Evening star., 1919-05-11
AMER|CAN|SM, 100
PER CENT PURE, IN
AMERICAN LEGION
Pershing Post of D. c. Given
First Charter From
National Body.
,1,O48 DELEGATES COME
| FROM EVERY SECTION
Roosevelt, Son, Honored in Cheers;
Roosevelt, Father, in
Prayer.
Special Dispatch 10 The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, May 10-St. Louis
has witnessed the birth of a new body
polite in the last three days. Three
days ago it was feared that the Amer
lean Legion convention here would
stage either a political fiasco or an
organization farce. Instead it has
gone on record favoring a hundred
per cent American program, offering
TO the returned soldier a creed he can
accept.
The first post charter granted by
the American Legion was that of
Pershing Post. No I, District of CO.
lumbia,i the first post to be organized.
Politics. though the makings of poll
tics were here in force. has not been
allowed to show. Sectional interests
were shelved wherever possible. and
sectionalism was confined to tempor-
ary politics. Un-American radicalism
was scotched from the moment it
showed it's head, and the one repre-
sentative of such an element present
was given a fair hearing and then
virtually thrown out of the conven-
tion.
The Things Accomplished.
Practically speaking. just three
things were accomplished during the
three-day convention. Representing
every state in the Union, the District
of Columbia, Hawaii. Alaska and every
representative organization of SOL
diers of the great war, the 1,048 dele
gates when they adjourned today had.
hrst, organized the American Legion
and elected its temporary officers. sec
ond. adopted a platform demanding a
100 per cent measure of. .Americanism
in America today, and, third, refused
to deal in partisan politics.
The delegations here carried con-
siderable of what might be termed
state political timber when they ar
rived on the scene. To an observer it
appeared that the bulk of the convsn-
tion was with young Roosevelt for
its leader. and IL was said that Penn
sylvania. New York and Illinois, hold
ing nearly 200 votes between them,
of his family and the work he had
done in organizing the returned SOL
diers. On the strong advice of friends.
however, Roosevelt refused this
honor, declaring that his acceptance.
even in good faith. would prejudice
the organization in the eyes of re-
turning men. This keynote of policy
was carried out vigorously through
out the convention.
= Strikes at Disloyalty.
o0s it's Americanism program the
coHSsntion went on record against
hol3Nfvism. pro-Germanism and /. w.
W.k1Ssn. 1t struck at the anti-Ameri-
ca&9olitics of Chicago, and refused
to 49te its November convention to a
citksxhere the leading citizen. would
besurable to come before a group of
Aneriean manhood and greet them as
AnaFricans.
@truck at bolshevism in refusing
toE6eat Sergt. Curtin of Seattle, on
whks it defined sufficient proof that
thf9rgaHfxation he represented, the
trssfed b j. W. w. and bolshevism.
1t asked for the deportation of nat
uralized citizens convicted under the
espionage act and the cancellation of
the4t. naturalization papers, thus hit
itskth' sssss. Berger DsHs and other rad
An Investigation by Congress of the
War Departments action in pardon
ing conscientious objectors convicted
by eourts-martial for violating the ar
tieles of war was demanded yester-
day.
Iils choosing its national officers the
convention honored a mans overseas
record for justice and efficiency and
put Henry d. Lindsey. present chief of
war risk insurance, in the chair. 1t
chose Sergt. Jack Sullivan, represent
ing the enlisted personnel Of the Pacific
northwest, as vice chairman for the
Army. Ordinary Seaman Fred Hum
phFies of New Mexico for the Navy
tico man of Connecticut, who said he
had never been overseas, for the ma
rines. Mai Gaspard Bacon of Boston
was elected treasurer.
Minneapolis Next Meeting Place.
There was some sectionalsm shown
between the east and the west when ii
came 10 selecting the next meeting place
and Minneapolis drew the hoaOrs.
Illinois was at trsf inclined to re-
sent the imputation against chica-
go on the ground that the elections
putting the present city control in
office had been held in the absence of
her 100000 sons in blue and khaki.
She later apologiZed to Massachusetts,
for this attitude and expressed the
hope that the rebuke would serve
to bring the people of Illinois to their
senses.
A resolution asking Congress to
grant a bonus of six months pay to
every enlisted man who served In
the war was almost unanimously de-
feated following speech by Lieut..
Col Theodore Roosevelt, who said
the legion did not want to take any
thing out of the government, but to
put something into it,"
The convention adjourned to meet
in Minneapolis in November, with the
strong hope that the attitude taken
on all national questions would offer
the returning soldiers creed of
which they need have no shame
Before adjournment q second oya-
tion was given Lieut.. Col. Theodore
Roosevelt Then. in silent prayer, the
delegates stood, honoring the late
Theodore Roosevelt.
Col. Jones Makes Statement.
Col. e. Lester Jones, commander of
Pershing Post, No. ], District of CO.
lumbia. after adjoinment said of the
American Legion and the convention:
All its acts were 100 per cent
American. 1t was a remark able
gathering Of red -blooded Americans,
representing the nations capital.
every state. Alaska, Hawaii and the
Philippines. The Gen. Pershine Post
received full recognition and will be
granted charter number one from the
national organization.
Normal College President Resigns.
RICHMOND. Va. May 1o-Presi-
dent e. H. Russell. of the Fredericks-
naurr Normal College for Women has