The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-07-23

~ ECENT events have made mat
tiers hum in the offices of the
American legion. Since May
the number of citizens seek
ing membership has more than trebled.
Hundreds of applications pour in by
every mail, Secretary John L. Haus-
mann says.
THE objects of the American legion
are now becoming more generally I'M
derstood and appreciated" said DR..
Hausmann in an interview. I'VE are
not seeking to keep men who are able
to do so from joining the United States
army or navy or the militia of their
state. We are not a substitute for
those forces.
"Those forces form the nations first
line of defense. We shall not prevent
one solitary man from joining the ma
tional guard If he can. Our purpose is
to make possible the nations second
line and maybe also the third line Of
defense and by the simplest form of
organization to make it Immediately
available should the country have need
to call upon it.
Doesn't Believe In Arms.
1--WE do not believe in militarism.
but we do believe in being able to de-
fend ourselves if attacked.
"The aim Of the American legion IS
the accumulation Of such data as to
the available civilian material in the
country rs would be of value should
the country have to face a serious
emergency-such data as is not collect
ed under any law, such data as in n
nation like ours is perhaps best collect
ed voluntarily and such as, in the event
Of a national crisis involving the ne
cessfty of a call to arms, would furnish
the means of swift and efficient organ
ization. This is very different from
militarism and really prevents militar-
Ism in all its Objectionable forms.
"When the birth of the legion was
announced two months ago an impetu-
u public jumped to the conclusion
that it was to be a mighty fighting Or
ganization of armed, uniformed and
regularly drilled men. Such is not the
case. The members of the legion are
not armed, have no uniform except Il
small button and no military exercises
are provided for their training.
"All the legion seeks to be is a we'll
organized, well managed, thoroughly
reliable bureau of information, ready
to supply at a moments notice just
such information as the government Of
the United States would need if sud
denly called upon to back up its au-
thority with force of arms. 10 enable
the immediate location of the men who
will be needed, such men as expert
merchant navigators, chauffeurs, rail-
road engineers and tiremen. telegraph
operators, aviators. civil, electrical and
mechanical engineers and men in 9TH
er vacations whose services will be
needed and needed quick; it is in that
the American legion expects to prove
Its value in a possible time Of trouble.
Powers Stronger After War.
Locally the members may form rife
clubs and that sort of thing. That
will be in their w discretion. There
a be no doubt that the fact of men,
bership in the legion will inspire Amer
lcans to have regard to their direct
usefulness to the state and their ideals
in the event of danger.
"Many dangers are possible. 1t must
not be forgotten that when the war in
Europe Is. over the European nations,
particularly the v~ictors, will be much
stronger than before. We know that
the United States was never so strong