The sun., 1919-05-13
ROOSEVELT DENIES
LEGION URGED WOOD
Says IT Quashed Plan for
Straw Vote on 1920
Candidates.
PROHIBITION IGNORED
with Major Wiekersham De-
clares New Body Is Non
Political.

"A straw vote was not taken for pos
sibls Presidential nominees. nor was
prohibition officially before the caucus
OF the American Legion" Lieut.-Col.
Theodore Roosevelt said yesterday after
noon. Thus he contradicted the report
that Gen. Wood was the favorite soldier
candidate and that the soldiers want
light wines and beer, as a returning
delegate had asserted in an interview
1--WE no doubt that the New York
delegation favors light wines and beers"
Col. Roosevelt said. because this dele
cation expressed themselves thus But
IL was a delegation meeting, separate
and apart from the caucus, and mad
nothing whatsoever to do with the con-
vention's proceedings any more than IL 1t
had been held in New York city.
"A certain gentleman has violated
the ethics of the legion in falsifying
the actual facts. There was no poll
taken, though st. Louis news
paper sent the blanks to us for this
PURPOSE A motion stopped this intended
action and not a blank was filled out.
There were two big things that stood
out in the caucus. These were the
unanimous rejection OF Chicago as a
convention city because OF its Mayor, and
the unanimous rejection OF any propo-
sails that would give soldiers increased
nay. OF course they win take their $50
bonus that the Government Is already
rivfng. but they do not want any more.
No sectienaIism shown.
go. YOU see, the American Legion Is
not for the soldier, but for the beneht
OF the country. The soldier is putting
himself aside, as far as personal benefits
70. He is for the country. There were
wonderful types of Americanism exhib-
tied at the caucus. The American fight
ing man was there in force with his
healthy body, his healthy mind. and
shove ALL his love for America.
'There was a lack of sectionalism
throughout the meeting. All parts Of
the country represented-and they all
iwere-pulled together for harmonious
cooperation and they got it.
"As you know. We went on record
against Bolshevism."
The legion will meet in Minneapolis
November 10. IL and IL to make its
organization permanent.
There was considerable comment
among the returning members of the
legion upon Col. Roosevelt's stand
against being nominated for any office
IN the legion. Some OF those on the
train pointed to his action In repeatedly
turning down the Craftsmanship when il
WAS InTuBI upon Hlfl us III liiuiCdliOH VI
good faith in his attempt to keep the
legion free Of politics. for some of his
critics have said that he intended using
the legion to further his political am
| billions.
I'VE shall have policies, but not poll
tics." said a former sailor. The legion
has a membership OF about 1000, 900
fghting men, each Of whom is deter
mined to keep the legion free of politics
or partisanship."
Major c. w. wickersham, chairman of
the New York State delegation, made
substantially the same statement as Col.
Roosevelt, denying the veracity of the
straw vote and the prohibition stories.
Hoffman Nickerson, formerly a men,
Der Of the State Legislature and a Cap
tain who served with the A. f. F., who
also was a member of the State delega-
ton to St Louis issued a statement In
denial, too.
II reads in part:
eff the author of the statement or
Wood for President had remained fol
the last day Of the convention he would
have seen the caucus reject by a unani
nous vote an attempt made by one of thu
St Louis papers to put the caucus OF
record for a Presidential candidate b!
means of the issue of printed forms fol
n straw ballot without dissenting
voice the caucus Endorsed the sentimen
of its chairman that any such expression
of preference was altogether imprope
4 and foreign to the purpose for which i
was called together. The statemen
made is therefore misleading"
Capt Nickerson made the same ex
PLANTATION regarding the prohibition stor.
as did Col. Roosevelt and Major Wicker
sham. both of whom jointly issued sub
sequent statement late last night deplor
ing the unfortunate Circumstance of 20
litical atmosphere being injected into tn
Legion's meeting. 1t reads:
+ ~It is particularly unfortunate tina
any aspect of political favor should b
given to the American Legion meeting
which was essentially non-poliucal an
non-partisan. This was evidenced agai
and again. not only by the rebuke admin
istered to the st. Louis newspaper 70
trying to obtain a straw vote on Pres
Dental candidates but also by the unan
inous action OF the entire caucus whic
consisted of more than LOO delegates.
at was evidenced In voting that n
post Of the American Legion should hav
the name of a living man and In II
II resolutions condemning Bolshevism /
II demanding the deportation of aliens VIII
escaped military service by withdrawn
4 their first papers; in demanding an ir
a yestigation of the pardoninE of conscier
n tious directors and the giving to ther
"a Of honorable discharges and fullspay. a
u well as its action in unanimously votin
4 against a resolution requesting the pay
q Tnent OF additional sums to discharge
81 soldiers.
1.-The unanimous sentiment of the dele
n gates that met at st. Louis was in fave
IA Of straight, clean cut. 100 per cent Amei
n icanism and was most strongly agaln'
Fl political influence. 1t was not a polit
Fl cal OF partisan meeting, but meetin
II OF Americans who desired to perpetual
Fl the associations formed in the war
which they fought and the spirit Of sci
Fl vice and loyalty to the United State
II which carried us through the war
N THE statements made In the paper
II this monday morning were not author
IA lied by the New York delegation an
II must be considered therefore as STATE
ments of an individual and not of III