Evening star., 1919-11-16
LEGION DELEGATES
RETORN TO CAPITAL
Succeed in Having Adopted
Constructive American
ism PROGRAM.

4 The District of Columbia delegation to
the first annual convention Of the
American Legion. at Minneapolis. Mimi.
returned yesterday. While the delegates
were disappointed at not being able to
secure the national headquarters Of the
American Legion for the National Cap
ital. still they felt that it was not due
to lack Of effort on their part. Repre-
sentatives from several of the states on
the committee on permanent national
headquarters made charges which re-
f1ected on the National Capital. Daniel
j. Donovan, auditor for the District of
Columbia, was the representative on
| this committee and put up a stiff fight
and presented claims why the National
Capital should be the home Of this large
organization.
The District delegates were. however,
able to introduce number Of resolutions
which were adopted. One of these was
a Recommendation for a constructive
Americanism program. containing many
Imendations was the establishment of
national Americanization commission of
the American Legion whose duty it will
be to realize in the United States the
basic ideal Of the legion of 100 per cent
Americanism through the planning, es-
Establishment and conduct Of a continuous
constructive educational system, de-
signed to combat all anti-American ten
dencies, activities and propaganda and
to work for the education of immigrants,
prospective American citizens and alien
residents in the principles of Ameri-
canism.
Ideals Of Americanism.
The commission is also to inculcate
the ideals of Americanism in the
citizen population. particularly the
basic American principles that the in
terests Of all the people are above
those of any special interest or So
| called class or section of people, and
to spread throughout the people of
the nation information as to the real
i nature and principles of American
government The fostering of teach
ingeof Americanism in all schools is
also to be included in this field of
work.
The commission is to submit to the
national executive committee a plan
and from time to time supplementary
plans. which may include national
i advertising, the publication of litera-
ture, the organization IF lecture
courses, cooperation with schools and
\ other agencies. and such other means
Of carrying out the purpose outlined
n as may be appropriate. The commit
tee may recommend a system of CO.
operating committees or officers in
state branches or posts.
The commission is to be elected by
the national executive committee, and
is to consist of not over fifteen mem
bers. who shall hold Office for one
year. The convention also approved
the recommendation of the committee
4 that during the preliminary organiza-
tions the local posts of the American
Legion be urged to organize immedi-
ateiy for the purpose of meeting the
insidlous propaganda of bolshevism.
anti-Americanisms by taking up the
problems of detecting american
activities everywhere and seizing
every opportunity for 100 per cent
Americanism and for nothing else:
also making direct appeals to legal
authority to take such lawful steps as
may be necessary to correct local con-
ditions everywhere, and making every
member of each post a constructive
force IN the upbuilding Of a vital
knowledge of principles of the Con-
stitution of the United States and of
the processes of law and order OBJ
tanning under the Constitution. They
will endeavor to show to every per-
prejudice that the welfare of all the
people is really the best interest of
any class, and that the government
must be conceived in terms of all the
people and not for the benefit of rela-
lively small classes
Il Washington's Delegates.
!, The delegation from the District
composed of representatives from the
various posts, was as follows:
Delegates-State commander. F.
Lester Jones; state adjutant, Howard
Is. Fisk; Rose F. Stokes, Anna f.
Thompson, Hope Knickerbocker, Har-
ry ]. Davis, H. L. B. Atkinson. A. S.
Imirie, julius L. Peyser, Alfred l..
Stern, Alice B. Harvey. Charles B.
Rollins, Daniel ]. Donovan. Madison
> L. Hill, Kenneth A. McRae. Alexander
Mann and Oliver v. Kessler.
II Alternates-W. C. Smiley, B. H.
Graf, william G. Glenn, Frank A.
! Connolly. Donald MacGregor. John T.
TAYLOR w. NJ Purvis. Anne Sharp