliberately lost money to him in gambling games when he refused to be a delegate because he couldn't pay his own expenses. So by various means nearly two hundred enlisted delegates were in Paris by late afternoon on March 14th. It must not be imagined from the foregoing that all the officers arrived on special trains and were themselves in the lap of luxury. One second lieutenant who attended has since confided that he sold his safety razor and two five-pound boxes of fudge sent from home in order to get carfare to Paris.

Practically all of the self-appointed, temporary committee, with the exception of Colonel Roosevelt, was present. He was Chairman of the American Committee and had left France for the purpose of organizing that part of the army and navy which did not get abroad or which had returned home.

A few minutes after Colonel Clark had taken the chair an officer of high rank, a colonel to be exact, moved that while in the convention hall, the after-war status as fellow civilians be forecast and that the stations of rank would there cease to exist. It was agreed that they would be resumed with full force and full discipline as soon as the delegates crossed the threshold of the convention hall and regained the street.

Captain Ogden Mills of G.H.Q. moved that four caucus committees be appointed to draft suggestions and submit them to the caucus, one committee to design machinery for convening the winter convention; one committee to submit suggestions as to a permanent organization; one committee on tentative constitution; and one committee on name. Each committee consisted of fifteen members, and was appointed by the Chairman.

Here are the committees, appointed by the chair:

Committee on Convention

Committee of Permanent Organization

Committee On Name

There were three outstanding features of the Paris caucus which were evident by midnight of March 15th. The first was the desire to get together and form an organization quickly and a willingness to forego personal prejudice and opinion to arrive at that end. The second was the determination to make the man who didn't get across as much a component part of the legion as his more fortunate brother-in-arms; while the third was the avowed intention to take no action at the caucus which could be deferred until the winter convention in America, when the home brother and the navy could be jointly represented and a permanent organization could be effected. I say that these things were evident by midnight of March 15th for those who have attended many conventions know that from the casual word heard here and there, the whispered conference of a few leaders, and from the general tenor of discussions carried on by delegates gathered together in little groups, the spirit of the body politic is most perceptible.

And so it came to pass that on the following day in the Cirque de Paris, where the final meetings were held, the delegates formally gathered, sensed the gossip of the clubs and boulevards, and acted accordingly. One of the things done was to endorse the action of the temporary committee in appointing itself and in calling the caucus. Another was to adopt a tentative constitution. It is in reality little more than a preamble, but it gave a working basis, expressing enough and yet not too much.

Newspaper men have told me that the Sermon on the Mount is the finest bit of reporting in the history of writing because it tells a long story succinctly. Lieutenant Colonel Buxton and his committee on constitutions are certainly entitled to credit of the same type—for they tell a great deal in a few lines.

"We, the members of the Military and Naval Service of the United States of America in the great war, desiring to perpetuate the principles of Justice, Freedom, and Democracy for which we have fought, to inculcate the duty and obligation of the citizen to the State; to preserve the history and incidents of our participation in the war; and to cement the ties of comradeship formed in service, do propose to found and establish an association for the furtherance of the foregoing purposes:

"Those eligible to membership shall be: All officers and enlisted personnel in the Military and Naval Services of the United States of America at any time during the period from April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918, inclusive; excepting however, persons leaving the service without an honorable discharge or persons who having been called into the service refused, failed, or attempted to evade the full performance of such service.

"The officers of the society shall be a President, one or more Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Board of Directors, which shall consist of the President, the Vice-Presidents, together with the chief executive of each subsidiary branch.

"The subsidiary branches shall organize and govern themselves in such manner as the membership of such subsidiary organizations shall determine upon except that the requirements and purposes of the permanent national constitution as adopted shall be complied with.

"The representation shall be on the basis of the actual enrollment in the subsidiary branches at all conventions after the adoption of a permanent constitution.

"Members present at the meeting of this committee as follows:

There were many, many men in the A.E.F. respected and beloved, but none perhaps more than he who seconded a motion made by a private from S.O.S. base section, No. 4, that the constitution be adopted. The seconder asked to speak on the question. When he began he got the rapt attention which Bishop Brent, Senior Chaplain of the A.E.F., always won whether he talked to buck privates knee deep in trench water or the King in Buckingham Palace.

"The creation of better citizenship," Bishop Brent says. He wants every one who can, to give support to that; to "what we are trying to do."

If everyone could see just that in the Legion, if everyone will work for just that—better citizenship—the Legion's aim will be realized in its deepest and truest sense. Bishop Brent has a knack of hitting the nail on the head with such force that the sparks fly and by their light comes insight—ask anyone from out Manila-way if it isn't so. The short address was greeted with thunderous applause. The newly born Legion knew it had a champion and a worker in the Bishop.

Col. Wm. J. Donovan of the 165th Infantry, Forty-second Division headed the committee of fifteen which gave the final report on resolutions and organization. This report is reproduced here in full because it presaged the action of the American caucus and brought about the form of the Legion Government until November.

As the result of the passage of this report it is interesting to note the personnel of the Executive Committee which the delegates selected and which is controlling the American Legion of the A.E.F., observing especially the large number of enlisted men; large in view of the difficulties experienced in getting such men to Paris.

• Comrades of the Great War
• Veterans of the Great War
• Liberty League
• Army of the Great War
• Legion of the Great War
• Great War Legion
• The Legion
• The American Comrades of the Great War
• The Great Legion
• The American Legion

The last was tentatively decided upon as the best name although there was considerable discussion on it. This discussion waxed particularly warm between a colonel and a corporal and it came to an end only when some hungry enlisted delegate braved the officer's rising ire to move an adjournment for lunch. The motion carried immediately and, true to the understanding made at the outset in regard to rank, the corporal clicked his heels together, stood at attention and saluted the colonel, when the latter passed him on the sidewalk exactly five minutes after he had been telling the colonel precisely what he thought of him and his opinions—at least as far as the name of the Veteran's Organization was concerned. I might add that this colonel was well under thirty-five years of age and that the corporal was only twenty-one.

"I don't know." Nobody knows.

Doubtless they have themselves forgotten what they said. No verbatim records are available now. In fact I am told that no record could have been kept, for many times two or three were speaking at once and the chairman was breaking the third commandment with his gavel. But this much everyone wanted, "A Veteran's Organization." This much everyone swore he would have, one that was neither political nor partisan, one that would perpetuate righteousness, insure "honor, faith, and a sure intent," and despite whatever bickering there might have been, despite whatever differences of opinion arose, when, with a tremendous "Aye," the motion to adjourn was carried, this Paris Caucus had accomplished a body politic and a soul of the type which Bishop Brent so clearly described.

The Executive Committee met immediately after the adjournment of the caucus and elected Colonel Foreman of the Thirty-third Division, Chairman; Lt. Colonel George A. White, Forty-first Division, Secretary and Major R.C. Patterson, Paris Command, Assistant Secretary. Lt. Col. White, Col. Wood, Major R.C. Patterson, and Lt. L.R. Farrell were elected permanent members at large of the Executive Committee.

Then from this executive committee a committee of fifteen was chosen for the purpose of expediting the work which had been assigned to the larger committee, it being easier to assemble fifteen men than the larger number. The committee of fifteen elected Col. Bennett Clark as its chairman.

At the first meeting of the committee of fifteen a hope was expressed that the caucus in America would take similar action in the appointment of an executive committee, which would in turn delegate its authority to a smaller committee for working purposes. Just exactly how this worked out, is later described.

PRE-CAUCUS DAYS IN AMERICA.

Such was the situation confronting Colonel Roosevelt when he arrived home to help start the American Legion in its own country. The fact of his arrival and his announced intention to aid in the organization of the Legion was duly heralded in the press of the United States.

There were those who did not like the American Legion. There were those who were willing to let a past political prejudice deter them from aiding in the most important movement in American life to-day. There were those who stated that Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., was prominent in organizing the American Legion for his own political advancement. The answer to that misapprehension will develop later and will prove one of the most striking incidents in this story.

About three weeks before the St. Louis Caucus the following names were chosen from the various States as committeemen:

OFFICERS

Alabama

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

District of Columbia

Delaware

Florida

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

iowa

Kansas

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

NORTH DAKOTA

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Vermont

Washington

West Virginia

Wyoming

Three or four times a week the Foreign Press Bureau of the United States Government sent stories about the Legion and its activities by wireless to the ships on sea and to the men of the A.E.F. in connection with its "Home News Service." In addition to the foregoing, articles appeared almost daily in the press throughout the entire country, and by the time the convention was ready to meet those who ran and cared to read were fully informed that the American Legion was an organization for veterans of the army, navy, and marine corp; that it was non-partisan and non-political; that it stood for law and order, decent living, decent thinking, and true Americanism.

THE ADVANCE COMMITTEE

When the St. Louisian puffed its way into the big smoke-begrimed station in Missouri's largest city I looked about me for Bill, who was going to meet me at the station. We had not met since our prep. school and college days when Bill had been a thin, wizened little fellow, so hollow-chested that he had to be sent to Colorado for almost two years for his health. He came back to school looking better but before his diploma was handed to him announcing to the world that he was a full-fledged Bachelor of Arts, he had fallen apparently permanently into the rut of ill-health. In fact I wondered, when we all sang Auld Lang Syne in the fraternity house at the close of college, if I'd ever see Bill again.

From time to time I had heard from him in the years that followed, and one day in the summer of 1917 he wrote me that he was on the way to France.

As we walked toward the taxicab stand I began to realize that instead of an old friend, a stranger was beside me. True enough, he had the same name and the same colored eyes, and his hair hadn't changed. But the rather dreamy eye had cleared, the pale face of old was tanned, and Bill's chest—the one he had gone to Colorado for—was bulging out as he carried my two heavy suit cases like a pouter pigeon's at a poultry show.

What had happened to Bill? The little, quiet, timid youth of the past was now a big, burly, strong-bodied, clear-minded man. As we entered the taxi he was telling me that he "intended to raise hell if they didn't take some action against this blank Bolshevism, and furthermore that this new Legion was going to be the most tremendous organization that the U.S.A. had ever seen." If he had told me that Swinburne's Faustine was written in iambic hexameter it would have sounded more like old times. But here was a new man, strong and virile, intensely interested in the future of his nation.

What had happened to Bill? Eighteen months in the army was the answer.

The temporary committee in America determined at the very beginning that no policies would be adopted at the caucus, that the Legion at this time should follow in the footsteps of its comrades abroad in stating that neither the men here nor the men there could, as different units, adopt broad policies until a convention could be held truly representing all men who had fought in the Great War.

"The idea underlying the formation of the American Legion is the feeling among the great mass of the men who served in the forces of this country during the war, that the impulse of patriotism which prompted their efforts and sacrifices should be so preserved that it might become a strong force in the future for true Americanism and better citizenship," Colonel Roosevelt said. He spoke very slowly and measured his words carefully but emphasized them in a tone of deepest conviction. "We will be facing troublous times in the coming years," he continued "and to my mind no greater safeguard could be devised than those soldiers, sailors, and marines formed in their own association, in such manner that they could make themselves felt for law and order, decent living and thinking, and truer 'nationalism.'"

Colonel Wood, the secretary, explained in greater detail the purpose of the proposed Legion. He broached the subject of the reemployment for soldiers, a legal department for the handling of insurance claims, allotments, etc., and sketched the fundamental principles of the organization as follows:

First, its non-partisanship.

Second, that this society should be equally for those whose duty called them overseas and for those who were held by circumstances on this side.

Third, that it is fundamentally a civilian organization, one in which all ranks, be they private or general, admiral or seaman, should have an equal share and participation.

The advanced committee outlined the order of business upon which the caucus could proceed, named the various committees to be organized, and discussed the resolutions which were deemed wise and expedient topics for discussion.

Every man came with one deep-rooted determination and that was to see that no one "put anything over" which might make an organization so embryonically useful take a fatal or selfish step. Each came, perhaps imbued to a certain extent with his own particular ideas on how everything should be conducted; but the radicalism, sectionalism, and partisanship which would have marked a gathering of these same men three years before was not present. The men who had thought that nothing good could come except from south of the Mason and Dixon line had fought side by side with woodsmen from Maine. The man who had thought the East effete had done duty on a destroyer with a boy from Harlem. Everybody realized full well that sectionalism must be abandoned whenever it clashed with nationalism; and abandoned it was, with right good will.

THE ST. LOUIS CAUCUS, MAY 8, 9, AND 10

All during the morning of May 8th that delegation was constantly getting together with this delegation; this leader conferring with that one; was this question going to come up, and what would be done if that question was tabled? Everybody interested, everybody excited, everybody waiting to see the other fellow's hand at the show-down, which was scheduled for the Shubert-Jefferson Theater at half-past two o'clock in the afternoon. Of course, everybody had found out the previous evening that every card in the pack was red, white, and blue, and that, from the very beginning of the game, an attempt had been made to keep the knaves out. As a matter of fact, they'd never been in, but the new Bills who made up the delegations to this caucus were going to look everybody over mighty carefully before any serious playing was done.

A flashlight photograph of the gathering was made, but this caucus was not one that could be pictured by the camera at all accurately. The outstanding feature of this great get together was the spirit of the men, and that no camera could catch.

Three large wooden tiers of seats, the kind the circus has under canvas, were built in a sort of semicircular fashion around the large stage. The New York delegation occupied one of these tiers; the Ohioans another, while the third was built for distinguished guests. If any distinguished guests came they were entirely put out of the limelight by the audience, for this was one show which was enacted before the footlights rather than behind them, and, with one or two exceptions the star performing took place where the spectators usually sit. In fact, the only spectators that I saw were the newspaper men, seated at tables within the corral formed by the tiers. All of them had been in the army or navy or had seen the big show abroad as war correspondents.

"Young Teddy," as they called him, was manifestly surprised at the ovation and tried repeatedly to get the crowd quiet. He wanted to be pleasant and yet he wanted order and so between knocks with his gavel he smiled. And a very engaging smile it was, too.

"Gentlemen," he pleaded. "Gentlemen, a little order." Finally there was comparative quiet. "Now let's proceed to the business of the meeting. The floor is open for nominations for permanent chairman of this caucus."

"In behalf of the State of Washington and representing the men of the rank and file of the Pacific Northwest, it gives me pleasure at this time to place for your consideration the name of a sterling patriot," he shouted. "The man I am going to place in nomination proved himself to be a one hundred per cent. true blooded American when his country's honor was assailed. He was among the first who placed himself in the front-line trenches, he was wounded twice, he was ready and willing to make the supreme sacrifice in order that this world might be made safe for democracy. I deem it an honor and a privilege, and the Pacific Northwest deems it an honor and a privilege to place in nomination the worthy son of a worthy sire—Theodore Roosevelt."

The crowd seemed to know all along who Jack meant and it held its enthusiasm in tether as best it could. But when Sullivan got to the word Theodore, the Roosevelt was drowned out in the mightiest cheer that is possible for eight or nine hundred throats to utter. The second to the motion, made by Colonel Luke Lea of Tennessee, wasn't heard at all. This time it took Colonel Roosevelt more than two minutes to get order.

But the "gang wouldn't hear to it." Somebody raised the old cry:

"We want Teddy!" "We want Teddy!" "We want Teddy!" they chanted in unison. Bedlam broke loose at that. Men stood on their seats and waved their hats and handkerchiefs; some took their collars and neckties off; some wept, some cursed for sheer joy and others—I believe that when Gabriel blows his horn and all the dead arise that some of the men who attended that caucus will try to make a speech! These speeches were going on four and five at a time during the entire hullabaloo. It didn't seem to matter in the least to the speakers that they weren't being heard. They couldn't hear themselves. They added a little to the noise and that satisfied the crowd and seemed to satisfy them.

"Please, please let me talk," pleaded Colonel Roosevelt. He finally got his plea over by means of the sign language.

The din started again.

"No, no, gentlemen," shouted the Colonel. "I want to withdraw. It is my earnest wish. It is my absolute determination."

But the caucus seemed equally determined. "We want Teddy!" "We're going to have Teddy!" "You got this thing going, you ought to run it." Colonel Roosevelt paced up and down the stage, trying his best to silence them. Then, during the din, one by one some of his oldest friends went to him and begged him to accede to the crowd's wish. "Take it Ted," they urged. "Take it." That underslung jaw of the young Colonel's became rigid.

"I won't do it. I can't do it," he answered.

Then someone managed to make a motion that the nomination of Colonel Roosevelt be made unanimous. It was seconded and made extremely unanimous.

Again there were outbursts of applause for the Colonel. "We want Teddy!" "We want Teddy!" the crowd cried again and again. Men ran to the stage from the orchestra seats and even from the second balcony.

"Take it, Colonel. You ought to take it," they urged.

What the Colonel answered couldn't be heard but the jaw was working and the head was shaking vigorously.

"You oughtn't to take it, Colonel," one of them whispered. "If you don't, it will give the lie to those who are saying the Legion is being conducted for your special political benefit."

"I haven't the slightest intention of taking it," he answered back.

He didn't take it and he nailed the lie that the Legion was started to further his own selfish ends.

On motion of Colonel E. Lester Jones of the District of Columbia the nominations were reopened again.

Minutes of a meeting usually are dry but here I am going to quote directly from them because they tell the story in the most vivid way. Fancy between the lines, please, dozens of cheers, a couple of rebel yells, a great deal of talking and shouting for "T.R.!" "T.R.!" and a Babelous babble that ebbed or flowed according to the strength Colonel Roosevelt used in wielding his gavel.

Colonel Jones (of Washington, D.C.): "Mr. Chairman, I personally feel, and I think I voice the unanimous sentiment of this organization, that your withdrawal is a mistake. We are not only sincere, but we are telling you what is in the bottom of our hearts. We are weighing also the sincerity which you have expressed, and in deference to your wishes, which I know have not arisen spontaneously but which you have talked about for some time, regarding the chairmanship of this committee, I think we should not embarrass you further. I have one in mind who I feel is going to be a man who will do credit to this organization—"

The Chairman: "Gentlemen, can't you see how it is? I can't possibly change my convictions. I can't go back on what I have told you without everybody, who doesn't understand the situation here, feeling that I have just come out here to make a grandstand play. I am right. I am absolutely sincere and right."

A motion was made that Colonel Theodore Roosevelt temporarily yield the chair to Colonel Bennett Clark.

Colonel Bennett Clark: "It is very evident what the desire of this convention is. I know that Colonel Lindsley of Texas was only put in nomination in response to the express wishes and repeated determination of Colonel Roosevelt. I think that that explanation should be made in justice to Colonel Lindsley. I think that Colonel Roosevelt should take this chairmanship or if he doesn't want to take it he should be made to take it. (Applause.) The chair will recognize a motion to that effect."

Captain Boyce (of New York shouting to a yelling audience): "What is the use of our acting like a lot of kids? Just one minute; only one man can talk at a time and get anywhere. Colonel Roosevelt will not take it."

Cries of approval from the audience and a request for the question.

Colonel Bennett Clark: "On that the chair will take the responsibility of ordering a roll call. (Applause.) The Secretary will call the roll."

Secretary Wood: "The motion is that Colonel Roosevelt be nominated by acclamation. The chairman has directed me to call the roll by States. Alabama—"

A call for a point of order.

Delegate: "After nominations have been made and closed a roll call cannot be taken."

Colonel Clark: "The chair was fully aware that he was proceeding outside of parliamentary law because it was the unanimous wish of the convention."

Mr. Sullivan: "I move that a roll call be made on the original nominations."

Colonel Clark: "Colonel Roosevelt has expressed to me his absolute desire that that not be done. He refuses to enter into a contest with Colonel Lindsley in any way."

Colonel Clark: "The chair is informed that while he was on the way up here a motion was carried to reopen nominations after the resignation of Colonel Roosevelt. Now nominations are again in order."

Major Samuel D. Royce (Indiana): "On behalf of the State of Indiana, I nominate Colonel Theodore Roosevelt."

The motion was seconded.

Colonel Clark: "The gentleman from the District of Columbia has the floor. Others please be quiet."

Here I must inject my story into the minutes again. Colonel Roosevelt saw the convention was "getting away to a Roosevelt finish" again, to use a racing term, and he sent a hurry call to the Arizona delegation for Colonel Jack Greenway.

Jack Greenway followed the elder Roosevelt up San Juan hill. He wears underneath his civilian coat to-day, but right over his heart, a Distinguished Service Cross won at Cantigny.

"Jack, for Heaven's sake, tell them I won't take it," Colonel Roosevelt plead.

Colonel Jack waving one arm at the chairman and another at the audience strode to the center of the stage.

The minutes read:

Colonel Jack Greenway: "Will you give me the floor? I won't keep you five minutes.

"My name is Greenway but that doesn't mean anything to you. Gentlemen, Colonel Roosevelt has said that he is not going to take the nomination of the caucus and you can take it from me that he is not going to do it. Now wait a minute. Whoa! Quit yelling! I know this Roosevelt outfit and when they say something they mean it. I followed his daddy through Cuba and I know. I saw this boy in the first division at Cantigny and on the Toul Front and I know that he means he is not going to take the chairmanship of this temporary caucus. There is a big misunderstanding about what you are trying to do. I have just talked to Colonel Roosevelt and he says that he will not be a candidate for the temporary caucus, but if, after all the boys come home at the convention in November, it is still the desire of that body as a whole, he will give the matter reconsideration." (Applause.)

Colonel Roosevelt resumes the chairmanship.

"Gentlemen, I believe the nominations were reopened."

Now I must again put the minutes by for a moment, for Bill has come to the stage and what he says doesn't get into the minutes, although I wish his remarks were there:

"That was pretty fine in him," Bill said, pointing to Colonel Roosevelt. I nodded only, for somehow this whole thing had got to me pretty strong and I felt like crying for some unaccountable reason.

"And then he gives his family the credit for all this yelling," Bill was saying. "We like his family all right, but say, this wasn't to compliment his family, not by a darn sight. Why, you know that young Colonel's got a h—— of a fine record himself—"

Sergeant Sullivan got up and tried to withdraw in favor of Colonel Lindsley, and Colonel Lindsley did the same thing and each was refused the opportunity. Colonel Lindsley then took the floor. "Comrades," he said, "I want you to know that I came here for one man for the chairman of this caucus, and that man was Theodore Roosevelt. He has refused it absolutely. I appreciate the support that has been given to my name. If honored with the chairmanship I shall be glad to serve, but it is important that we get to business immediately. I am certain that Mr. Sullivan will make an excellent presiding officer. If I had the right, I should be glad to withdraw my name in his favor. But the point is, gentlemen, let's get to business. This is the greatest meeting that has ever gathered in the United States, and it is not so material who is chairman of the meeting as it is to proceed to business."

"We've forgotten all that stuff about rank. If the officers insist on an enlisted man they'll make a mistake. We want the best man and because we're in the majority in the organization we don't want to discriminate against the officer. Taken as a whole, he was a mighty fine sort."

Colonel Roosevelt promptly put Sullivan's name in nomination for vice-chairman. Mr. Abbott of Ohio seconded it and further moved that the sergeant's election be made unanimous. Sergeant Jack Sullivan was elected by acclamation. Then Colonel Wood was chosen secretary, the rules of the House of Representatives were decided upon to govern the procedure, and debate was limited to five minutes.

"Do I understand, Mr. Chairman, that a sergeant at arms has been appointed?" shouted Mr. J.L. Walsh of the Pennsylvania delegation.

"That's right," answered the chairman.

"Then let's have him get busy," rejoined Mr. Walsh. "We didn't come down here for a vaudeville show or to be entertained by some boob, because we've got boobs back home."

After this remark, the minutes read "Laughter and applause" but that doesn't half describe it.

Captain Boyce "got busy" and if the minutes could record the result of his actions they would probably read "Order restored—almost. Quieter, for a time."

In much smaller, but no less important matters, did I see other men practice discipline upon themselves. I saw men forego the discussion of subjects in which they believed with all their hearts and with all their minds solely for the purpose of doing nothing that would tend to disrupt the Caucus or give the impression throughout the United States that the men who had stuck together so closely in times of daring and danger could not still stick and face, as a band of brothers in the American Legion, any perils or pitfalls which peace might hold for this country. Therefore, it seems to me that Colonel Roosevelt's action was more than a manifestation of his own sterling determination to do nothing which might hurt the Legion. It was archtypical.

Major Hamilton Fish of New York called attention to the fact that the navy was unrepresented in the offices of the caucus and moved that a second vice-chairman should be appointed from that branch of the service. A delegate from Missouri seconded the motion and amended it to read that a third vice-chairman should be appointed from the marine corps.

"Gentlemen," said one dignified delegate (I don't know who let him in, because just from the way he said "gentlemen" we all knew that once in his life he had practiced oratory before the bureau mirror), "I want to place in nomination the name of a man who is true blue—"

"Name him," shouted the crowd.

"He is not only true blue but he is thoroughly everything he ought to be in addition—" continued the orator, coldly trying to squelch the crowd.

"Name him." "Shut up." "Aw, sit down." "Who wants to listen to such 'bull' as that?"

Each of those sentences was roared by a different man.

Thus the way of orators in the caucus!

The navy men who were nominated consisted of Goerke of New York; Goldberg, Illinois; Chenoweth, Alabama; Almon, Montana; Humphrey, New Mexico; McGrath, New Jersey; and Evans of Kentucky. The secretary took the vote by delegations. When Goerke got a vote the New York crowd yelled itself hoarse; New Mexico did the same for Humphrey; Alabama cheered like mad for Chenoweth and it wasn't long before everybody picked out his candidate and yelled furiously every time he got a vote. The New Mexico delegation occupied a proscenium box but Humphrey wasn't prominent enough there to suit his delegation. Before anyone thoroughly realized what was happening, Seaman Humphrey appeared on the stage, borne on the shoulders of two colonels! Two men who had eagles on their shoulders, U.S. on their collars, and gold chevrons on their left sleeves carried on their shoulders a "gob," a sailorman, a deck-swabbing bluejacket, as he called himself.

Humphrey's speech of acceptance delighted the hearts of those who had forced the would-be orator to sit down at the beginning of the nominations.

"Mr. Chairman, gobs, soldiers, and marines," Humphrey said: "I am most glad and gracious to accept this honorary position and I will do everything that a deck-swabbing sailorman can do to fill it."

The personnel of these committees will be found elsewhere.

In fact it was this spirit—the desire on everybody's part to give in to a certain extent on any mooted question for the sake of general harmony that was a marked feature of the gathering. In the committee meetings were found delegates with radically different opinions on almost every question. It was not an uncommon thing, however, to see a delegate very heatedly advocate a certain side of an issue; listen to the opposing side, rise, and with equal heat and fervency advocate the opposite point of view.

It was interesting to see these modern American soldiers side by side with the veterans of the Civil War. The Grand Army of the Republic Post, the local Bivouac of the United Confederate Veterans, and the Spanish War Veterans gave a joint reception for the delegates at the Missouri Athletic Club which included a smoker and a vaudeville entertainment furnished by the War Camp Community Service.

THE LEGION AND THE BOLSHEVIKI

The second session of the caucus began at half past two o'clock Friday afternoon. Like its predecessor it started with a bang. Nominations were made for the third vice-chairman who was to be selected from the marine corps. The first nomination was a wounded man, at the time in the Walter Reed Hospital at Washington and who had won the Distinguished Service Cross at Château-Thierry. Then came the name of Sergeant Woolley of Utah, quickly followed by the name of P.C. Calhoun of Connecticut, put up by Mr. Black of Louisiana; the name of Major Leonard of the District of Columbia also was put in nomination and then the slate was closed.

Cries of "speech" brought Colonel Roosevelt before the footlights. His remarks were just about as long as Humphrey's and Calhoun's. To be specific he said: "Gentlemen, it is going to be a short speech because I think we have got a lot of business to do. Thank you."

Just about this time the committee reports began to come in, the first of which, that of the Credential Committee, brought the question of Bolshevism to the floor of the caucus. The report read as follows:

S.H. Curtin, the representative of the Soldiers and Sailors Council of Seattle, pending the action of the Credential Committee, had been accorded a vote at the previous session on all questions that came up before it. The fact that Colonel Wood, the Secretary, took this action was in line with the general spirit of fair play, which was the keynote of the caucus. The Credential Committee's report elicited shouts of approval. Chairman Lindsley after bringing the house to order again said:

"I understand that the delegate from the Soldiers and Sailors Council is here and asks to be heard. Gentlemen, the members of the Committee, I assume, had full knowledge of facts which warranted that report, but there are men here who have not that knowledge. Shall we hear him?"

This statement aroused mixed emotions but Mr. Curtin came to the platform. Word having spread through the theater that he represented the "real Bolshevik outfit" in Seattle, a great many of the delegates began to hoot, jeer, and make cat calls.

"Give the man a hearing," echoed Colonel Roosevelt, who sat with the New York delegation. "Yes, give him a hearing." shouted the majority of the delegates and when the chair had procured order, Curtin made his plea.

"I wish to say, by way of introduction, that though I come from the State of Washington, I am not a member of the Washington Delegation," he said, "I say that out of deference to the members from that State for the reason that I wish to prejudice nobody here against the Washington Delegation. I am not an I.W.W. I never have been and I never intend to be I never have shown any Bolshevik tendency and I defy any man present to prove to the contrary. If you've got proof that Sherman H. Curtin ever was an I.W.W. or made a Bolshevik statement, say so?" He paused here but none answered him to the contrary

"It is true that the organization which I represent has had in the past some I.W.W.'s, and it is true that there are some I.W.W.'s in it now," he continued; "but I am in that organization for the purpose of throwing those I.W.W.'s out. I got in there for the purpose of kicking them out and I want your help."

Here he was interrupted by applause.

"I, personally, was the man who rewrote the constitution of the Soldiers and Sailors Council. It was written wrong when I got in there so I changed it. I want you men to stand behind me and help me make this fight. My organization did not give me permission to come here and join this, just as I presume some of your organizations did not give you permission, for the reason that they did not know what this was going to be; but I can see from the spirit that this organization has, that so far, it is on the right path and I am with it and I want you with me.

"I am already only and wholly for the purpose of doing what good we can for the elimination of I. W.W.'s and Bolsheviki. If you are against that, I am with you and if you are with me, I am with you.

"With your permission," he said to the chairman, "I would like to ask the gentleman one question." "Sir," turning to Curtin, "is it or is it not true that you re-wrote the constitution now in effect for your organization, and is it not true that it is so worded that American Army and Naval officers or former army and navy and marine officers of the United States are not eligible? Is that true?"

"I will answer that question and I will answer it in a fair way," Mr. Curtin replied.

"Say yes or no. Is it true?" Mr. Pratt demanded.

"Yes," shouted the crowd. "Say yes or no. Is it true?"

Then pandemonium broke loose in the meeting. The cat calls and boos were renewed. "Put him out!" "Put him out!" "Shut him up!" the crowd demanded. And here I want to pause a moment to say that the enlisted men present gave a mighty concrete sign of the approval of their officers by this denunciation of the constitution of Curtin's outfit.

At this juncture Mr. Simon, of the Washington delegation, said that in all fairness to Sergeant Curtin he wanted to say that during the recent demonstration of Bolshevism in Seattle, Curtin commanded a machine gun company on the side of right and law and order.

"I do not speak for his organization," Simon said, "but I speak for a clique in it, headed by Sergeant Curtin, who went into that organization to clean it up, to make it a fair and square one hundred per cent. American organization." The applause of Simon's remarks had scarcely died down when General Moss succeeded in gaining the floor.

"I want to say to the members of this delegation," he said, "that I led the fight against the soldiers' and sailors' organization before the Credential Committee, and I want to say to you gentlemen that we didn't lead a fight personally against this man, but against his organization.' We know the outfit in our country and we do not want that organization in unless the Americans in it come in as individuals. I want to say that we are to be organized here on a basis of one hundred per cent, true Americanism.

"But we can lick a majority," Curtin shouted back. "I want Captain McDonald who had charge of the Intelligence Department at Camp Lewis to say a word on this subject. He knows the history of my organization and I would like to have him give it to you." But if Curtin counted on McDonald to help him he reckoned without his host.

Captain McDonald rose and speaking with great deliberation said:

"I have been an American soldier for thirty years. I was a regular telegraph officer at the time of the Bolshevik trouble. I established stations at Seattle and Camp Lewis and this man represents the real element that we are all working against. Personally he is all right but he is backing that organization because he wants to represent it. If he desires to be admitted into the Legion let him get loose from that outfit and come in by himself."

Captain McDonald's statement was greeted with enthusiasm.

"Are you ready for the question?" demanded the chairman.

The caucus certainly was.

"Those favoring the adoption of the credentials report vote aye," he cried.

That aye answered the question of what the American soldier thinks of Bolshevism or anything tainted with it. That aye answered the lying statement that our troops abroad had been inoculated with the germ of the world's greatest mental madness.

That aye marked the distinction between a grouch caused by a cootie-lined bunk and a desire to place a bomb under the Capitol at Washington.

I have intimated that the chief aim of each delegate was to see that no one "put anything over" at this caucus. I think that the only other determination which might rival that in intensity was most apparent at the mention of anything that pertained to or bordered on Bolshevism. This incident of ousting Curtin's organization was not the only manifestation of it by any means, although it was perhaps the most striking on the floor of the caucus. But, outside the caucus, in the hotel lobbies, and in the various committee rooms, whenever the subject came up these soldier and sailor men, in almost every instance, got mad—damn mad.

"The trouble with these people who talk Bolshevism is that they don't know anything about our country," I heard one of them say.

This last remark brought forth a laugh, and though it was whimsically made it illuminated the matter under discussion very well, I thought. In fact, the whole conversation made clear to me one of the fundamental missions the Legion must perform.

The seeds of Americanism which Legion members sow to-day will be reaped, not only to-day but in the generations of to-morrow. The Soldiers and Sailors Council, Seattle, was thrown out and its representative knew why. But, if Jack Sullivan and his red, white, and blue colleagues in the State of Washington preach in the future what they did at this caucus, the children of those northwestern Bolsheviki will not only salute the Stars and Stripes, but will know why they do so. They will know what their fathers don't—that the constitution means Americanism and that Americanism means "life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness."

Mr. Shank of Ohio, thought that the American Legion did not convey a sufficient meaning to the average civilians. "The American Legion might be an organization of street cleaners, it doesn't signify soldiers. It isn't comprehensive enough," he said. Mr. Larry of Florida countered with, "Go ahead and call it American Legion, we will soon show them what it means."

Mr. Walsh of Pennsylvania, suggested that the A.E.F. knew what it was doing when they called it the American Legion. "Let us honor them and respect them by calling it the American Legion," he urged. Colonel E. Lester Jones, of Washington, stated the name had been considered by the committee most carefully and—

But why go into all the arguments. The motion to call it the American Legion was carried amid cheering and as such the name will go down into the history of things well done for America.

THE LEGION WON'T MEET AT CHICAGO

We have arrived at what is the most significant event of this session of the caucus, if not of the entire gathering. The caucus has already shown its spirit in ousting the Soldiers and Sailors Council because, in its opinion, it could not measure up to one hundred per cent. Americanism, and now we shall see what the same simon-pure brand of red, white, and blueism is demanded of the second largest city in the United States.

It came about in the most dry, matter-of-fact way. Let the minutes of the meeting form the introduction for it.

The Chairman: "Next is the report of the Committee on the Next Meeting Place and Time."

Secretary Wood (reading): "From the Committee on Next Meeting Place and Time, to the Chairman of the American Legion; action of the Committee.

"Charles S. Caldwell, of New Mexico, unanimously elected chairman.

"Frank M. Ladd, Jr., of Alabama, Secretary.

"The majority of the States being represented as per attached list voted unanimously for Chicago as next meeting place. Date being set as November 10, 11, and 12, 1919.

"Respectfully submitted,

"CHARLES S. CALDWELL, Chairman,

"FRANK M. LADD, JR., Secretary."

Mr. Sexton (of Illinois): "When you consider your place for your next convention tell Chicago what you want, and in response to that Chicago will answer you. 'We will give you whatever you want.'"

Then the excitement started. Mr. Dietrick of Pennsylvania moved to amend the report of the committee. "By striking out the word Chicago and substituting therefore the city from the State which furnished more soldiers than another state—the city of Pittsburgh."

This elicited great applause—especially from the Pennsylvania delegation. Mr. Stems of Louisiana got the floor—

When Mr. Stem took his seat at least a dozen delegates clamored for recognition from the chair. Colonel J.F.J. Herbert succeeded in getting it. It was he who then fired the gun which, if not heard around the world at least made Chicago's ear drums rattle.

"Mr. Chairman," he began—

Colonel Lindsley rapped for order.

A man near me whispered, "There's Herbert of Massachusetts. I think Boston is too far east for this convention, at least for the first one."

"As the spokesman for my delegation on this question of next meeting place I want to say that if no other body and if no other party of this caucus wants or believes it is its duty to rebuke any city or the representative of any city for Un-Americanism during the time when the soldiers of that city were offering their lives in defense of the world, then Massachusetts stands ready to offer that rebuke. Massachusetts will not agree willingly to having a convention of soldiers and sailors in the Great War, go to a city that has as its first citizen, by vote, one who can not measure up in any small part when the test is one hundred per cent. Americanism."

"The hall has been placarded with invitations, reading, 'The American Legion, Chicago wants you in November,'" he said. "I believe that this convention, this convention of soldiers and sailors should say, 'Chicago, you cannot have American soldiers in Chicago when there is a possibility that the chief representative of that city may not believe it is his duty to come before the Convention and welcome it.' If these placards read, 'American Legion, Chicago soldiers want you in November,' our answer might be different. The answer of Massachusetts would be different but when your placard reads, 'Chicago wants you in November' the answer of Massachusetts is, 'Chicago cannot have us in November'—or any other time until Chicago has an American for Mayor in an American city.

"The literature circulated through the caucus reads, 'Chicago pledges itself to go any other city one better on anything this convention requires.' This convention first requires that Chicago shall reach a standard different from the standard of being the most despised city in America, and when it has reached that standard, it is then in a position to say whether it can go one better. It has not yet reached par. Until Chicago reaches par, Massachusetts votes no!"

These men were cheering for Americanism. They wanted one hundred per cent. Americanism, untainted and unvarnished by a hyphen or an "ism," especially when the word pacific precedes the latter. Everyone felt sorry for the Illinois delegation, for it was realized that Colonel Herbert's remarks were intended solely to reflect upon the person he specially mentioned and not upon the thousands of soldiers and sailors who went from Illinois and Chicago and did more than their part in writing glorious history.

Just how this was impressed upon the men from Illinois let the minutes show. The chairman recognized "the gentleman from Chicago."

Mr. Hawkins (of Oklahoma): "The great State of Illinois stands unchallenged in the patriotism of its soldiers throughout the world. I am only sorry that you didn't leave enough patriots at home to elect a patriotic mayor of that great city. You are in the embarrassing position of having a man who has repudiated the things we went out to die for. Either you have got to repudiate us or repudiate him."

"We'll repudiate him next time when the boys get home," shouted several of the Illinois crowd.

"Resolved, That the action of the caucus of the American Legion in refusing to accept the invitation to hold its next convention in Chicago is no reflection upon the splendid patriotism of the men and women of that great city, who have loyally proved their Americanism by supporting our Army and Navy and all war activities.

"Be It Further Resolved, That this caucus records its admiration of the valor and heroism of the thousands and thousands of Chicago's sons whose pure patriotism has been proven on the battlefields of France."

The resolution was adopted by unanimous vote.

No booster ever had a better time than had those who attended the St. Louis Caucus. Local pride assumed its highest pitch during the vote, and at length Minneapolis won it. The date was set for November 10-11-12th.

Just before adjournment Colonel Herbert arose to a question of personal privilege.

Those of you who have become low-spirited over your own particular view of the future; those of you who have talked about "the good old days"; or, the Spirit of '76, take heart. Take counsel of the Spirit of '19, based on the deeds of '17 and '18, on the mistakes of '14, '15, and '16. '19 is all right!

A large number of the delegates attended, on the second evening, a dance and supper at Sunset Inn given in honor of the Legion by the ladies of St. Louis. For most though, there was work in plenty to do. Some of the committees hadn't yet reported and there was an all important meeting of the executive committee in the Statler Hotel.

I said all important by design. The caucus had taken up a great deal of time with the proceedings already recounted and it was the purpose of the executive committee on adjournment-eve to get down to brass tacks. It certainly did that. It was agreed to recommend to the caucus that the Legion should attempt to help get returning soldiers and sailors positions and that a legal department should be established which would aid men to get back pay and allotments, while still another department would look after their insurance and instruct them how to change it to policies of a permanent character. Needless to say these conclusions were not arrived at without a great deal of helpful discussion.

It might truthfully be said that the "silver lining" quite properly had a silver tongue. When he had spoken just about a hundred words even the grouches were holding onto their chairs if they weren't using their hands for purposes of applause. And many a man, who thought he'd talked his voice silent dug deep down in his vocal chords and brought forth something that could easily be labeled a cheer! This preacher told everybody who might have the slightest idea of making trouble just where to get off. But I am not going to try to remember his speech and perhaps improperly quote the chaplain. The speech was so good that they made him do it again at the very opening of the caucus the next morning, so I'm going to lead off with it in my story of the proceedings of the last day, just as the stenographers recorded it.

THE SILVER LINING

Soon after the caucus opened on Saturday morning, May 10, the minutes read as follows:

Chaplain W. Inzer (of Alabama): "Gentlemen, I appreciate this opportunity more than I have words to say, and if you will only be as sympathetic with me for these minutes as that Executive Committee was last night, I will do my best to interpret the spirit and the mind of this convention as I see it and as I saw it last night. I never had a more sympathetic audience, it seemed to me, or a more psychological moment in which to speak than that was last night and I appreciate the spirit of the brethren who asked me to come out and make this talk this morning and I am going to try my best to interpret it as I saw it last night.

"Our first duty is beyond the shadow of a doubt to get this infant on its legs, and once we get it on its legs, it will be like the mighty Niagara Falls, there isn't anything in the world can dam it up. It will be a power that shall be known, and with influence all over America and for good all over the world. Let's be quiet and let's be sensible to-day until we get this infant on his legs. He's just a recruit, a raw recruit, and he has to be trained and we are going to do that now.

"Gentlemen, I want to say just here, if you can only think about this Legion—the chairman spoke of it last night to me—as the jewel of the ages. I believe that is the best interpretation I know. I cannot say anything greater than this: I believe God raised up America for this great hour; I can say that the strong young man of the time is to be the American Legion in this country and in the world.

"What the great seers of the past ages have dreamed and what they have planned and longed for, the opportunity that they sought, have suddenly been placed and in our hands. Are we going to be great men and big men? Will we arise to the dignity and be worthy of the occasion?

"So the first thing we are to do to-day is to get a great spirit, men, a great spirit that we can carry back. All the other questions will be ironed out in due time. Everything will be straightened out when we realize that five million men are going to be organized with the same spirit of love and loyalty and devotion and sacrifice and democracy that characterized their lives on the battlefield. They will never rest until they make this whole world bloom in love, democracy, peace and prosperity and equality and brotherhood for all mankind. That is what we are going to do and that is what this assembly means to-day. It is the world's great opportunity and your privilege to share with it.

"I beg you to do those things. Somebody said: 'What are the things we can do to-day?' We mentioned them last night.

"Jack Sullivan has problems out there that we must meet this very day. One of those is this Bolsheviki business. We are going to pass resolutions this very day, I believe, asking the United States in Congress to pass a bill for immediate action of deporting every one of those Bolsheviki or I.W.W.'s out yonder." (Prolonged Applause.)

"I was naturalization officer for our regiment and that division out there and I have had those scamps stand up and say: 'Yes, I have been here fourteen years and have lived on the fat of the land, but we don't want to fight,' and they would deny citizenship papers or cancel their first papers.

"Now that the war is over, they are in lucrative positions and our boys haven't got jobs; we've got to say, send those scamps to hell." (Prolonged Applause.)

"The other question that we might decide here to-day is what we are going to do about jobs for our returned soldiers. In my city we have already said: 'Look here, man, you'd better post every job that is open and post it in the place where we get employment for returned soldiers. And they have gotten down to that. We want to talk about that to-day and get down to business—the business of getting jobs for our men, and then we want to care for those who come back without money. We want to help them get their allotment and get their $60 bonus, and we want to care for the wounded.

"Brethren, I say let's cut out every last bit of hoodlumism to-day. It is the zero hour. Let's stand together. If we don't carry anything else home, let's go home and say we are for America, that we caught the spirit and the vision and you can't stop us with anything in the world. I thank you." (Audience rises and applauds.)

That speech has been given in full not only for the reasons which have been stated before but because it is archtypical of the deep-seated, serious, and high-minded soul of the New American, born of the war.

"Mr. Chairman, it seems that Illinois caught the spirit of the speaker who has just seated himself, in advance."

Before the applause over Inzer's speech had ended and before we realized it, Mr. Cummings of Illinois had the floor. He said that the Illinois delegation had been ungracious in accepting Colonel Herbert's explanation of his remarks the previous day.

"... and clean its skirts of the stigma which is attached and we know you are going to help us in it, for we will have the support of the American Legion and with that support when the boys from over there get back, nothing will stop us from cleaning our skirts...."

OBJECTORS—CONSCIENTIOUS AND OTHERWISE

The first of the committee reports of the morning was that of the Publication Committee. This report is perhaps not so interesting a document now as it may be in later years, when, with a circulation of millions weekly, the official organ will be a tremendous power for Americanism throughout the country, spreading in every home, in every vale and hamlet the same dragnet of Americanism as the draft law did, having in its tentacles the same power for culture, breadth of experience, and abolition of sectionalism.

In view of this, the report possesses tremendous potentialities. Here it is:

"(Signed) G.P. Putnam, Chairman.    

"Charles D. Kelley, Secretary."    

Again I am going to let the minutes take up the story. Some of the details which they give in the next few pages are illustrative of the interest and care which the caucus took when it came to important matters.

Secretary Wood: "The Committee on Resolutions begs to submit the following report:

"'General Principles and Creed—Recognizing the supreme obligation of the citizens to maintain our national honor and integrity, and being resolved that the fruits of the Great War shall not die, we who participated in the war in order that the principles of justice, freedom, and democracy may more completely direct and influence the daily lives of America's manhood, do announce our adherence to the following principles and purposes:

"'(a) To inculcate the duties and obligations of citizenship.

"'(c) To cement the ties of comradeship formed in service.

"'(d) To promote, assist, and protect the general welfare of all soldiers, sailors, and marines and those dependent upon them.

"'(e) To encourage the maintenance of individual and national efficiency to the end that the nation shall never fail in its obligations.

"'(f) To maintain the principle that undivided and uncompromising support of the constitution of the United States is the true test of loyalty.'" (Applause.)

The Chairman: "Do you desire to pass on that as read, gentlemen, or by paragraphs?"

Mr. Johnson (Rhode Island): "I move it be adopted as a whole."

Seconded by Mr. Black of New York.

Col. Herbert (Mass.): "I would like to ask for information: if there aren't more eligible to membership in the American Legion than are cited—soldiers, sailors, and marines?"

The Chairman: "The committee understands that covers everything. The direct eligibility comes up later."

Mr. Fish (of New York): "I make a motion to the effect that this report be laid on the table until the constitution has been adopted. There are points in this resolution that conflict with the preamble and by-laws of the constitution. I move you, Mr. Chairman, that the first paragraph of the resolution as read be laid on the table until after the constitution is adopted. I will amend my motion to that effect."

Col. Herbert: "I want to hear that reread."

Secretary Wood: "What I have read, and what I am about to read again, is the first paragraph of the report of the Resolutions Committee. There are many other paragraphs. The second one, for instance, is an endorsement of the Victory Liberty Loan. If you lay the whole report on the table we have to wait until later to consider resolutions as a whole. The first paragraph is as follows:"

Secretary read first paragraph.

Colonel Lea (of Tenn.): "If this report, or any part of it, is laid on the table it means final disposition of it under the rules of the House of Representatives. I don't think we want to do that until the report is read. As a substitute for the pending motion and amendment, I move that further reading and action of the report be suspended until after the report of the Committee on Constitution and By-Laws."

Seconded by Mr. Black of New York and carried.

The Chairman: "The Secretary will now proceed to read the resolutions."

Secretary Wood: "Endorsement of the Victory Liberty Loan.

"'Whereas, The Government of the United States has appealed to the country for financial support in order to provide the funds for expenditures made necessary in the prosecution of the war, and to reestablish the country upon a peace basis, therefore be it

"'Resolved that this caucus emphatically endorse the Victory Liberty Loan, and urges all Americans to promote the success of the loan in every manner possible.'"

The Chairman: "What is your pleasure with regard to that resolution?"

Seconded by Mr. Wickersham of New York and carried.

Secretary Wood: "Conscientious Objectors.

"'Resolved, that this caucus go on record as condemning the action of those responsible for protecting the men who refused full military service to the United States in accordance with the act of Congress of May 18, 1917, and who were tried by general court-martial, sentenced to prison and later fully pardoned, restored to duty and honorably discharged, with all back pay and allowances given them, and as condemning further the I.W.W.'s, international socialists, and anarchists in their effort to secure the release of these men already pardoned, and those still in prison, serving sentence, and be it further

"'Resolved, that this caucus requests a full and complete investigation by Congress of the trial and conviction of these parties and of their subsequent pardon." (Applause.)

Seconded by Luke Lea of Tennessee.

The Chairman: "The motion is now for the adoption of the resolution as read, substituting the word 'demand' for 'request.'"

Albert H. Wilson (of Idaho): "Gentlemen of this convention, before this is put to the body of this house, I want to offer a resolution that the man who convicted these men at Camp Funston be permitted to give the facts of those convictions and the facts of those discharges to the body of this house. I refer, gentlemen, to Major Foster, of Camp Funston, of the General Staff at Camp Funston, and I offer a resolution to that effect. Will you hear him?"

Assent from the audience.

Mr. Gaston: "I second that."

The Chairman: "It isn't necessary to have a resolution to that effect. The discussion would be germane to the question before the house."

"These men, and I want you to get the importance of this, are not ordinary, poor, misguided, fanatical men, but the large number of them were college graduates. Take the case of Lundy in Chicago and Berger and Greenberg and all of them. Seven of them were cases so serious that the court, of which I was a member, sentenced them to death. Within three weeks the order came from Washington restoring them to honorable duty. These men who were dismissed from Leavenworth and who were tried by this court made the statement before the court to prove their conscientious scruples that they did not accept pay from the Government, nor did they, but when they were dismissed at Fort Leavenworth and honorably restored to duty and given discharges with honor, they took every dollar and cent that the Government sent or the officials in Washington said should be paid to them and they carefully counted it and it amounted to between four and six hundred dollars each, and they went home with it.

(The caucus requests him to read it all.)

It is sent out to the press and to everyone. Here is a book that has the expressions before the court that all these men made and they stand on that as being proper.

"This letter says: 'The committee who sends you this letter are, for the most part, near relatives or close friends of young men now serving long terms in the disciplinary barracks at Fort Leavenworth because of loyalty of principle. Nearly all of them are your fellow workers and except for those in what we call the religious group,—trade unionists—the public knows little of their unhappy fate, even less than the other political or labor prisoners because they have been sent to prison by military court-martials and some have not even had the hostile publicity of a public trial in court.

The Chairman: "Gentlemen, the question has been called. All those in favor of the motion as amended will vote 'aye.'"

The motion was unanimously carried.

The general comment at the time was that Major Foster's address summed up the opinion of the caucus on the War Department's action in regard to the objector, conscientious or otherwise.

"One moment before the next resolution is read," he said: "I am informed that one of the newspapers of St. Louis has circulated blanks among the delegates asking them to indicate thereon how they intend to vote in the next national election in this country. I would point out to those who are gathered here that this is a very improper suggestion and that the action should be repudiated by the men here filling out none of these blanks."

This statement was greeted both with anger and applause, the former at the paper's action, the latter because of the chair's suggestion, and Mr. Wickersham of New York made a motion that none of the blanks should be filled out and that no delegate should take part in such a poll. It carried unanimously and with acclamation. The blanks were not filled out and the men distributing them were ordered to leave the theater, which they did.

Despite this fact, despite the motion of Major Wickersham, and its passage by acclamation, reports were circulated after the caucus, to the effect that a poll had been taken and that it showed so many votes for this man and so many votes for that one. The effect of that statement, while not doing widespread damage, caused the Legion leaders a great deal of embarrassment and a great deal of effort to correct the false impression among those not present at St. Louis to the effect that the caucus had a political complexion.

Following the refusal to allow a poll to be taken, the secretary read the following resolution:

"Whereas certain aliens during the emergency of the war sought to evade military duty by reason of their status as aliens, and

"Whereas, such an act indicates a lack on the part of such aliens of the proper spirit of Americanism, therefore be it

This resolution covered a subject very near the heart of Sergeant Jack Sullivan, the vice-chairman. He was on his feet immediately saying:

"I agree with the gentleman from Massachusetts, Comrade Herbert, that this is not the time to urge upon Congress but to demand of Congress and I offer you, sir, this as a substitute resolution:

"Whereas, there was a law passed by the Congress of these United States, July, 1918, known as an amendment to the Selective Service Act giving persons within the draft age who had taken out first papers for American citizenship the privilege of turning in said first papers to their local exemption board and thereby becoming exempt from service,

"Whereas, thousands of men within draft age who had been in this country for many years and had signified their intention to become citizens, took advantage of this law and thereby became exempted from military service, or were discharged from military service by reason thereof, and have taken lucrative positions in the mills, shipyards, and factories, and

"Whereas, in this great World War for Democracy the rank and file of the best of our American manhood have suffered and sacrificed themselves in order to uphold the principles upon which this country was founded and for which they were willing to give up their life's blood, if necessary, to preserve, and

"Resolved: That we, the American Legion in convention assembled in St. Louis, this 8th, 9th, and 10th day of May, 1919, numbering millions of red-blooded Americans, do demand the Congress of these United States to immediately enact a law to send these aliens who withdrew their first papers and thereby avoided service, back to the country from whence they came, for we want them not, neither do we need them. The country which we live in and were ready and are now ready and willing to fight for is good enough for us and this country, which they live in and prospered in, yet were unwilling to fight for, is too damned good for them to remain in. Therefore, be it further

"Resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be sent to each and every member of the House and Senate of our United States and a copy be given to the public press."

"Respectfully presented        

"(Signed) Sgt. Jack Sullivan.    

"Delegate from Seattle, State of Washington."    

"Now, gentlemen, I have a telegram from Seattle which I will read. It is addressed to Jack Sullivan, St. Louis.

"'(Signed) American Legion of Liberty,        

"'Norman E. Coles, Secretary.'"  

When Sullivan finished reading, he began one of the most stirring addresses made before the convention:

"I was born in the State of Massachusetts and I was taught that citizenship meant something. As a boy I went out West where I learned that American citizenship meant something to the people of the West.

"To-day we are here from all parts of the country. We are not from any section alone, because we are all Americans, This is an organization of Americans. This should be a country of Americans and if our citizenship means something, the swine who come from other countries should be taught that it means something like what McCrae said:

"Let's make this unanimous and do it now and say to the boys in Siberia and France that we are going to see to it when they get back here that those damned alien slackers are not going to be here, or if they are, they are going to be on the dock at Hoboken to go back to their own countries because they don't belong here and we are not going to allow them to remain."

"The delegation from Ohio has authorized me to second this motion," he said. "This seems to be a unanimous caucus. There is harmony here. The most impressive fact in relation to this assembly is the militant spirit of Americanism that has been manifested. I chanced to be Assistant Adjutant of the 37th Division when the time came for the naturalization of aliens who were in the American Army. Thousands and thousands of young aliens came up and raised up their right hand and pledged fidelity to the American Constitution, and to fight for the supremacy of the American flag, but, there was a certain small element, a certain small percentage that refused to take the oath of allegiance and they appealed to the Constitution and their rights under the law and they were exempted from military service. And I say to you, gentlemen of this convention, any alien that will appeal to the law in order to avoid military duty has no right to the opportunity of peace in America." Here there was prolonged applause.

"Now, as Mr. Sullivan has suggested, let it not be said that when these boys that raised their right hand and took the oath of allegiance to the American flag return, that these contemptible skunks that demanded exemption under the law shall occupy the positions, which these truly loyal men should have. Let's give those positions to the returning American soldiers and the returning alien soldiers that fought for the American flag and helped us win the great victory." The applause given Sullivan was repeated.

Then the "Silver Lining," Chaplain Inzer, strode upon the stage. This time he was a very stern Silver Lining, and what he had to say he said with a vigor which characterized his speeches all during the convention.

"I want to offer an amendment," he said. "Mr. Sullivan's resolution does not cover the whole ground. As Naturalization Officer of the 14th Infantry, I happen to be observing enough to know that there are other men that ought to be included in this list. Often we called certain foreigners together who had been drafted and said, 'Now, men, we are going to go overseas in a short while. How long have you been in this country?'

"'How long have you been here?' to another.

"'I have been here so and so,' he answered.

"'All right, now,' we said, 'this has been your country. If we hadn't gone to war, you would have expected to be here.'

"'But we want to go home now.'

"'If you go home will you fight for your country?'

"'We don't know.'

"And they absolutely refused to take out citizenship papers. How do we know them? As Naturalization Officer I marked on every one of those papers. 'This man, though he has been here for four years or ten years refused naturalization in the hope that he might avoid overseas service.' Now, then, I move that we include in that motion that the files be gone through and every man who refused citizenship, who was a native of any other country, but adopted this country and refused to take out the citizenship papers we offered him, after he had been brought into the army by the draft, also be deported."

Before the applause began Colonel Luke Lea had the floor. He is tall and imposing and a powerful speaker.

This brought down the house. It was what everybody thought and wanted. It was what everybody had hoped for since the very first day during the war that the Department of Justice had made its first internments. There have been all sorts of stories telling about these interned aliens getting rooms with baths, tennis courts, swimming pools, and playgrounds, and everyone had consistently hoped that they would all be sent back to Germany or Austria at the earliest possible moment after the war. The same hope was expressed in regard to certain Scandinavians and Hollanders here who were active in behalf of Germany. One thing is certain and that is that none of the delegates present were opposed to this enemy alien deportation, or if they were they didn't or couldn't make themselves heard above the thunderous approbation.

The culmination of this particular phase of the caucus was most dramatic. A wounded soldier on crutches, and bearing two wound stripes on his arm, was helped to the stage beside the chairman. "I am Private Sossin of Kentucky," he shouted. "I was born and reared in Poland, and came to this country and began to enjoy all the freedom of the American Constitution when I was thirty-seven years old. I left my business and my family to fight for this country. And if any of my native countrymen are so despicable as not to want to fight for the grandest flag the world has ever seen, the flag which gives freedom to all who are oppressed, I say, damn him and kick him out of here so that we can show that we despise such slackers."

The Chairman: "All those in favor of the motion as finally amended will vote 'Aye."' That "Aye" shook the theater.

The caucus then passed a resolution that every naturalized citizen convicted under the Espionage Act should have his citizenship revoked and should be deported.

Another telling blow for Americanism!

The caucus also indorsed Secretary Lane's plan for the "Reclamation of arid, swamp, and cut-over timber lands." The resolution to that effect follows in full:

"Whereas, the reclamation of arid, swamp, and cut-over timber lands is one of the great constructive problems of immediate interest to the nation; and

"Whereas, one of the questions for immediate consideration is that of presenting to discharged soldiers and sailors an opportunity to establish homes and create for themselves a place in the field of constructive effort; and

"Whereas, one of the purposes for which the formation of the American Legion is contemplated is to take an energetic interest in all constructive measures designed to promote the happiness and contentment of the people, and to actively encourage all proper movements of a general nature to assist the men of the army and navy in solving the problems of wholesome existence; and

"Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved: By the caucus of delegates of the American Legion in convention assembled, in the City of Saint Louis, Missouri, that we endorse the efforts heretofore made for the reclamation of lands, and we respectfully urge upon the Congress of the United States the adoption at an early date of broad and comprehensive legislation for economic reclamation of all lands susceptible of reclamation and production."

THE REËMPLOYMENT PROBLEM

We are now coming to the consideration of a subject that was nearer to the heart of every delegate than any other. That is the reëmployment of one-time service men. This matter is of the most intimate and direct concern to the Legion and its leaders and because of its importance I believe the details of the discussion are sufficiently interesting to permit me to quote them verbatim from the minutes.

The Chairman: "The secretary will read the next resolution."

Secretary Wood: "Reëmployment of ex-service men."

"Whereas, one of the most important questions of readjustment and reconstruction is the question of employment of the returning and returned soldiers, and

"Resolved: That the American Legion in its first national caucus assembled, declares to the people of the United States that no act can be more unpatriotic in these most serious days of readjustment and reconstruction than the violation of this principle announced which pledges immediate reemployment to the returned soldiers, and be it further

"Resolved: That the American Legion in its national caucus assembled does hereby declare itself as supporting in every proper way the efforts of the ex-service men to secure reemployment, and recommends that simple patriotism requires that ex-soldiers or ex-sailors and ex-marines be given preference whenever additional men are to be employed in any private or public enterprise, and be it further

"Resolved: That the American Legion recommends to Congress the prompt enactment of a program for internal improvement, having in view the necessity therefor and as an incident the absorption of the surplus labor of the country, giving preference to discharged ex-service men."

Mr. Walsh (Pittsburgh): "I move, Mr. Chairman, that we adopt the resolution."

The motion was seconded by Colonel Jones, of Washington, D.C.

"Whereas, it is desirable both for the welfare of the soldiers, sailors, and marines, now rapidly being discharged from the service of the United States of America, and for the industrial readjustment of the country that the process of returning these men to productive occupations in civil life be speeded up as much as possible;

"And Whereas, by reason of the failure of the Congress of the United States to appropriate funds for the purpose the said process has been retarded and left to private initiative; now, therefore, be it

"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. 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.

"The service man wishes to take care of himself and his own. It is for the service man to handle his own problems and I suggest as an amendment—I am not sure of my being in order in offering an amendment to an amended amendment, but I suggest that it be the sense of this meeting that Congress assist the American Legion in taking care of its own in the matter of employment and that it do not use civilians to do the work." (Applause.)

The motion was seconded.

Mr. Knox: "Gentlemen, I am speaking on behalf of the Resolutions Committee. We spent all day yesterday listening to such requests as this. Our final calculated judgment is represented in the resolutions as presented. We found in the discussion that there was opposition to an endorsement of the United States Federal replacement division. (Applause.) And so we determined that the language as adopted covered the cast. We proposed to create in this organization a reemployment bureau of our own, and the resolution as presented is all the support that bureau needs.

"I move you, sir, that all the substitutes for the original resolution be laid on the table."

The motion was seconded.

Mr. Bennett Clark: "I simply want to call attention to the fact that under the rules of the House of Representatives that if you lay all amendments on the table it carries the entire proposition to the table and I don't believe this convention wants to do that."

The Chairman: "Unless you dispense with the rules."

MR. KNOX: "Mr. Chairman, I move you, sir, the suspension of the rules to a sufficient extent so that we may table the substitutes which have been offered to the original resolution offered by the committee."

Motion seconded by Mr. Bond of New York and carried.

The Chairman: "The question now comes back to the original resolution."

The question was called for and it was adopted.

Mr. Ackley: "Mr. Chairman, I have another amendment to offer."

The Chairman: "It's too late. The secretary will read the next resolution."

THE DISREGARD OF SELF

I feel almost as if the next matter under discussion should have not only a special chapter devoted to it but be printed in large type and in distinctive ink, for I do not believe that anything so thoroughly gave evidence of the utter disregard of self in the Legion as did the flat refusal of the delegates to tolerate what has been called in some quarters, the "Pay Grab."

The minutes read:

Secretary Wood (Reading): "ADDITIONAL PAY FOR ENLISTED MEN."

"Whereas, the financial sacrifice of the enlisted persons in the military and naval service of the United States in the world war was altogether in excess of that of any other class of our citizenship, and

"Whereas, the great majority of these persons left lucrative employment upon joining the colors, and

"Whereas, the service which involved this sacrifice was a Federal service in defense of our national honor and national security, therefore be it

"Resolved: That the delegates to this caucus of those who served with the colors in the world war urge upon the members of the 66th Congress the justice and propriety of appropriating a sufficient sum from the National Treasury to pay every person who served in the enlisted personnel in the military or naval service for a period of at least six months between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, six months additional pay at the rate of $30.00 a month, and to those persons who served less than six months' in the military or naval service between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, the sum of $15.00 per month for each month so served. This bonus to be in addition to any pay or bonus previously granted or authorized and to be paid upon and subject to the honorable discharge of any such person."

Mr. Knox: "Mr. Chairman, I move the adoption of the resolution as read."

The motion was seconded.

The committee accepted the amendment.

The Chairman: "Before I put this motion I want to make this suggestion to you, that this is a pretty serious matter that you are considering. It is for this caucus, of course, in its wisdom to determine that which it wants to do, but up to this time, it has assumed continuously a most splendidly high and patriotic and unselfish attitude toward this whole question. It has dealt immediately and fairly and positively with regard to employment problems, but I suggest to you that we ought to consider very carefully whether we want to go on record as a caucus, as provided in this resolution, and I would prefer not to put the question until you have considered it further."

The action of the caucus was foreshadowed by the applause which it gave to Colonel Lindsley's caution. Fully a half dozen men jumped to their feet and waved their hands wildly demanding recognition.

"Gentlemen, I want to draw your attention to one feature of this question," he said. The Colonel spoke very deliberately and very distinctly, reminding a great many of his auditors of his father because of the way he snapped his words out. "I heartily agree with what the chair has said so far. I want you to get this particular reaction on the matter and I want to relate to you a little incident that happened coming out on the train from New York. One of the delegates on the same train with me said that the conductor stopped and talked to him and among other things said, 'Young Teddy Roosevelt is up ahead. He's going out to St. Louis to try to get some of the soldiers together to sandbag something out of the Government!' Sandbag something out of the Government!" The young Colonel's frame shook with emotion as he repeated that sentence. "Do you men get the idea of what he thought we were trying to do? We want everything that is right for us to have, but we are not going to try to sandbag the Government out of anything; primarily we are going to try to put something into the Government. In thinking over this resolution think of that."

The thunderous "Aye" which tabled this resolution might well be recorded in letters of gold.

It showed the utter unselfishness of the American doughboy, gob, and leatherneck. He had followed Colonel Roosevelt's advice: he refused to sandbag the Government out of anything, and this action gives the best possible basis for the procedure to put something into the Government.

In view of the action of certain newspapers, organizations, and individuals in advocating that six months' pay should be given to the returned service man, I wonder if there are not still a great many of them who are still puzzled over why the Legion refused to endorse this movement. There must be scores of them, dozens of them who were not present at the St. Louis Caucus, to catch its spirit and who have not carefully considered just what impression such a demand on the part of former soldiers, sailors, and marines would create on the rest of the country.

Had the Legion endorsed this resolution, the general consensus would have been, "There are the soldiers getting together to make demands. Their organization is nothing more or less than an association formed to get something out of the Treasury." Therefore, when the service men, as a unit, came to demand something vitally necessary for the good of the country, it is possible that they might be answered: "We have paid you in money and have your receipt and that will be all for you."

THE CLOSING HOURS

The next resolution to be passed was that concerning "Disability Pay." That resolution, as passed read.

"Whereas, under the provisions of the existing law an obvious injustice is done to the civilian who entered the military service, and as an incident, too, that service is disabled, therefore,

"BE IT Resolved: That this caucus urge upon Congress the enactment of legislation, which will place upon an equal basis as to retirement for disability incurred in active service during the war with the Central Powers of Europe, all officers and enlisted personnel who served in the military and naval forces of the United States during said war, irrespective of whether they happened to serve in the Regular Army, or in the National Guard or National Army."

Then followed the passage of the War Risk Insurance Resolution. This read:

"Whereas, owing to the speedy demobilization of the men in the service, who had not had their rights, privileges, and benefits under the War Risk Insurance Act fully explained to them, and these men, therefore, are losing daily, such rights, privileges, and benefits, which may never again be restored, and,

"Whereas, it is desirable that every means be pursued to acquaint the men of their full rights, privileges, and benefits under the said act, and to prevent the loss of the said rights, benefits, and privileges, therefore,

"Be It Resolved: That this caucus pledges its most energetic support to a campaign of sound education and widespread activity, to the end that the rights, privileges, and benefits under the War Risk Insurance Act be conserved and that the men discharged from the service be made to realize what are their rights under this act; and that the Executive Committee be empowered and directed to confer with the War Risk Insurance Bureau, that it may carry out the purposes herein expressed and,

At the time of the caucus, Colonel Lindsley was director of the War Risk Insurance Bureau in Washington. In speaking to the motion to pass the foregoing resolution, he said that more than a year ago he and other officers in France felt that if there were no other reasons for an organization such as the Legion, it would be more than worth while to create one even though its sole function was to let those who served in the war know their rights about government insurance and if it saw to it that the general scheme was perpetuated.

"There is going to be no snap judgment on any man who served in this war who, because he was not able when he went out or didn't have the information or because he was careless or for any other reason didn't carry on his insurance. I ask you, my friends, and I think it is one of the important functions of this great American Legion that is born here in St. Louis at this time, to see that the fullest possible amount of this government insurance is maintained. Every man that holds a government policy is a part of the Government more than ever before. I ask you to bear this in mind and it is going to be within your power to say yes and no to many of the great problems of the United States.

"I ask you to see that this great bureau is kept out of politics and that it is administered, in the years to come in the interests of those for whom this law was enacted, those who served as soldiers, sailors, and marines in this war and their dependents. I thank you for this opportunity of presenting this matter to you."

The service men know this but coming from a man like Colonel Lindsley it is especially important. How are they going to use this power? What sort of a legislative program will the Legion have? The answer isn't hard to find by a perusal of the resolutions which were passed and by remembering that most important one which did not pass, viz.: the pay grab.

The next resolution occupying the attention of the caucus was that one relating to disability of soldiers, sailors, and marines. It reads:

"Be It Resolved: That the delegates from the several States shall instruct their respective organizations to see that every disabled soldier, sailor, and marine be brought into contact with the Rehabilitation Department of the Federal Board at Washington, D.C., and,

"Be It Further Resolved: That the secretaries of the various states be instructed to write to the Federal Board for literature as to what it offers to disabled men, and that the members of the Legion be instructed to distribute this literature and to aid the wounded soldiers, sailors, and marines to take advantage of governmental assistance, and that every effort be made by the American Legion in the several States to stop any attempt to pauperize disabled men."

A higher-minded, more gentle resolve than that, can hardly be imagined. All of us remember the host of begging cripples who were going the rounds of the country even so long as thirty-five or forty years after the Civil War. This last resolution means that such will not be the case after this war. I think that it would be safe to say that in nine cases out of ten, after the Legion gets thoroughly started, crippled beggars who pretend to have been wounded in the service of their country will be fakers. Mr. Mott of Illinois, in the discussion on this question, brought out the fact that there were approximately sixty thousand soldiers, sailors, and marines permanently disabled as a result of wounds, accidents, and disease incurred in the war, while approximately one hundred and forty thousand discharged men were only more or less disabled.

Louis A. Frothingham, chairman of the Resolutions Committee, made an address in which he thanked the people of St. Louis for their hospitality and the War Camp Community Service for its aid. The War Camp Community Service sent special men to St. Louis under the direction of Mr. Frank L. Jones to cooperate with its St. Louis leaders in helping to make the delegates comfortable. Arrangements were made whereby delegates of small means could get lodging for twenty-five cents a night and meals at the same price.

Mr. Foss of Ohio introduced the following resolution of thanks which was passed standing:

"Resolved: That a standing vote of thanks be tendered to the War Camp Community Service for its active hospitality to the delegates to this St. Louis Caucus of the American Legion, which is in keeping with its splendid work through the war in extending community service to our American soldiers, sailors, and marines, and,

"Be It Further Resolved: That an engrossed copy of this resolution be forwarded to the national secretary of the War Camp Community Service."

I believe it is well worth while for every member of the American Legion to know something about War Camp accomplishment, and Community Service possibilities for each has a similar aim and goal which may be realized by harmonious effort on the part of community service branches and legion posts throughout the entire country.

With the war gone, with thousands of young men thrown upon their own initiative and resources for both work and play, there is going to be a great need of proper guidance, companionship, and comradeship, unless a great many are to be overtaken by some madness like Bolshevism or in a lesser degree—constant and brooding dissatisfaction. The American Legion post, with its leaders, is going to fill a great need here. It will be some place to go where a man can meet his fellows of the better type, and, not only indulge in the pleasure of discussing former days but, better still, take an interest in present-day movements affecting his country.

At the final session, Major Caspar G. Bacon was elected treasurer of the Legion to serve until November 11th. Delegations appointed State chairmen and secretaries to carry on the work of further organization for the November convention.

Then came the unanimous report of the Committee on Constitution and By-Laws and declaration of principles. It was passed upon, section by section. You will find it printed elsewhere in this volume, and you must read it if you would get a true view of the principles underlying the Legion. It is as plain as a lesson in a school reader. Any comment on it from me would be editorial tautology, so I don't want to say anything more than that its framing was one of the cleverest and most comprehensive bits of work done since the very beginning of the Legion.

There was no "hero stuff" at all at this caucus, no names of heroes, as such, were mentioned. The name of the President of the United States was not called nor any member of his Cabinet nor was any reference made to them either direct or indirect. This was done to avoid the appearance of politics. General Pershing's name was mentioned once and that was during the discussion of the sixth section of the constitution which provides that "no Post may be named for any living person."

Major Leonard of the District of Columbia delegation obtained the floor and said that his delegation was in an embarrassing position because they had already organized a post and named it "Pershing Post No. 1." Major Wickersham of New York, stated that a number of posts were already in the process of organization in his State and that the names of living men had been adopted by them.

After all why not call these posts after living men?

Delegate Harder, of Oklahoma, offered the answer:

There you have it, the real reason. Delegate Harder was only one of the hundreds who not only wanted to keep the Legion out of politics now but for all time to come.

Mr. McGrath of New Jersey also took an amusing fling at article six. As originally drawn it stipulated that the local unit should be termed a billet. "I object to the word billet," he said. "It has too many unpleasant associations as those men who slept in them in France will testify. A billet meant some place where you lay down and slept as long as certain little animals would let you, and the American Legion isn't going to do that."

Just about this time the afternoon was drawing to a close. Everybody realized that a monumental task had been performed. Sleepless nights and nerve-wracking days had been endured. Many pocketbooks were running low. Everybody felt it was time to go home.

At the mention of Colonel Roosevelt's name departing delegates tarried and when Mr. Weinman of Louisiana moved adjournment, the house stood and with one accord began to cry, "We want Teddy," "We want Teddy."

Colonel Roosevelt walked to the center of the stage and raised both hands seeking silence.

"I want to say just one thing," he said. "I have never been so much impressed in my life as I have been by the actions of this caucus, actions of the various committees and in the way this caucus thought for itself and acted for itself. For instance it would receive resolutions from the Resolutions Committee, would think them over, would re-decide on them and would re-decide them right. I want to say in closing that the only thing I regret is that my father could not have been alive at this moment to see the actions of this body of Americans."

WHY THE AMERICAN LEGION?

As I glance back over these pages I am impressed with the fact that only the preface of "The Story of the American Legion" has been written here. When the reaches of the years shall gather to themselves the last of the men of the army, navy, and marine corps of the United States during its war against Germany that story may then be faithfully told. So the truth of the matter now is that history is in the writing so far as the American Legion in its relation to the United States of America is concerned. That statement isn't in reality as platitudinous as it seems at first thought.

There is a wolf at the gates of civilized Europe. If he gets inside nothing can stop him from ravishing us. This war has bound us so closely to Europe that we are, in a sense, one and the same. He who strikes our brother strikes us, even though he be so far away that the distance is measured by an ocean. We must get over the idea that distance makes a difference. The Atlantic ocean has just been crossed in sixteen hours. Remember, thought travels even faster.

The wolf that I mentioned is a Mad Thought. He is Bolshevism. He has the madness because of hunger, a hunger not only of body but of mind; the century-long hunger of the Russian peoples for Freedom. Russia has run in a circle. From the autocracy of the classes it has arrived at the autocracy of the masses.

Why the American Legion?

One of our great bankers recently returned from an intimate study of affairs abroad. His name is Frank A. Vanderlip. In an address before the Economic Club in New York City he said that Europe is paralyzed and that our task is to save.

I give the introduction to his address as it appeared in the New York Times:

"Frank A. Vanderlip, who spoke last night at the Hotel Astor, at a dinner of the Economic Club, which was held for the purpose of hearing his story of conditions in Europe, whence he has recently returned, said that England was on the verge of a revolution, which was narrowly averted in February, when he was there, and the conditions on the Continent of Europe are appalling beyond anything dreamed of in this country.

"He said that the food conditions in Europe would be worse instead of better for a year ahead, because of the dislocation of labor and the destruction of farm animals, and that the industrial and economic outlook, generally, points to a period after the war, which will equal, if not exceed the war period in suffering and misery.

"He said that the best printing presses in the world to-day, except those in Washington, were at Petrograd, and that they were turning out masses of counterfeited pounds, francs, marks, lira, and pesetas, so skillfully made that detection was almost impossible. He said that these counterfeits were being spent largely by Germans to foment Bolshevist propaganda.

"He said that America alone could save Europe and that its aid must be extended to all countries equally. He said that this was necessary, not only to save Europe, but to prevent an invasion of America by the forces threatening the social overthrow of Europe."

Why the American Legion?

There, at least, is one great reason.

Our men of the army, navy, and marine corps got a schooling in the practical Americanism which our military establishment naturally teaches. Those who were aliens by birth and those native sons with inadequate educational advantages learned a great deal by association with men of better types and by travel. These men can and will stem the insidious guile of the wolf, and, to aid them in so doing, the Legion has an active speakers' bureau under Captain Osborn teaching Americanism in every section of the country. These speakers, in helping to organize the Legion along the right lines, teach the Constitution of the United States and preach that remedial changes in this government can be brought about in only one way, and that is, constitutionally.

Why the American Legion?

Here is another answer to the question.

This is the final answer to the question which serves as the title for this concluding chapter.

LIST OF STATE OFFICERS

Alabama:

• Chairman: Bibb Graves, Montgomery.
• Secretary: Leroy Jacobs, Care Jacobs Furniture Co., Birmingham.

Arizona:

• Chairman: E. Power Conway, Noll Bldg., Phoenix.
• Secretary: Fred B. Townsend, Natl. Bk., Arizona Bldg., Phoenix.

Arkansas:

• Chairman: J.J. Harrison, Little Rock.
• Secretary: Granville Burrow, Little Rock.

California:

• Chairman: Henry G. Mathewson, Flood Bldg., San Francisco.
• Secretary: E.E. Bohlen, 926 Flood Bldg., San Francisco.

Colorado:

• Chairman: H.A. Saidy, Colorado Springs.
• Secretary: Morton M. David, 401 Empire Bldg., Denver.

Connecticut:

• Chairman: Jas. B. Moody, Jr., 202 Phoenix Bk. Bldg., Hartford.
• Secretary: Alfred A. Phillips, Jr., 110 Glenbrook Rd., Stamford.

• Chairman: E. Lester Jones, 833 Southern Bldg., Washington.
• Secretary: Howard Fisk, 833 Southern Bldg., Washington.

Delaware:

• Chairman: Geo. N. Davis, 909 Market St., Wilmington.
• Secretary: L.K. Carpenter, Du Pont Bldg., Wilmington.

Florida:

• Chairman: S.L. Lowry, Jr., Citizens Bk. Bldg., Tampa.
• Secretary: J.T. Wiggington, 818—15th St., Miami.

Georgia:

• Chairman: Trammell Scott, 97 E. Merrits Ave., Atlanta.
• Secretary: Louis H. Bell, c/o Service Record, 208 Flatiron Bldg., Atlanta.

Hawaii:

• Chairman: Lawrence Judd, c/o T.H. Davies & Co., Ltd., Honolulu.
• Secretary: J.P. Morgan, Box 188, Honolulu.

Idaho:

• Chairman: C.M. Booth, Pocatello.
• Secretary: Laverne Collier, Pocatello.

Illinois:

• Chairman: George G. Seaman, Taylorville.
• Secretary: Myron E. Adams, 205 Marquette Bldg., 140 S. Dearborn St., Chicago.

Indiana:

• Chairman: Raymond S. Springer, Connersville.
• Secretary: L. Russell Newgent, 518 Hume Monsur Bldg., Indianapolis.

Iowa:

• Chairman: Matthew A. Tinley, Council Bluffs.
• Secretary: John MacVicar, 336 Hubbell Bldg., Des Moines.

• Chairman: A. Phares, 519 Sweiter Bldg., Wichita.
• Secretary: Ike Lambert, Emporia.

Kentucky:

• Chairman: Henry DeHaven Moorman, Hardinsburgh.
• Secretary: D.A. Sachs, Louisville.

Louisiana:

• Chairman: Allison Owen, 1237 State St., New Orleans.
• Secretary: T.H.H. Pratt, 721 Hibernia Bank, New Orleans.

Maine:

• Chairman: A.L. Robinson, 85 Exchange St., Portland.
• Secretary: James L. Boyle, 184 Water St., Augusta.

Maryland:

• Chairman: Jas. A. Gary, Jr., Equitable Bldg., Baltimore.
• Secretary: Alex. Randall, 12 West Chase St., Baltimore.

Massachusetts:

• Chairman: John F.J. Herbert, 749 Pleasant St., Worcester.
• Secretary: George P. Gilbody, 3 Van Winkle St., Boston.

Michigan:

• Chairman: Geo. C. Waldo, Detroit.
• Secretary: Ryle D. Tabor, 312 Moffatt Bldg., Detroit.

Minnesota:

• Chairman: Harrison Fuller, c/o St. Paul Dispatch, St. Paul.
• Secretary: George G. Chapin, 603 Guardian Life Bldg., St. Paul.

Mississippi:

• Chairman: Alex Fitzhugh, Vicksburgh.
• Secretary: John M. Alexander, Jackson.

Missouri:

Montana:

• Chairman: Chas. L. Sheridan, Bozeman.
• Secretary: Ben. W. Barnett, Helena.

Nebraska:

• Chairman: John G. Maher, Lincoln.
• Secretary: Allan A. Tukey, 1st Natl. Bank Bldg., Omaha.

Nevada:

• Chairman: E.L. Malsbary, Reno.
• Secretary: J.D. Salter, Winnimucca.

New Hampshire:

• Chairman: Frank Knox, Manchester.
• Secretary: Frank J. Abbott, Manchester.

New Jersey:

• Chairman: Hobart Brown, c/o Fireman's Insurance Co., Broad and Market Sts., Newark.
• Secretary: George W.C. McCarter, 765 Broad St., Newark.

New Mexico:

• Chairman: Charles M. DeBremon, Roswell.
• Secretary: Harry Howard Dorman, Santa Fé.

New York:

• Chairman: C.W. Wickersham, 140 Nassau St., New York City.
• Secretary: Wade H. Hayes, 140 Nassau St., New York City.

North Carolina:

• Chairman: C.K. Burgess, 107 Commercial Bank Bldg., Raleigh.
• Secretary: Charles N. Hulvey, A.&E. College, Raleigh.

North Dakota:

• Chairman: R.H. Treacy, Bismarck.
• Secretary: Ed. E. Gearey, Fargo.

Ohio:

• Chairman: P.C. Galbraith, Cincinnati.
• Secretary: Chalmers R. Wilson, Adj. Gen. Office, State House, Columbus.

• Chairman: Ross N. Lillard, Oklahoma City.
• Secretary: F.W. Fisher, Oklahoma City.

Oregon:

• Chairman: E.J. Eivers, 444-1/2 Larrabee St., Portland.
• Secretary: Dow V. Walker, Care Multnomah Club, Portland.

Pennsylvania:

• Chairman and Secretary: George F. Tyler, 121 S. 5th St., Philadelphia.

Rhode Island:

• Chairman: Alexander H. Johnson, City Hall, Providence.
• Secretary: James E. Cummiskey, Crompton.

South Carolina:

• Chairman: John D. Smyser, M.D., 423 South Gargan St., Florence.
• Secretary: Ben. D. Fulton, 32 West Evans St., Florence.

South Dakota:

• Chairman: T.R. Johnson, Sioux Falls.
• Secretary: J.C. Denison, Vermillion.

Tennessee:

• Chairman: Roan Waring, Bank of Commerce and Trust Co. Bldg., Memphis.
• Secretary: W.R. Craig, Nat. Life and Accident Co., Nashville, Tenn.

Texas:

• Chairman: Claude B. Birkhead, San Antonio.
• Secretary: J.A. Belzer, Austin.

Utah:

• Chairman: Harold R. Smoot, Salt Lake City.
• Secretary: Baldwin Robertson, 409 Ten Boston Bldg., Salt Lake City.

• Chairman: Andrew D. Christian, c/o Ruy & Power Bldg., Richmond.
• Secretary: R.G.M. Ross, 508 1st Nat'l. Bank Bldg. Newport News.

Vermont:

• Chairman: H. Nelson Jackson, Burlington.
• Secretary: Joseph H. Fountain, 138 Colchester Ave., Burlington.

Washington.

• Chairman: Harvey A. Moss, Seattle.
• Secretary: George R. Drever, c/o Adj. Gen. Office, Armory, Seattle.

West Virginia:

• Chairman: Jackson Arnold, 111 Court Ave., Weston.
• Secretary: Chas. McCamic, 904 Nat'l. Bank of West Virginia Bldg., Wheeling.

Wisconsin:

• Chairman: E.F. Ackley, 226 First Nat'l. Bk. Bldg., Milwaukee.
• Secretary: R.N. Gibson, Grand Rapids.

Wyoming:

• Chairman: A.H. Beach, Lusk.
• Secretary: R.H. Nichols, Casper.

AS ADOPTED BY

THE ST. LOUIS CAUCUS

May 10, 1919

PREAMBLE

For God and Country we associate ourselves together for the following purposes:

To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred per cent. Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our association in the Great War; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state, and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom, and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

ARTICLE I

Name

ARTICLE II

Membership

All persons shall be eligible to membership in this organization who were in the military or naval service of the United States during the period between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, both dates inclusive, and all persons who served in the military or naval services of any of the governments associated with the United States during the World War, provided that they were citizens of the United States at the time of their enlistment, and are again citizens at the time of application, except those persons who separated from the service under terms amounting to dishonorable discharge and except also those persons who refused to perform their military duties on the ground of conscientious or political obligation.

ARTICLE III

Nature

While requiring that every member of the organization perform his full duty as a citizen according to his own conscience and understanding, the organization shall be absolutely non-partisan, and shall not be used for the dissemination of partisan principles, or for the promotion of the candidacy of any person seeking public office or preferment.

ARTICLE IV

Administration

2. The annual convention shall be composed of delegates and alternates from each state, the District of Columbia, and each territory and territorial possession of the United States, each of which shall be entitled to four delegates and four alternates, and to one additional delegate and alternate for each one thousand memberships paid up thirty days prior to the date of the national convention. The vote of each state, of the District of Columbia, and of each territory or territorial possession of the United States shall be equal to the total number of delegates to which that state, district, territory, or territorial possession is entitled.

3. The delegates to the national convention shall be chosen by each state in the manner hereinafter prescribed.

4. The executive power shall be vested in a National Executive Committee to be composed of two representatives from each state, the District of Columbia, territory and territorial possessions of the United States and such other ex-officio members as may be elected by the Caucus. The National Executive Committee shall have authority to fill any vacancies in its membership.

ARTICLE V

State Organization

The officers of the state organization shall be as follows:

• One State Commander.
• One State Vice Commander.
• One State Adjutant.
• One State Finance Officer.
• One State Historian.
• One State Master-at-Arms.
• One State Chaplain.

ARTICLE VI

The Local Unit

The officers of the local organization shall be as follows:

• One Post Commander.
• One Post Vice Commander.
• One Post Adjutant.
• One Post Finance Officer.
• One Post Historian.
• One Post Chaplain.

and such appointive officers as may be provided by the State Organization.

ARTICLE VII

Dues

Each state organization shall pay to the National Executive Committee or such officer as said committee may designate therefor, the sum of twenty-five cents annually, for each individual member in that particular state, District of Columbia, territory, or territorial possession.

ARTICLE VIII

Quorum

A quorum shall exist at a national convention when there are present twenty-five or more states and territories partially or wholly represented as herein-before provided.

ARTICLE IX

Rules

ARTICLE X

Amendment

This Constitution is to be in force until the November Convention, when it will be ratified or amended by that Convention.

PASSED BY

THE ST. LOUIS CAUCUS, AMERICAN LEGION

May 10, 1919.

1. Endorsement of the Victory Liberty Loan.

Whereas, the Government of the United States has appealed to the country for financial support in order to provide the funds for expenditures made necessary in the prosecution of the war and to reestablish the country upon a Peace basis; therefore, be it

Resolved: That this caucus emphatically endorses the Victory Liberty Loan and urges all Americans to promote the success of the Loan in every manner possible.

2. Conscientious Objectors.

Be It Further Resolved: That this caucus demand full and complete investigation by Congress, of the trial and conviction of these parties, and their subsequent pardon.

3. Protection of the Uniform.

Whereas, it is recognized that the uniform of the United States is as much a symbol as the flag itself, and thereby entitled to fitting respect, and, Whereas, certain unscrupulous firms and individuals have taken nefarious advantage of popular sentiment by utilizing men in uniforms as peddlers and sales-agents, and,

Whereas, certain discharged men have so far forgotten the respect due the uniform they wear, as to use it as an aid in peddling goods; therefore,

Be It Resolved: That this national caucus go on record as being unalterably opposed to such practices, and,

Be It Further Resolved: That each state and local organization here represented be urged to do all in its power to put an end to this misuse of the uniform, which has always been worn with honor and for noble purposes.

4. Reclamation of Arid, Swamp, and Cut-Over Timber Lands.

Whereas, the reclamation of arid, swamp, and cut-over timber lands is one of the great constructive problems of immediate interest to the nation; and,

Whereas, one of the purposes for which the formation of the American Legion is contemplated is to take an energetic interest in all constructive measures designed to promote the happiness and contentment of the people, and to actively encourage all proper movements of a general nature to assist the men of the Army and Navy in solving the problems of wholesome existence; and,

Whereas, the Department of the Interior and the Reclamation Service have been engaged in formulating and presenting to the country broad, constructive plans for the reclamation of arid, swamp and cut-over timber lands;

Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved: By the caucus of delegates of the American Legion in Convention assembled, in the City of Saint Louis, Missouri, that we endorse the efforts heretofore made for the reclamation of lands, and we respectfully urge upon the Congress of the United States the adoption at an early date of broad and comprehensive legislation for economic reclamation of all lands susceptible of reclamation and production.

5. Reëmployment of Ex-Service Men.

Whereas, one of the most important questions of Readjustment and Reconstruction, is the question of employment of the returning and returned soldiers and sailors, and,

Be It Resolved, That the American Legion in national caucus assembled, declares to the people of the United States that no act can be more unpatriotic in these most serious days of Readjustment and Reconstruction than the violation of the principle announced, which pledges immediate reëmployment to the returned soldier; and,

Be It Further Resolved: That the American Legion in its National Caucus assembled does hereby declare itself as supporting in every proper way, the efforts of the ex-service men to secure reëmployment, and recommends that simple patriotism requires that ex-soldiers, sailors, or marines be given preference whenever additional men are to be employed in any private or public enterprise; and,

Be It Further Resolved: That the American Legion recommends to Congress the prompt enactment of a program for internal improvement, having in view the necessity therefor, and as an incident the absorption of the surplus labor of the country, giving preference to discharged ex-service men.

6. Disability Pay.

Whereas, under the provisions of the existing law an obvious injustice is done to the civilian who entered the military service, and as an incident to that service is disabled; therefore,

7. War Risk Insurance.

Whereas, one of the purposes of this organization is: "To protect, assist, and promote the general welfare of all persons in the Military and Naval service of the United States, and those dependent upon them," and,

Whereas, owing to the speedy demobilization of the men in the service, who have not had their rights, privileges and benefits under the War Risk Insurance Act fully explained to them, and these men, therefore, are losing daily, such rights, privileges and benefits, which may never again be restored; and,

Whereas, it is desirable that every means be pursued to acquaint the men of their full rights, privileges, and benefits under the said Act, and to prevent the loss of the said rights, benefits and privileges; therefore,

Be It Resolved: That the American Legion pledges its most energetic support to a campaign of sound education and widespread activity, to the end that the rights, privileges and benefits under the War Risk Insurance Act be conserved, and that the men discharged from the service, be made to realize what are their rights under this act; and that the Executive Committee be empowered and directed to confer with the War Risk Insurance Bureau, that it may carry out the purposes herein expressed; and,

8. Alien Slackers.

Whereas, there was a law passed by the Congress of these United States in July, 1918, known as an Amendment to Selective Service Act, giving persons within the draft age, who had taken out first papers for American citizenship, the privilege of turning in said first papers to their local exemption board and thereby become exempt from service, and,

Whereas, thousands of men within draft age who had been in this country for many years and had signified their intention to become citizens, took advantage of this law and thereby became exempted from military service, or were discharged from military service by reason thereof, and have taken lucrative positions in the mills, shipyards and factories; and,

Whereas, in the great world war for democracy the rank and file of the best of our American manhood have suffered and sacrificed itself in order to uphold the principles upon which this country was founded, and for which they were willing to give up their life's blood; and,

Whereas, these counterfeit Americans who revoked their citizenship in our opinion would contaminate the 100 per cent. true American soldier, sailor, or marine who will shortly return to again engage in the gainful pursuits of life; therefore, be it

Be It Further Resolved: That we demand the immediate deportation of every alien enemy who was interned during the war, whether the said alien enemy be now interned or has been paroled.

9. Disabled Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines.

Be It Resolved: That the delegates from the several states shall instruct their respective organizations to see that every disabled soldier, sailor and marine be brought into contact with the Rehabilitation Department of the Federal Board at Washington, D.C., and,

Be It Further Resolved: That the secretaries of the various states be instructed to write to the Federal Board for literature as to what it offers to disabled men, and that the members of the Legion be instructed to distribute this literature and to aid the wounded soldiers, sailors and marines, to take advantage of governmental assistance and that every effort be made by the American Legion in the several states to stop any attempt to pauperize disabled men.

10. Espionage Act.

Resolved: That every naturalized citizen convicted under the Espionage Act shall have his citizenship papers vacated, and when they shall have served their sentence they shall be deported to the country from which they came.

11. Resolutions.

Be It Resolved: That copies of these resolutions be forwarded to every member of the United States Senate and to each Representative in Congress.

What has gone before is the story of the American Legion in the making. Now it is a going, growing institution.

Because it will be of vital interest and importance to every one of the four million Americans who wore the uniform, the following information concerning the American Legion, in the form of questions and answers, is here given, as follows:

It is interesting to know what the press of the United States thinks of the American Legion. Practically every newspaper in the country honored the Legion with comment. In almost every instance it was favorable. Selection has been made of some of this comment—as much as is feasible to give here. It is of two kinds: first, what the press thought of the idea of the Legion, and second, what opinion it had of the Legion after it was launched at St. Louis. The first type of comment was made prior to the caucus in this country and the second, afterwards. Comment on both types was generally favorable.

But here is the comment. It comes from north, east, south, and west, and it is typical:

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Alabama

• D.W.M. Jordan
• John W. Inzer

Alaska

• Edgar T. Hawley

Arizona

• John C. Greenway
• E.P. Conway

Arkansas

• Joe S. Harris
• James J. Harrison

California

• H.G. Mathewson
• C.E. Palmen

Colorado

• H.A. Saidy
• E.R. Myers

Connecticut

• H.C. Meserve
• A.M. Phillips, Jr.

Delaware

• George N. Doris
• George L. Evans

District of Columbia

• N.C. Turnage
• E. Lester Jones

Florida

• Davis Forster
• J.T. Wigginton

Georgia

• Louis H. Bell
• J.G. Juett

Hawaiian Islands

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• E.C. Booth
• Frank Esterbrook

Illinois

• William R. McCauley
• Marshall Field

Indiana

• Robert Morehead
• C.F. Strodel

Iowa

• H.H. Polk
• John MacVicar

• W.S. Metcalf
• Sidney Moss

Kentucky

• Henry D. Moorman
• D.A. Sachs, Jr.

Louisiana

• Allison Owen
• Ralph Michel

Maine

• Albert Greenlaw
• Arthur L. Robinson

Maryland

• H.F. French
• Wm.A. Huster

Massachusetts

• G.G. Bacon
• J.F.J. Herbert

Michigan

• Frederick M. Alger
• A.C. Doyle

Minnesota

• Harrison Fuller
• A.M. Nelson

Mississippi

• Alex. Fitz-Hugh
• Fred Sullens

Missouri

• Court P. Allen
• H. Stattman

Montana

• H.L. Blomquist
• C.E. Pew

Nebraska

• John G. Maher
• Ed. P. McDermott

Nevada

• E.L. Malsbary
• T.J.D. Salter

New Hampshire

• Frank Knox
• Mathew Mahoney

New Jersey

• D.B. Muliken
• P.J. Ehrhardt

New Mexico

• B.M. Cutting
• O.A. Larrizola, Jr.

New York

• Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.
• Louis Burrill

North Carolina

North Dakota

• J.M. Hanley
• G.A. Fraser

Ohio

• J.L. Cochrun
• H.W. Snodgrass

Oklahoma

• Roy Hoffman
• Ralph H. Berry

Oregon

• E.J. Eivers
• W.B. Follett

• Franklin D'Olier
• A. Laughlin, Jr.

Rhode Island

• A. Johnson
• R.B. Weeden

South Carolina

• H.B. Springs
• M.B. Berkley

South Dakota

• J.C. Denison
• Joseph S. Pfeiffer

Tennessee

• Luke Lea
• Harry S. Berry

Texas

• W.E. Jackson
• Rolland Bradley

Utah

• Baldwin Robertson
• Royal Douglas

Vermont

• H. Nelson Jackson
• Joseph Fountain

Virginia

• C. Francis Cooke
• Andrew S. Christian

Washington

• L.L. Thompson
• Russ Simonton

West Virginia

• John G. Bond
• Charles McCamic

Wisconsin

• James Ackley
• G.W. Strampe

Wyoming

• C.M. June
• L.A. Miller

American Army Association

• Hayward H. Hillyer
• William P. Norton

World War Veterans

• G.H.W. Rauschkolb
• John S. Siebert

RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE

Alabama

• Matthew H. Murphy

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• Ed. M. Le Baron

Arkansas

• Fred N. Tillman

California

• E.H. Dibble

Colorado

• H.A. Saidy

• F.W. Carroll

Delaware

• George N. Doris

District of Columbia

• Charles E. Johnston

Florida

• Carroll Ford

Georgia

• Eugene Sibert

Hawaii

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• C.M. Booth

Illinois

• Marshall Kearney

Indiana

• A.C. Duddelston

Iowa

• H.H. Polk

Kansas

• W.W. Hollaway

Kentucky

• M.K. Gordon

Louisiana

• John D. Ewing

Maine

• Roger A. Greene

Maryland

• H.L. French

Massachusetts

• L.A. Frothingham

Michigan

• Avery Gilleo

Minnesota

• S.S. Smith

Mississippi

• Alex. Fitz-Hugh

Missouri

• H.C. Clark

Montana

• Sam Abelstein

Nebraska

• Hird. Stryker

Nevada

• E.L. Malsbary

New Hampshire

• Frank Knox

New Jersey

• E.A. Tobin

New Mexico

• Roy H. Flamm

New York

• Robert Marsh

North Dakota

• J.R. Baker

Ohio

• E.J. Rummell

Oklahoma

• E.E. Atkins

• B.E. Leonard

Pennsylvania

• Fred Hill

Philippines

• Robert R. Landon

Rhode Island

• W.P. Shunney

South Carolina

South Dakota

• William G. Buell

Tennessee

• G.P. Anderson

Texas

• Charles R. Tips

Utah

• R.J. Douglas

Vermont

• Guy Varnum

Virginia

• John J. Wicker, Jr.

Washington

• John J. Sullivan

West Virginia

• John C. Vaughan

Wisconsin

• Robert Cunningham

Wyoming

• L.A. Miller

American Army Association

• Joseph P. McGlinn

World War Veterans

• Thomas H. Dempsey

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS COMMITTEE

Alabama

• Bibb Graves

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• John C. Greenway

Arkansas

• Burton S. Kinsworthy

California

• H.G. Mathewson

Colorado

• R. Dickson

Connecticut

• W.J. Malone

Delaware

• George W. Davis

District of Columbia

• John Lewis Smith

Florida

• J.T. Wigginton

• L.H. Bell

Hawaiian Islands

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• C.M. Booth

Illinois

• C.G. Seeman

Indiana

• Scott R. Brewer

Iowa

• Fred M. Hudson

Kansas

• P.R. Johnson

Kentucky

• H.D. Haven Moorman

Louisiana

• Gus Blanchard

Maine

• Roy C. Haines

Maryland

• Wm. A. Huster

Massachusetts

• W.H. Howard

Michigan

• Howard Brink

Minnesota

• E.D. McCarthy

Mississippi

• Fred Sullens

Missouri

• Bennet Clark

Montana

• C.E. Pew

Nebraska

• L.J. McGuire

Nevada

• J.D. Salter

New Hampshire

• Frank J. Abbott

New Jersey

• Harlan Besson

New Mexico

• D.H. Wyatt

New York

• Hamilton Fish

North Carolina

North Dakota

• H.Y. Semling

Ohio

• J.F. Koons

Oklahoma

• Horace H. Hagan

Oregon

• Roderick D. Grant

Pennsylvania

• D.G. Foster

Rhode Island

• Percy Cantwell

South Dakota

• Wm. G. Buell

Tennessee

• Ed. Palmer

Texas

• Claud Birkhead

Utah

• R.S. McCarthy

Vermont

• J. Watson Webb

Virginia

• Wm. A Stuart

Washington

• L.L. Thompson

West Virginia

• Charles W. McCamic

Wisconsin

• Elmer Owens

Wyoming

• R.L. Powers

American Army Association

• Haywood W. Hillyer

ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE

Alabama

• Cecil Gaston

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• Alexander B. Baker

Arkansas

• Ross Mathis

California

• E.E. Bohlen

Colorado

• E.R. Meyer

Connecticut

• P.C. Calhoun

Delaware

• Irving Warner

District of Columbia

• Henry Leonard

Florida

• A.H. Blanding

Georgia

• R.L. Wilson, Jr.

Hawaii

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• Taylor Cummings

Illinois

• Frank Harrison

Indiana

• J.A. Umpleby

Iowa

• Maris B. De Wolfe

• P.C. Stamford

Kentucky

• J.G. Wheeler

Louisiana

• Louis Ginella

Maine

• James U. Boyle

Maryland

• Wm. B. Wilmer

Massachusetts

• G.C. Cutler

Michigan

• J.F. Young

Minnesota

• Paul McMichael

Mississippi

• George Hoskin

Missouri

• F.L. Smith

Montana

• C.E. Pew

Nebraska

• Geo. H. Holveman

Nevada

• T.J.D. Salter

New Hampshire

• George V. Fiske

New Jersey

• R.P. Schenck

New Mexico

• Don. L. Blevins

New York

• Parton Swift

North Carolina

North Dakota

• J.P. Williams

Ohio

• L.J. Campbell

Oklahoma

• Hugh Haughery

Oregon

• J.L. May

Pennsylvania

• G.A. Rick

Rhode Island

• Alex. Johnson

South Carolina

South Dakota

• T.R. Johnston

Tennessee

• W.A. Shadow

Texas

• Arch C. Allen

Utah

• D.E. Rhivers

Vermont

• Leonard Nason

• C. Brook Bollard

Washington

• Fred Redinger

West Virginia

• M.V. Godfrey

Wisconsin

• J.C. Davis

Wyoming

• Wm. Shortell

American Army Association

• Scott W. Lucas

World War Veterans

• Charles S. Watkins

CREDENTIAL COMMITTEE

Alabama

• Joseph Yates

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• F.P. Bernard

Arkansas

• Ivie Herschel

California

• B.W. Herhart

Colorado

• J.W. Gwin

Connecticut

• F.S. Butterworth

Delaware

• George L. Evans

District of Columbia

• S.P. Knut

Florida

• Davis Forster

Georgia

• J.G. Juett

Hawaiian Islands

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• Paul Peterson

Illinois

• Roger Young

Indiana

• J.W. Todd

Iowa

• P.M. Soper

Kansas

• I.E. Lambert

Kentucky

• Richard H. Slack

Louisiana

• G.H.H. Pratt

Maine

• Albert Greenlaw

• J.S. Davis

Massachusetts

• G.F. Gilbody

Michigan

• H.A. O'Dell

Minnesota

• George Chapin

Mississippi

• John M. Alexander

Missouri

• D.W. Cronkite

Montana

• Doug. McCallum

Nebraska

• Orlando H. Kearney

Nevada

• T.J.D. Salter

New Hampshire

• John Santor

New Jersey

• C.S. Brady

New Mexico

• Jesus M. Baca

New York

• J.P. Goerke

North Dakota

• J.P. Williams

Ohio

• H.L. Bimm

Oklahoma

• F.W. Fisher

Oregon

• C.L. Mullen

Pennsylvania

• E.J. Pennell

Rhode Island

• F.B. Thurber

South Dakota

• T.R. Johnson

Tennessee

• J.D. Robertson

Texas

• John S. Hoover

Utah

• J.G. Wooley

Vermont

• Alexander Smith

Virginia

• G.R. Poole

Washington

• Fred Fein

West Virginia

• W.J. Simmons

Wisconsin

• M.A. Chybowski

Wyoming

• D.C. McCarthy

World War Veterans

• John S. Seibert

American Army Association

• H.W. Hillyer

Alabama

• Beach Chenoweth

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• Alex. B. Baker

Arkansas

• Wm. Dougherty

California

• B.L. Shuman

Colorado

• D.J. Sparr

Connecticut

• B.R. Mathies

Delaware

• E.H. Kane

District of Columbia

• L. Clarkson Hines

Florida

• A.H. Blanding

Georgia

• Eugene Sibert

Hawaiian Islands

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• R.R. Wilson

Illinois

• Charles Wham

Indiana

• M.H. Thomas

Iowa

• Thompson L. Brookhart

Kansas

• W.A. Phares

Kentucky

• E.H. Marriner

Louisiana

• L.P. Beard

Maine

• Roger A. Greene

Maryland

• F.A. Young

Massachusetts

• W.H. Dolan

Michigan

• Wm. King

Minnesota

• D.R. St. Julian

Mississippi

• Robt. Burnett

Missouri

• A. Field

• Ben W. Barnett

Nebraska

• Geo. Gilligan

Nevada

• E.L. Malsbary

New Hampshire

• Arthur Trufant

New Jersey

• R.F. Ritter

New Mexico

• O.A. Lorizolla, Jr.

New York

• Thos. John Conway

North Carolina

North Dakota

• G.A. Fraser

Ohio

• J.L. Hall

Oklahoma

• Earl McNally

Oregon

• W.P. Follett

Pennsylvania

• C.A. Buettner

Philippine Islands.

• Robert Landon

Rhode Island

• Walter Sharkey

South Dakota

• W.G. Buell

Tennessee

• Ed. Buford

Texas

• Roy A. Jamison

Utah

• J.C. Kundson

Vermont

• L.H. Nason

Virginia

• Robt. P. Wallace

Washington

• C.B. McDonald

West Virginia

• Geo. S. Houston

Wisconsin

• James Pfeil

Wyoming

• C.M. June

American Army Association

• H.W. Hillyer

World War Veterans

• R.A. Thompson

Alabama

• LeRoy Jacobs

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• M.E. Cassidy

Arkansas

• Roy Penix

California

• Clair Woolwine

Colorado

• W.E. Swink

Connecticut

• R.C. Vance

Delaware

• Irving Warner

District of Columbia

• Donald McGregor

Florida

• Conrad Ford

Georgia

• L.H. Bell

Hawaiian Islands

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• Paul Peterson

Illinois

• Richard M. O'Connell

Indiana

• Robt. Clee

Iowa

• H.D. Lemley

Kansas

• M.B. Musselman

Kentucky

• James G. Juett

Louisiana

• Rudolph Wienan

Maine

• Roy C. Haines

Maryland

• A.R. Hagner, Jr.

Massachusetts

• Donald Green

Michigan

• Chas. D. Kelley

Minnesota

• Jno. J. Ahern

Mississippi

• Chas. R. Dolbey

Missouri

• Robert Fullerton, Jr.

Montana

• Ben W. Barnett

Nebraska

• A.L. Stuart

• E.L. Malsbary

New Hampshire

• C. Fred Maher

New Jersey

• Allen L. Eggers

New Mexico

• Jesus M. Baca

New York

• Geo. P. Putnam

North Dakota

• Arthur Gorman

Ohio

• H.M. Bush

Oklahoma

• W.T. Burling

Oregon

• B.E. Leonard

Pennsylvania

• Ammon Monroe Aurand, Jr.

Rhode Island

• Harry F. McKenna

South Dakota

• T.R. Johnson

Tennessee

• H.H. Corson, Jr.

Texas

• John W. Young

Utah

• Leo Meehan

Vermont

• L.H. Nason

Virginia

• D.D. Nei

Washington

• Russ Simonton

West Virginia

• Geo. S. Houston

Wisconsin

• C.M. Huntley

Wyoming

• Ralph L. Powers

American Army Association

• H.W. Hillyer

World War Veterans

• C.P. Dimmitt

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Alabama

• B.F. Stoddard

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• M.E. Cassidy

Arkansas

• Garland Hurt

• E.H. Dibbley

Colorado

• Ed. Krueger

Connecticut

• James B. Moody

Delaware

• Irving Warner

District of Columbia

• Howard F. Fiske

Florida

• Davis Forster

Georgia

Hawaii

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• John S. Green

Illinois

• Albert A. Sprague

Indiana

• Chester P. Wolfe

Iowa

• W.R. Hart

Kansas

• J.B. Brickell

Kentucky

• R. Ewall

Louisiana

• Levering Moore

Maine

• Waldemar P. Adams

Maryland

• Alexander Randall

Massachusetts

• J. Stewart

Michigan

• George M. Kesl

Minnesota

• O.H. Baldwin

Mississippi

• Paul Chambers

Missouri

• D.G. Hubbard

Montana

• Arthur Barry

Nebraska

• William Richie

Nevada

• T.J.D. Salter

New Hampshire

• William E. Sullivan

New Jersey

• Paul De Voise

New Mexico

• F.B. Humphrey

New York

• M.B. Murphy

North Dakota

• G.A. Fraser

• B.J. Hard

Oklahoma

• William Viuer

Oregon

• C.L. Muffin

Pennsylvania

• James W. Gary

Rhode Island

• Jas. Elinniskey

South Carolina

South Dakota

• J.C. Denison

Tennessee

• Charles R. Bowman

Texas

• C.C. Beavens

Utah

• Harold R. Smoot

Vermont

• Pearl T. Clapp

Virginia

• J.T. Wyatt

Washington

• C.S. Sapp

West Virginia

• Clarence Jones

Wisconsin

• P.R. Minnahan

Wyoming

• N.V. Swensen

American Army Association

• Louis R. Florin

World War Veterans

• G.H.W. Rauschkolb

COMMITTEE ON NAME

Alabama

• Norman J. Reiss

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• Fred B. Townsend

Arkansas

• Roy W. Wood

California

• Clair Woolwine

Colorado

• Robt. G. Allen

Connecticut

• P.L. Sampsell

Delaware

• E.H. Kane

District of Columbia

• J. Bentley Mulford

Florida

• J.T. Wigginton

• J.G. Juett

Hawaiian Islands

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• T.A. Feeney

Illinois

• Thos. Harwood

Indiana

• Augustus B. Wilson

Iowa

• Jackson R. Day

Kansas

• P.K. Cubbison

Kentucky

• W.O. Sayers

Louisiana

• Davis McCutcheon

Maine

• Waldemar P. Adams

Maryland

• G.H. Tieman

Massachusetts

• J.P. McGrath

Michigan

• B.B. Bellows

Minnesota

• W.R. Sturtz

Mississippi

• Arthur B. Clark

Missouri

• H.W. Holcomb

Montana

• H.L. Blomquist

Nebraska

• Frank F. Fischer

Nevada

• T.J.D. Salter

New Hampshire

• W.J. Murphy

New Jersey

• G.H. Stratton

New Mexico

• C.S. Caldwell

New York

• E.D. Bunn

North Carolina

North Dakota

• L.B. Merry

Ohio

• R.E. Shank

Oklahoma

• Robert B. Keenan

Oregon

• W.B. Follett

Pennsylvania

• B.L. Houck

Rhode Island

• Jos. San Soneitr

• T.R. Johnson

Tennessee

• Barton P. Brown

Texas

• Russ D. Langdon

Utah

• L.J. Seeley

Vermont

• Alexander Smith

Virginia

• Robt. R. Wallace

Washington

• Rob. S. Gordon

West Virginia

• Jas. M. Crockett

Wisconsin

• John P. Szultek

Wyoming

• Maurice Dineen

American Army Association

• H.W. Hillyer

SOLDIERS AND SAILORS COUNCIL

• S.H. Curtin

World War Veterans

• John S. Seibert

COMMITTEE ON EMBLEM

Alabama

• J.F. Gillem

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• Fred B. Townsend

Arkansas

• Wendell Robertson

California

• V.W. Gerhard

Colorado

• M.C. Dameron

Connecticut

• J.S. Hurley

Delaware

• E.H. Kane

District of Columbia.

• W.G. Glenn

Florida

• Mr. Bell

Georgia

• J.G. Juett

Hawaii

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• Paul Davis

Illinois

• W.C. Mundt

• N.J. Buskirk

Iowa

• A.M. Pond

Kansas

• Foss Farar

Kentucky

• H. Reingold

Louisiana

• W.A. Coon

Maine

• Frank M. Hume

Maryland

• T.H. Scaffe

Massachusetts

• H.H. Wheelock

Michigan

• P.W. Nickel

Minnesota

• Conrad Veit

Mississippi

• W.T. Adams

Missouri

• U.P. Haw

Montana

• Worth C. Almon

Nebraska

• R.J. Webb

Nevada

• T.J.D. Salter

New Hampshire

• Walter J. Hogan

New Jersey

• J.M. Pancoast

New Mexico

• F.B. Humphrey

New York

• F.W. Baldwin

North Dakota

• Wm. Stern

Ohio

• E.L. King

Oklahoma

• P.A. Fox

Oregon

• R.D. Grant

Pennsylvania

• L.L. Felts

Rhode Island

• F.V. Thurber

South Dakota

• J.C. Denison

Tennessee

• W.R. Craig, Jr.

Texas

• S.P. Boom

Utah

• Charles Parsons

Vermont

• Joseph Fontain

• W.R. Trotter

Washington

• Fred. J. Shaw

West Virginia

• Sam. Solins

Wisconsin

• L.J. Woodworth

Wyoming

World War Veterans

• Geo. E. Davis

American Army Association

• T.R. Smith

COMMITTEE ON NEXT MEETING PLACE

Alabama

• F.M. Ladd

Alaska

• James Hawley

Arizona

• Ed. M. LeBaron

Arkansas

• Wm. G. Edgar

California

• B.O. Shuman

Colorado

• T.H. Wiles

Connecticut

• W.D. Copp

Delaware

• Geo. L. Evans

District of Columbia

• Louis P. Clephane

Florida

• Mr. Bell

Georgia

• R.L. Wilson, Jr.

Hawaiian Islands

• J.P. Morgan

Idaho

• Frank Estabrook

Illinois

• Grover Sexton

Indiana

• J.B. Reynolds

Iowa

• B.R. Finch

Kansas

• Charles I. Martin

Kentucky

• Frank Bernhaim

Louisiana

• Clifford Stem

Maine

• James L. Boyle

• A.C. Solomon

Massachusetts

• Marcus Maddern

Michigan

• Frank J. Tobin

Minnesota

• Loren B. Roberts

Mississippi

• J.S. Fleming

Missouri

• L.C. Lozier

Montana

• Arthur Barry

Nebraska

• Allan Tukey

Nevada

• E.L. Malsbary

New Hampshire

• H.L. Hereaux

New Jersey

• A.S. Westcott

New Mexico

• S.S. Caldwell

New York

• Fred Gallager

North Carolina

North Dakota

• Wm. Stern

Ohio

• Ralph Pearce

Oklahoma

• W.T. Butts

Oregon

• E.J. Eivers

Pennsylvania

• A.I. McRae

Rhode Island

• Walter Sharkey

South Dakota

• Wm. G. Buell

Tennessee

• G.C. Milligan

Texas

• L. Nicholson

Utah

• Fred. Jurgensen

Vermont

• J. Watson Webb

Virginia

• G.R. Poole

Washington

• Albert Johnston

West Virginia

• Joseph Jackson

Wisconsin

• C.H. Foster

Wyoming

• Benj. Gregg

World War Veterans

• F.H. Rein

American Army Association

• J.A. Bernard

Alabama

• Chenoweth, Beach Mead, Birmingham. U.S.N.
• Gaston, Cecil D., Birmingham. Med. Corps U.S.A. and A.E.F.
• Gillem, Jennings F., Birmingham. 320 M.G. Bn.
• Graves, Bibb, Montgomery. 117th F.A.
• Inzer, J.W., Mobile. 14th Inf.
• Jacobs, Leroy R., Birmingham. 38th Inf.
• Jordan, Wm.M., Birmingham. Evac. Hosp. No. 11.
• Ladd, Frank M., Jr., Mobile. U.S.N.
• Long, F.M., Jasper. 7th Inf. 9th M.G. Bn.
• Lussier, Richard F., Birmingham. M.I.D. Gen. Staff.
• Murphy, Matthew H., Birmingham, 117th F.A.
• Reiss, Norman J., Mobile. Q.M.C.
• Stoddard, B.S., Mobile. 49th Inf.
• Yates, Joseph A., Birmingham, 117th F.A.

Alaska

• Hawley, Edgar T., Boise, Idaho. U.S.A.

Arkansas

Arizona

• Baker, Alexander B., Phoenix. 28th F.A.
• Bernard, E.P., Tucson. 47th M.G. Bn.
• Cassidy, M.E., Bisbee. Ad. Gen. Dep.
• Greenway, John C., Warren. 101st Inf.
• Lebaron, Edwin M., Mesa. 801st P. Inf.
• Townsend, Frank B., Phoenix. F.A.C.O.T.S.

California

• Bohlen, E.E., San Francisco. 347th F.A.
• Dibblee, Benj.H., San Francisco. F.A.C.O.T.S.
• Gearhart, B.W., Fresno. 609th Aero Sq.
• Hammond, Leonard C., San Francisco, 91st Aero.
• Houghton, A.D., Los Angeles. Am. Serv. League.
• Kelly, E.J., Los Angeles. 64th U.S. Inf.
• Mathewson, H.G., Alameda. C.A.C.
• Palmer, C.E.G., Coalinga. Canadians.
• Shuman, Blair S., San Francisco. 363d Inf.
• Slow, Ashfield E., San Francisco. 347th F.A.
• Woolwine, Clare W., Los Angeles. 8th Inf. Gen. St.

Colorado

Connecticut

• Butterworth, Dr. S., New Haven. Chem. War Serv.
• Calhoun, Philo C., Bridgeport. U.S.M.C.
• Carroll, Francis W., Waterbury. Presidential Gd. U.S.A.
• Copp, Webster D., Norwich, 301st M.G. Bn.
• Hurley, Jas. S., Waterbury. 73rd Inf.
• Malone, Wm. J., Bristol. A.S. (A).
• Matthies, Bernard H., Seymour. 105th Spruce Squad.
• Meservo, Harry C., Stamford. 68th C.A.C.
• Moody, Jas. B., Jr., Hartford. 301st Supply Train.
• Phillips, Alfred N., Jr., Stamford. 55th F.A.
• Sampsell, P.L., New London. U.S.N.
• Tiley, Morton C., Essex. U.S.A.A.S.

Delaware

• Doris, Geo. N., Wilmington. 364th Inf.
• Evans, Geo. L., Wilmington. U.S.N.
• Warner, Irving, Wilmington. Cement Mill Co. No. 8.

District of Columbia

Florida

• Forster, Davis, New Smyrna. M.C.
• Givens, Morris M., Tampa. 31st Div.
• Lowry, S.L., Jr., Tampa. 31st Div.
• Mcgucken, Harold, Tampa. 124th Inf.
• Wigginton, J.T., Miami. 124th Inf.

Georgia

• Bell, Louis H., Atlanta. 20th M.G. Bn.
• Hillyer, Haywood H., Macon. 49 M.G. Bn.
• Juett, J.G., Atlanta. 122d. Inf.
• Siebert, Eugene, Atlanta. 437th Det. Eng. Corp.
• Stockbridge, Basil, Atlanta. 122d. Inf.
• Wilson, Robt. L., Jr., Atlanta. 122d Inf.

Hawaiian Islands

• Morgan, Jas. P., Hawaii. Inf. Replac. Troops Camp Grant, Ill.

Idaho

• Boom, Eugene C., Moscow. 18th Eng.
• Booth, C.M., Pocatello. 44th Inf.
• Collier, L.R., Pocatello. 163d Inf.
• Cummins, Taylor, Twin Falls. Coast Art.
• Davis, Paul, Boisé. I.C.O.T.S.
• Estabrook, Frank, Nampa. 146th M.G. Bn.
• Feeney, Thos. A., Lewiston.
• Green, Jno. S., Twin Falls, 1st St. Inf.
• Peterson, Paul T., Idaho Falls. 75th Inf.
• Wilson, Albert H., Clarks Fork. Q.M.C.
• Wilson, R.R., Pocatello. Inf. (unassigned).

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

• Barclay, Jas. F., Kansas City, 110th Eng.
• Bly, Wm. D., Leavenworth. 365th Inf.
• Branaman, H.A., Ottawa. 137th Inf.
• Brickell, J.B., Emporia. Med. Corps.
• Burnett, R.H., Dodge City. Zone Sup. Of. N.Y.C.
• Clausen, E.W., Atchison. U.S.N.A.S.
• Cubbison, P.K., Kansas City. 354th Inf.
• Eaton, L.R., Neodesha. 8th Eng.
• Elias, C.R., La Crosse. U.S.N.R.F.
• Farrar, Foss, Arkansas City. I.C.O.T.S.
• Foulston, S.L., Wichita, 91st Div.
• Grieves, Loren C., Ft. Leavenworth. G.S. Reg. A.
• Hantla, Jno. P., Spearville. 137th Inf.
• Hasty, Lewis A., Wichita. 342d Inf.
• Holden, Harley E., Neodesha. P.O. Dept.
• Holloway, W.W., Kansas City. P.M.G.O.
• Johnson, Paul R., Independence. U.S.N.
• Kurtz, W.P., Columbus. 158th D.B.
• Lambert, I.E., Emporia. Air Serv.
• Lee, Thos. A., Topeka. 26th Inf.
• Leekley, R.M., Arkansas City. 338th F.A.
• Madden, Jno., Sr., Wichita. Air Serv.
• Martin, Chas. I., Topeka. 70th Inf. Br.
• Metcalf, W.S., Lawrence. 77th Brig.
• Moss, Sidney A., Wichita. 125th F.A.
• Musselman, N.B., Arkansas City. R.M.A.
• O'Reilly, H.C., Strong City. 164th Depot Br.
• Ortmeyer, H.A., Wichita. 326th M.G. Bn.
• Pharen, W.A., Wichita. 360th Inf.
• Snyder, Harry E., Council Grove. Med. Det.
• Sparks, Keith L., Greensburg. Med. Dep.
• Stanford, F.C., Independence. A.S.S.C.
• Walker, H. Jos., La Crosse. 418th Eng.
• Weed, M.S., Lawrence. 137th Inf.
• Williams, Jno. W., Ottawa. Air Serv.
• Woods, Jas. A., Arkansas City. 101st Fld. Sig. B.
• Woodside, L.N., Council Grove. 13th Cav.

• Beard, B.F., Hardensburg. 138th F.A.
• Bell, Ulric J., Louisville. Inf.
• Bernheim, Fr. D., Louisville. 159th D.B.
• Bronaugh, Robt. L., Nicholasville. 164th Inf.
• Evans, Lynn B., Lebanon. U.S.N.R.F.
• Ewall, Geo. R., Louisville. 159th D.B.
• Fischer, A.T., Louisville. A.S.R.C.
• Fraser, V.C., Wickliffe. 6th Inf.
• Gordon, M.K., Madisonville. I.G.D.
• Hall, Herman H., Viper. 327th F.A.
• Hill, J. Murray, Bowling Green. U.S.N.R.F.
• Juett, J.G., Wickliffe. 18th Inf.
• Marriner, E.H., Dayton. 131st Inf.
• Moorman, H.D., Hardinsburg. 10th F.A.
• Muir, Edmund A., Nicholsville. 22d Ret. Co. G.S.
• Ringgold, J.H., Jr., Russellville. Air Sq. 260.
• Sachs, D.A., Jr., Louisville. U.S.N.R.F.
• Slack, R.H., Owensboro. 1st O.T.S.
• Sosnin, M.L., Louisville. Base Hosp. Camp Crane, Luxemberg, Fr.
• Soyars, Wm. O., Hopkinsville. U.S.M.C.
• Stewart, Phil. H., Paducah. M.R.C.
• Wheeler, Jas. G., Paducah. 159th D.B.
• Young, Jno. S., Glasgow. Med. Corps.

Louisiana

• Beard, L.P., New Orleans. U.S.N.R.F.
• Blancand, Gus, New Orleans. Co. 10.
• Coon, Wm. A., New Orleans. 73d F.A.
• Davis, Edw., New Orleans, 1st Reg. F.A.R.D.
• Ginella, Louis, New Orleans. M.C.
• Michel, F. Ralph, New Orleans. 46th F.A.
• Moore, Levering, New Orleans. Q.M.C.
• Owen, Allison, New Orleans. 141st F.A.
• Pratt, Geo. H.H., New Orleans. Air Serv.
• Stem, C.H., New Orleans. 2d Eng.
• Weinmann, R.J., New Orleans, 151st F.A.

• Adams, W.P., Portland.  54th Ar. C.A.C.
• Boyle, Jas. L., Augusta,  101st San. Tr.
• Greene, Roger A., Lewiston.  101st Trench Mort. Bn.
• Greenlaw, Albert, Eastport.  Hdq. 26th Div.
• Haines, Roy C., Ellsworth.  334th Tank Corps.
• Humer, Frank M., Houlton.  103d U.S. Inf.
• Milliken, Carl E., Augusta.
• Norton, W.P., Portland.  72d Art. C.A.C.
• Presson, Geo. Mcg., Augusta.  Adj. Gen.
• Robinson, A.L., Portland.  7th A.A. Bn.

Maryland

• French, Findlay H., Baltimore.  S.O. Camp, Greenleaf, Ga.
• Good, Stuart S., Baltimore.  110th F.A.
• Huster, Wm. A., Cumberland.  113th Inf.
• Johnson, Willard J., Baltimore.  351st F.A.
• Knapp, Raleigh T., Baltimore,  110th F.A.
• Randall, A., Baltimore.  110th F.A.
• Scaffe, Harold, Baltimore.  14th F.A.
• Solomon, Adolph C., Baltimore.  U.S.M.C.
• Stewart, Davis G., Baltimore.  351st F.A.
• Tieman, George H., Baltimore.  Air Service.
• Wilmer, William B., Baltimore.  Tank Corps.
• Young, Frank A., Cumberland,  115th Inf.
• Young, Harvey W., Baltimore.  351st F.A.

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

• Almon, Worth C., Helena. U.S.N.R.F.
• Barnett, Ben W., Helena. 163d D.B.
• Barry, Arthur N., Billings. A.S. Dept.
• Blomquist, H.L., Great Falls.
• McCallum, D.S., Helena. 163d Inf.
• Pew, Chas. E., Helena. 44th Inf.
• Sheridan, Chas. L., Bozeman. 49th Inf.

• Coad, Ralph G., Omaha. A.S.M.A.
• Fischer, Frank P., Scotts Bluff. 164th D.B.
• Fitzsimmons, L.L., Fremont. M.O.T.C.
• Gilligan, Geo W., Lincoln. 41st Inf.
• Goodrich, E.S., Fairbury. 305th Tank Corps.
• Holdeman, Geo. H., York. 125th F.A.
• Howard, Bert, Tecumseh. U.S.N.
• Kearney, Orlando H., Morrill. 13th Inf.
• McDermott, Ed. P., Kearney. C.M.G.O.T.S.
• McGuire, L.J., Omaha. 3d Inf.
• Madden, Ray J., Omaha, U.S.N.
• Maher, John G., Lincoln. Chief Disb. Officer, Paris.
• Mersinger, Leon, Plattsmouth. 222d Field Signal Bn.
• Rademacher, R.A., York. Unassigned.
• Ritchie, Wm., Jr., Omaha. 69th Inf.
• Robertson, Hugh C., Omaha. 356 San. Det.
• Stirch, J.A., Lincoln, 350th Inf.
• Stryker, Hird, Omaha. 338th F.A.
• Stuart, A.L., Fremont. 428 Eng., 109 Eng.
• Tukey, Allan A., Omaha. 26th Inf.
• Vanness, Clarence, Stanton. A.S.S.C.
• Webb, Robert J., Omaha. 164th Depot Brig.

Nevada

• Malsbary, E.L., Reno. 218th Eng.
• Salter, J.D., Winnemucca. 2d Co., 3d Bn. I.C.O.T.S.

New Hampshire

New Jersey

• Besson, Harlan, Hoboken. 5th A.C.
• Brady, Charles S., Weehawken. 322d Sanitary Train.
• Bromley, Herbert L., 127 Clinton Ave., Clifton. Camp Hdq., Camp Dix.
• Cangemi, Angelo, Newark. U.S. Nitrate Plant, No. 1.
• Debevoise, Paul, Elizabeth. 312th Inf.
• Eggers, Alan L., Summit. 107th Inf.
• Ehrhardt, Philip, Jersey City, 111th M.G. Bn.
• McGrath, Edward A., Elizabeth. U.S.N.
• Mullik, D.B., Leonia. Eng. M.P.
• Pancoast, John M., Hancock's Bridge. U.S.N.R.F.
• Ritter, Ralph F., Rahway. Staff, Ft. Hancock.
• Schenck, R.P., Jersey City. Q.M.C.
• Stratton, Gervas, Vineland. U.S.N.R.F.
• Tischbeck, John D., Newark. 112th H.F.A.
• Tobin, Ed. A., 27 Broadway, Camden. U.S.N.
• Weed, Newell P., 65 Union, Montclair. 344th Ban. Tank Corps.
• Wescoat, Absalom S., Atlantic City. M.C.

New Mexico

• Baca, Herman G., Belen. U.S.N.
• Baca, Jesus M., Santa Fe. 115th Pv. Hq.
• Blevins, Donald L., Las Vegas. 82d F.A.
• Cutting, B.M., Santa Fe. Mil. Attaché, London.
• Dillard, H. Wyatt, Roswell. 358th Inf.
• Doldwell, C.S., Albuquerque. Inf. (?)
• Flamm, Roy H., Alamogorda. 18th Eng. R.T.C. French Army.
• Humphreys, Fred. B., Dayton. U.S.N.

New York

North Dakota

• Baker, Julius R., Fargo.  6th Corps M.P. Co.
• Fraser, G.A., Bismarck.  Inf. P.M.G.O.
• Gorman, Arthur, Fargo.  26th Inf.
• Hanley, J.M., Mandan.  148th M.G. Bn.
• Merry, Lyall B., W. Dickinson.  116th Supply Train.
• Semling, H.V., Bismarck.  116th Tr. Hdqrs.
• Stern, William, Fargo.  Q.M.C.
• Treacy, Robt. H., Bismarck.  339th Inf. 160th Depot Brigade.
• Williams, J.P., No. Fargo.  3d Eng.

Ohio

Oklahoma

• Adkins, E.S., Muskogee. Hdq. 42d Div.
• Berry, Ralph H., Tulsa. 173d Inf.
• Burling, Wm. T., Sapulpa. I.C.O.T.S.
• Butts, R.B., Muskogee. 162d D.B.
• Chase, Val D., Alva. U.S.N.
• Fischer, F.W., Oklahoma City. Q.M.C.
• Fox, Philip A., Tulsa. 23d Engrs.
• Gingerich, H.A., Okmulgee. 358th Inf.
• Haugherty, Hugh, Enid. E.J.B.T.S.
• Hagan, Horace H., Tulsa. C.A.C.
• Hoffman, Roy, Oklahoma City. 93d Div.
• Keenan, Rob. B., Sapulpa. 308th Aero Squad.
• McNally, Earl, Okemah. 111th Amm. Train.
• Meyer, Howard W., U.S.S. Bank Bldg., U.S. Slipping Bd.
• Niles, Alva J., Tulsa. 7th Div.
• Norwood, Frank H., Prague. Ft. Riley.
• Sams, Vernett E., Wewoka. 49th Inf.
• Shea, Thomas J., Buffalo, N.Y. 56th F.A.
• Taylor, Max A., Pryor. 330th Inf.
• Thompson, N.A., 111 E. Latimer St., Tulsa. 57th Inf.
• Tully, B.L., 83d F.A.
• Viuer, Wm., Tulsa. S.O.T.S.

Oregon

• Critchlow, Harry, Portland. 363d Arab. Co.
• Eivers, Edw. J., Portland. 162d Inf.
• Follett, Will. B., Eugene. 69th F.A.
• Grant, Roderick D., Portland. Air Service.
• Leonard, Barge E., Portland. 63d Inf.
• May, John L., North Portland. 162d Inf.
• Mullen, C.L., Portland. U.S. Marines.
• Pargon, Joseph A., Portland. M.C.

Philippine Islands

• Landon, Robert R., Manila. 111th Corps and 2d Army.

• Angell, Carl H., Providence. F.A.C.O.T.S.
• Cantwell, Percey, Providence. 351st P.A.
• Eleoniskey, James, Main Crompton. Sig. Corps.
• Johnston, Alexander, Providence. C.A.C.
• McKannah, F., River Pt. Medical Corps.
• San Soneitr, Jos., 4 Claremont Ave., 103d F.A.
• Sharkey, Walter, Woonsocket. 151st D.B.
• Shunney, Wm. P., Woonsocket. 103d P.A.
• Sturges, Rush, Providence. Ord.
• Thurber, Fred B., c/o Tilden Thurber Co. U.S.N.
• Weeder, R.B., Providence. 103d F.A.

South Carolina

• Fulton, Robert, Florence. 105th Supply Tr.
• Lachicotte, N.S., Florence. U.S.N.R.F.
• Reed, Charles, Charleston. 365th Inf.
• Smyser, John, Florence. Med. Corps.

South Dakota

• Buell, William, Rapid City. 335th Inf.
• Dennison, John, Vermillion. C.M.G.O.T.S.
• Doud, F.R., Mobridge. 13th Eng.
• Johnson, T.R., Sioux Falls. 102d F.A.
• Maloney, Paul, Aberdeen. 163d F.A.
• Pfeiffer, Joseph, Rapid City. Ord.

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

• Douglas, Royal, Ogden. 81st Inf.
• Jurgensen, Fred, Salt Lake City. Gen.
• Kundson, J.C., Brigham City. 326th Inf.
• McCarty, Ray, Salt Lake City. U.S.N.
• Meehan, Leo, Salt Lake City. U.S.N.F.C.
• Parsons, C., Salt Lake City. Sant. Corps.
• Rhivers, Donald, Ogden. 18th Eng.
• Robertson, Baldwin, Salt Lake City. 362d Inf.
• Seely, L.J., Mt. Pleasant. 814th Aero Sq.
• Smoot, H.R., Salt Lake City. P.S.&T.
• Wooley, Jas., Salt Lake City. U.S.M.C.

Vermont

• Fountain, Joseph Harry, Burlington. 101st Am. Tr.
• Nason, Leonard, Norwich University. 76th F.A.
• Varnum, Guy, Barre. Ordnance.

Virginia

• Cocke, Francis, Roanoke. 217th Aero Sq.
• Isaid, James, Roanoke. 117th T.H. & M.P.
• Nei, D.D., Norfolk. U.S.N.R.F.
• Pallard, C., Richmond. 30th Eng.
• Pool, George, Norfolk, 111th F.A.
• Stuart, Wm. A., Big Stone Gap. 44th Art. Brig.
• Thompson, John, Petersburg. 248th Aero Sq.
• Trotter, Wm., Petersburg. U.S.N.R.F.
• Wallace, R.R., Hampton. 11th F.A.
• Wicker, John, Richmond. 499th Aero Sq.

Washington

West Virginia

• Alderson, Fleming, Charleston. A.G.O.
• Arnold, Jackson, Weston. 150th Inf.
• Bond, John, 317 Michigan Ave. Gen. Staff 38th Div.
• Crockett, Joseph, Welch. 315th F.A.
• Davis, Richard, Morgantown. A.S.A.
• Ferguson, G.E., Charleston. 365th Inf.
• Godfrey, M.V., Charleston. Med. Corps.
• Jackson, Joseph, Charleston. 365th Inf.
• Jones, Clarence, Hinton. 8th Inf.
• McCamic, Charles, Wheeling. Ordn.
• Reass, Jos. H., Wheeling. Q.M.C.
• Shaw, Houston Geo., Wheeling. R.I.C.
• Simmons, W.J., Hinton. 40th Inf.
• Solins, Samuel, Welch. M.C.

Wisconsin

Wyoming

• Dinneen, M.A., Cheyenne. 116th Amm. Tr.
• Gregg, Ben, Worland. 49th Reg.
• June, C.M., Cheyenne. 13th Div.
• McCarthy, D.C.M., Casper. U.S.N.
• Miller, L.A., Cheyenne. U.S.M.C.
• Powers, Ralph, Tarrington. 40th Inf.
• Shortell, William, Buffalo. 116th Am. Tr.
• Swenson, Nelsy, Douglas, 1st Inf.