Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1919-11-28
Post of Amer
ican Legion
Starting
Next Meeting at Armory, Mon
day Night, Dec. lSt, Com
mencing at ZOO.
ALL EX-SERVICE MEN
URGED TO JOIN!

A few days ago w. C. Spring, former
captain in the 32nd Division, and now
State Organizer for the American Le-
gion, was here in East Jordan, and
suggested that we organize a post as
soon as possible. The word was quick
ly passed around, and an application
for a charter has been made.
The American Legion is an organiza-
tion composed of former service men.
Anyone is eligible who served in the
army, navy, or marine corps between
April 6, 1917, and Nov. IL, 1918.
The Legion is a civilian, not a mill
tary organization. There is no distinc-
tion as to previous rank, or service
performed.
What do we stand for? The pre-
amble to the Constitution reads:
"For God and Country we associate
ourselves together for the following
purposes: To uphold and defend 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 incidents of our associa-
ton in the great War; to inculcate a
sense of individual obligations to the
community, state and nation; to make
right the master fight; to promote
peace and goodwill on the earth; to
safeguard and transmit to posterity the
principles of justice, freedom and de-
mocracy; to consecrate and sanctify
our comradeship by our devotion to
mutual helpfulness.
Our post in East Jordan will be one
of the posts in the State. The States
are governed by the rulings OF the Ma
tional Convention, composed of dele
gates from every State.
What has the American Legion done?
1t has strongly condemned the acti-
vities of |. w. w. S. Anarchists, and
international Socialists. 1t has recon-.
mended that Congress should reclaim
land, for homes of ex-service men. 1t
has demanded of Congress the same
disability privileges for members of the
former National Guard and National
Army, as members of the regular army
receive. 1t has demanded that Con-
gress deport aliens who refused to join
the colors at the outbreak Of the war.
1t has undertaken TO see that disabled
service men should be brought before
the Vocational Board TO enable them to
obtain lucrative occupation. 1t has
demanded that nationaliZed citizens
convicted under the espionage act be
deported. 1t authorized the establish
ment of bureau to aid ex-service men
to obtain unemployment 1t has ap-
pointed a committee TO see that the
above recommendations were effec-
lively acted upon by Congress. That
committee is now at work.
AT present The American Legion is
endeavoring to get every disabled man
Vocational Training. A system has
been devised whereby the man may be
examined at once in Detroit, and sent
on to the work. Also, the American
Legion is making a recommendation to
Congress in regard to bonus tor ex-
service men. AT present congress has
before it sixty-one bills asking for dit-
ferent amounts TO be paid to former
service men. Congress has asked the
Legion to make a recommendation as
to what the men want Our state dele
gates are fighting for, well, well tell
you that at the next meeting.
1t is hoped that before long we will
have the sister organization "The Com
panions of The American Legion" in
operation too. Women are already
planning for that chapter here. In that
organization, any wife, cousin, sister,
aunt or other relative is eligible.
Every former service man is invited,
yes, urged to come to the meeting on
Dec. 1st, Regular officers will be
elected, and future plans will be dis
cussed This is Our organization, our
chance to keep together. Each men,
ber receives a copy of the American
legion Weekly, so he is not in the
dark as to what is being done in other
posts in this state and others.
During the War we were four million
eight hundred thousand strong. Some
power. If each stays by himself all
will be S. o. L. Come to the meeting
Monday night and help make our post
the best not only in this State, but in
others.