The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-11-10
AMERICAN
LEGION IN
CONVENTION
First Meeting of Veterans of
World War is Being Held
in Minneapolis This
Week.
FEW MEN IN UNIFORM
Two Thousand Delegates Present to
Elect Set Of Officers and Put
Legion on Solid
Footing.
FEW MEN IN UNIFORM
[By L. r. Blanchard, United Press

lBy l.. II. Blanchard, United Press
Staff Correspondent
MINNEAPOLIS, Mimi, Nov. To-
Minneapolis today probably had
more recognized heroes within it's
bounds than any area of like size
except the battlefields of France.
The American Legion-non-every-
thing but American-was to spring
from babyhood to the full vigor of
, manhood here today. This metamor-
| phesis was to be accomplished by
| 1000 American fighters, representing
100000 of their fellows. Next year
they hope for 2,500,00O members.
The American Legion. conceived in
Paris and born in st. Louis, was to
begin functioning at 10 o'clock today.
when the first annual convention was
called to order by Colonel Henry D..
Lindsey, of Texas, temporary chair
man Plans were drafted last week
by state and delegation officers, who
swung the convention smoothly into
work today.
After official greetings and re-
sponses and Chairman Lindsleys
keynote" address, committees had
reports on rules for the convention
. and plans for permanent organization
ready for adoption. Thereafter per-
manent convention officers were to
be selected and the delegates directed
to work on resolutions and other
business. 1t was believed the tenn
porary officers would be retained as
permanent until the elections of
Wednesday, the closing day.
They are: Henry d. Lindsey, chair
man: Bennett C. Clark, vice chair
man; Eric Fisher Wood, secretary
and G. G. Bacon, treasurer.
Tuesday will see little business,
but there will be a parade, signaliz.
ing alike the formation of the legion
and the celebration of the anniver-
sary Of the armistice. 1t wasn't a
military looking gathering. Only an
occasional uniform dotted the dele
cations seated by states. Army over
coats were numerous, but these,
! DOTTED, disclosed "civies" under
meath.
There were some outstanding fig
ures. Lieutenant Colonel Theodore
Roosevelt. with his own war record
and many of his fathers manner
| isms: Colonel Luke Lea, Colonel
Milton Foreman and Congressman
! fLOydl Joihooh "SAO "Ao'o h~
prominent ones.
There were $50 votes in the or
ganization. based on four to state
and one extra delegate for each 1000
paid members. Massachusetts led in
voting power with sixty-five. Wyo-
ming and Louisiana, Cuba and Alaska
had the smallest voting strength with
the minimum of four.
aYnprt IN have at
least 100000 members next year,
necessitating that the convention city
have ample facilities to care for
| 5000 delegates. That would dispose
Of several claimants.
The order intends to pay it's chair
man and secretary, demanding full
time service. That was expected to
! end some booms, since several can
didates would have to make heavy
/ sacrifices to serve at a salary the
legion would expect to pay Inc
/! chairman probably will get from
! $4,000 to $4,000 year.
/ MANY favorite sons will have their
names presented for the chairman
| shin. Prominent among these were
Henry D. Lindsey, Texas; Franklin
I,D'Olier,s Pennsylvania; Edward Lo-
| gan, Massachusetts; Milton A. FORE
! man and A. A. Sprague, Illinois; Ser
geant Jack Sullivan, Washington, and
! Luke Lea, Tennessee.
Early gossip concentrated on Linds-
| ley and D'Olier as the strongest pos
| sibilities.
Eric Fisher Wood, temporary sec.
retary, likewise was looked on as
\