Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-14
WORLD.WAR VETERANS
A Column Devoted to the Interests of the Men Who
Defended the Nation on Land and at Sea.

Defended the Nation
Having passed through the forma-
tive stage, tho District of Columbia
Department of the American Legion
will begin a new epoch with its rally
at Liberty Hut next Wednesday. when
National Commander Franklin D'Olier
and Commissioner Brownlow Will
speak, and when most of the state
commanders from the forty-elght
state departments will be guests OF
honor.
At various times. particularly at
The last meeting of the local executive
committee, members of the legion
have voiced the need for closer rela-
tionship between the posts, for more
active spirit of eomradeship and Tor
general Shaking up" that would re-
suit in better attendance at post
meetings. The rally this week is the
first of it's kind to be held here, out
it will not be the last, and a better
understanding between the men ana
women who were comrades in arms
during the war is expected to follow.
The first American Legion Post in
the District, and, incidentally, the f1rst
in the country, was organized less
than ten months ago, and since that
time the strength of the organization
here has grown until 1t includes more
than 5000 members, organized into
twenty posts. No new posts are to
be organized at least for the present,
and next Wednesdays meeting marks
the beginning of a campaign to de-
Velop the spirit of the membership,
with less attention being paid to mere
numerical strength.
To insure a proper amount OF
"snap" at the rally Commander Daniel
J. donovan of Vincent b. Costello
Post. chairman of the program com
mittee, has arranged for the Fort
Myer Band and minstrel string
quartet to be present, and between
speeches and musical numbers Will
be sandwiched in a few vaudeville
numbers from local playhouses. Com
mander L. Lester Jones of the Dis
trict of Columbia department Will
preside.
Preliminary to their visit to mem
bers of Congress thi s week. with
Committee Plans discuss Ssons 'H pending
for Legislation and Is1a pToDo sect tfg
former service men, members Of the
national committee on military policy
of the American Legion met last week
at the Raleigh Hotel, with Chairman
Allan A. Turkey of Omaha, national
senior vice commander. presiding.
Other members of the committee are
Milton B. Foreman of Chicago, F. G
Galbraith of Cincinnati. Thomas W.
Miller of Wilmington. Del, and Ma
tional Commander D'Olier OF New
York.
The committee had as its guide the
report adopted at the national con-
vention. which contained the follow
ing salient points:
a large standing army is uneco-
nomic and un-American; and national
safety is best assured by a national
citizen army and navy.
Universal military training removed
from the complete control OF any
exclusively military organization or
caste.
No compulsory military service in
time of peace.
Immediate revision of our military
and naval system.
A national citizen army Differed by
men from it's own ranks. some OF
whom would have a place on the gen
eral staff. This army should be d.
. vided into corps, divisions and small
er units even in peace times.
Organization of the air service as
a separate department of the ma
tional defense. with its CHIEF serving
as a member of the cabinet.
The members of the committee Will
meet with departmental commanders
from all over the country in CONFER
ence with Director r. q. Choimeley-
Jones of the bureau of war riAk IN,
surance tomorrow and Tuesday, and
m tuesday night will attend re-
ception given by members OF Con-
Eress in the Capitol building.
R.nresentative Edward C. Little OF
Kansas City. Kan, was an lmprompsu d
Talks to Veterans Meeting Of Ma
of Foreign Wars. f Poss' 1871 81 the
Veterans of Foreign Wars. at its reg
ular meeting last week. on which &C.
casion he became memper OF tue
post. He was formerly national aoJu-
tant of the order.
Mr.. Little was colonel OF the 2oth
Kansas Volunteer Infantry, of when
Frederick Funston was colonel
"They did not kill nearly SO many
In nv little war as they did in yours,
said the House member in addressing
the men who fought against Germany
~but they killed them just as dead"
Equality Post. 2s4. of the veterans
will meet at Pythian Temple tomor-
cenlber 81 the initiation fee in the
organization i'll be raised from 81
to 81.
Miss Marie Covert is the new com
nander of Belleau Woods Post of the
Miss Marie Covert Hegion on
Heads Woman's Post. gar Mom ey
who served in the Marine Corps,
which held it's regular election last
Tuesday. The other elective officers
are: Irene F. Tully senior vice COM
1nander: Ethel NJ. Baer. junior vice
commander; Elsie NJ. Beppler. chap
lain: Blanche c. Slater. sergeant-at-
arms; Caroline A. Aberle. master at
arms: Carol NJ. Hasson and Helen NJ.
Null. color bearers, and Anna r..
Thompson, historian. The new omcers
appointed by Commander Covert are:
Mary A Bliss, adjutant; Violet Van
Wagner, assistant adJutant; Leola A.
Hopkins. finance officer and Eleanor
Burgess, quartermaster.
The post has organized a dramatic
club which will cooperate with the
District of Columbia Community Serv-
ice in giving entertainments: Three