The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-10-15


For the past month there has beer
drive throughout the whole coan.
try to increase the membership Of
the American Legion to one million
members. On November 18th the
first National Convention meets at
, Minneapolis, and it is hoped by that
date one million members will be
enrolled.
Our own local chapter is doing its
bit and is trying to increase its mem
bership and thus help in the great
work. To date about sixty names
have been enrolled. This is a very
small proportion of the sixteen hun
bred veterans of the great war in our
county.
The American Legion represents
one Of the potential powers for good
in this country. 1t is non-politicai
lin character, every man stands up
on the same level whether he be a
major-general or buck private.
4 Gen. Pershing in a recent address
before the Legion in Madison Square
Garden voiced his attitude when ne
said, "The American Legion must be
a non4political organization and
stand for 100 per cent. American
ISM"
The preamble of the constitution
adopted at St. Louis shows the pur-
pose for which the Legion was or
gained:
''For God and country we asso-
ciate ourselves together for the fol
lowing purposes: To uphold and de-
fend the Constitution of the United
States of America; to maintain law
and order; to foster and perpetuate
one hundred per cent. Americanism
to preserve the memories and Incl
dents of our association in the Great
War; to calculate a sense of individ-
ual obligation to the community,
State and nation; to combat the au-
tocracy 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 trans
nit to posterity the principles of JUS
tice, freedom and democracy; to con
secrate and sanctify our comrade-
ship by our devotion and mutual help
fulness."
We are people of many nations.
Except the American Indians most
of our people are of European des-
cent. All nationalities are repre-
scented. 1t is some job to melt this
Heterogeneous mass into an indisso-
luble whole. Many creeds and isms
slip in-many Of them harmful and !
dangerous.
If the American Legion lives up
to the preamble of its constitution,
it will stand as a solid rock of sup
port against Bolshevism, Anarchism.
and lawlessness Of any kind. 1t will
promote the Americanization of the
people who live here now and those
who may come at future date to
make their home in this land of free
dom and opportunity.
The American Legion has already
stood one test and made good. In
the recent Omaha riots 400 Legion
members Volunteered their services
to protect the city at time when
the police forces were powerless to
suppress the elements of disorder
Major General Leonard Wood who
directed their activities, in public
statement said: "The American Lee
gion acted promptly. Its members
were all the more loyal and devoted
in support ofthe law because of their
training and experience.
They gave good example of
what can be expected of this patriot
ic body of 100000 men whenever
the lawless elements threaten life
or property or attempt to overturn
the constituted authorities"
Let every man who served in the
naval or military service of the
United at any time during the Great
War enroll his name in the American
Legion and thus become one of the
cogs in the great organization which
is to promote 400 per cent. Amer
termination" above everything else.