Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-11-14
LE::N|ENCY shown! To
Collectors BY WAR
PARTMENT IS HIT
American Legion Urges
Withdrawal of Honorable
Discharges to Men Who
Refused to Serve

MINNEAPOLIS, Mem, Nov. 12.--
The war department was censureG
by the American Legion here today
as contributing to the spread OF
anti-Americanism through leniency
to conscientious DIRECTORS.
Resolutions drawing a parallel be.
tween punishment of violators OF
military discipline and the conscien.
tious DIRECTORS were adopted unani.
mously. Withdrawal of honorable
discharges granted the DIRECTORS anC
deportation of aliens among them
was urged.
The legion also recommended two
years probation for immigrants
provisions for teaching them Eng
fish, no "softness" for military pris-
oners who refused to serve in the
army, the filing of records of i'm
migrants with every naturalization
court.
The "parlor Socialists" and Boil.
sheviki were condemned and the just.
ice department urged TO act against
them, instead of being a mere pas.
sive misunderstanding agency"
Restrictions for foreign language
papers were demanded.
The legion took immediate notice
today of the attack on legionnaires
at Centralia, Wash, yesterday. At
torney General Thompson, of Wash
lngton. reported the occurrence.
Representative Royal c. Johnson
of South Dakota, today endorsed the
American Legion plan to leave it to
congress to recognize and relieve the
financial disadvantages" incurred by
service men and women without
specifying the amount Of compensa-
ton. Mr.. Johnson was called to the
convention platform during a stormy
debate on the bonus question.
The legion today stood pledged tc
be non-politica1, permitting no legion
officer of any rank to hold sala-
ried elective office or to involve the
legion in politics.
1t stood for universal military
training with a distinction against
compulsory military service in times
Of peace. The training would not
be under the general staff. A large
standing army was denounced as un.
democratic.
The legion unanimously voted tC
demand that federal authorities take
steps to cancel the citizenship OF
Victor Berger, of Milwaukee and tt
deport him. Congress was asked tc
investigate the record Of Congress
man Voight, of Wisconsin, for haY.
ing sustained Berger.
The policy to be adopted toward
granting a cash bonus to service mer
Of major Importance before the dele
gates.
The reports Of the committee or
finances, which is expected to rec.
ommend an increase in national dues
and the committee on resolutions
which had over three hundred to con-
slider, also remain on the convention
calendar.
So far the chief concrete sugges'
ton on a bonus recommendation t.
congress has come from Chairman
Henry D. Lindsey of the convon
ton. He proposed giving each vet
eran war service adjustment bonds
to an amount equalIing one 0olla1
for each day in the FEDERAL service
| This has been holly debated in com
mittee as the issue seems to be clear
cut between those who believe i
some form of bonus and those wht
declare the legion should not b.
placed in the position of seeking
payment for patriotism"
Several state delegations have beef
| instructed by their state member
| ship to indorse some bonus proposi
| ton and the lvliest fight of tn
convention was expected when tn
| committee report was presented.
A thorough "hnrse-cleaning of TIL
| inefficient officers and methods o
our entire military establishment
| was demanded by the resolution OIL
military policy adopted by the con
vention of the American Legion las
night. A committee to consult witt
| and advise the military committee
| Of congress was authorized to us
the legion military policy declara
ton as a basis for organization an
! training of the future army an
navy. The pr opposed national citizel
| army would be subject to civil all
| thority, according to the legion reso
| lIlfiOO