Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-10-23
LEGION CONVENTION MEETS
Local Delegates Attend Interesting
Meeting at Bismarck. Import
ant Steps Taken in Develop
ing State Organization.

sH6 SSoSC SEBnuILdtlUHs
The first annual state convention
of the American Legion for North
Dakota was held in Bismarck Thurs
day and Friday of last week. The
, convention was extremely successful,
and will prove of great benefit in
pushing the organization work of the
order.
Although only few months have
passed since the Legion became an
accomplished fact through the ST.
Louis caucus, the growth in North
Dakota has been wonderful Seventy
six posts, with some five thousand
members are already listed. When
considering that no organizer has been
on the road, and this growth has been
absolutely spontaneous, it is easy to
appreciate what wonderful strides the
Legion has made.
There were some 150 delegates pres
ent at the convention, among the list
of delegates being former governor,
a former lieutenant governor, former
speaker of the house, and several prom
inent lawyers. Both the colonels of
the North Dakota guard regiments,
and number of majors in the service
were delegats.
In spite of such showing among
the delegates, it is significant that
the first state commander is former
buck private. He is states attorney
Of Golden Valley county as we'll.
The Legion went on record in favor
of new state bonus bill that would
be more workable, and q legislative
committee will ask the legislature to
extend the uses to which this money
may be put, as well as to provide for
that the bonus be made available more
promptly through the issuance of
bonds or certificates of Indebtedness.
A hard fight developed on the mat
ter of cigarette and Sunday obser-
vance legislation, with the delegates
almost evenly split. It was decided
to put these questions to referendum
vote of the Legion members of the
state.
While the convention was in session,
message waas received relative to
the case of a soldier from Velva, N.
D.. who was in the employ of the
500 line when he went into the army,
and who has been unable to secure
his old job since the war. The editor
Of the Record was one of the three
members of the committee appointed
to take up this matter. The commit
tee recommended, and the convention
endorsed, the plan of making the state
executive committee grievance COM
mittee to handle this and all similar
cases to the end that injustices done
service men might be rectified. The
committee is instructed to use every
lawful means to correct injustices,
and in the case of the Velva soldier,
it will be no great while until his case
will be successfully handled. The
railroad administration can be expect
ed to act promptly, as otherwise an
investigation on the floor of the Unit
ed States congress would be the re-
suit.
The convention passed resolution
demanding that aliens who claimed
exemption as such be listed and for
ever barred from citizenship.
Fargo secured the permanent head
quarters over Bismarck. And, in
fact, combination of the delegates
from Fargo, Dickinson and Minot were
able to control most of such questions.
Minot gets the next state convention.
Delegates to the national convention
at Minneapolis Nov. 11th were elect
ed. consisting of eight voting delegates
eight alternates and eight honorary
delegates. The editor of the Record,
one of the representatives of the Dan
R. Richardson post, Linton, was elect
cd aHe-rate delegate from the Third
judicial District.
The local post will hold meeting
Friday night of this week at p. m.
in the lodge haN in Linton, at which
time report of the convention pro-
ceedings will be made. steps taken to
perfect plans for the Legion dance in
Linton Nov. 11th, officers elected for
the ensuing year, as we'll as the con-
sideration of other important matters.
New members are enrolling from day
to day and the post will no doubt
pass the hundred mark in membership
yet this year.
A circular letter has been sent to
all service men in the county whose
names were available. notifying them
Of this meeting.
In connection with the Legion dance
Nov 11th there is n roSsibility that