The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1919-10-07
CPT..HEAO|NCT0N
IS CHOSEN FIRST
HEAD Of LEGION
Fitting Selection Made At Or
ganizafon Meeting Fri
day Evening
TO SQUARE ACCOUNTS
WITH ALL SOLDIERS
Liability Waivers, Signed AT
Discharge Camps, Are
Mere Scraps Of Paper

Captain Julius w. Headington
whose individual efforts were respon-
sible for the formation of T. Battery,
/ 134th F. A., of this county, was most
| fittingly made first commander of
Dan c. Stone Jr. ,ost, No. 1856, Amer.
iacn Legion, at tie organization meet.
ing Friday evening at the Chamber of
Commerce.
! Lieut.. NJ. C. Kinney, who, after be-
ing rejected by the American aviation
service, enlisted in the British air
forces and served during the war on
the western front, was named vice
commander of the new post
Other officers were elected as fol
lows:
Adjutant-Leonard IT. Kelley.
Financial OfIlcer-James T. Nc.
Donough.
HistOrian-Harold e. Woolson.
haplain-Kenneth r. Snow.
Edison j. Breeze, a lieutenant with
f Battery, was named delegate of the
local post to the state convention
which will be held in Columbus soon.
A committee to draft bylaws for
the post consists of Hoy l.. Russell,
Lawrence Sperry and Donald II. Har.
per.
In two weeks-on Friday, Oct. IL
formal installation of the officers will
occur, together with the formation of
the post, and special effort will be
made to have all attend who have en-.
rolled as charter members.
| Commander Headington, in short
address, pointed out that the Ameri-
| can Legion is, the organization of eA.
service men which is officially recog,
nixode1 ut HssFhtzaif States govern.
ment and, az such, will be used as a
medium for adjusting any differences
between the men and the govern
ment.
"The purpose of the. Organization, :"
Commander Headington continued,
sis to bring such lSrssnre. tor bear
upon tho government, through state
legislatures II necessary. that evils
now existing in the military service
may be remedied' T., The American
Legion stands. furthermore, for pri.
mary patriotism and one of it's func-
tions is to instiil this feeling into the
hearts of all American citizens.
DR.. John r. Claypool, who served
as major in France. brought to the
attention of the legion the public
health service organization now in ex.
istence. of which he is the official
representative in the Seventh district,
comprising Knox, Licking and Co
shoctOn counties.
Many men," DR.. Claypool stated,
''in order to be discharged quickly
from the service and to avoid being
sent to hospitals for an indefinite
period, signed waiver statements
freeing the government from any re-
sponslbility for disabilities they may
have incurred in the service, by stat
ing that such disabilities existed be-
fore they entered the army, marine
corps or navy"
! "These slips" he continued, "are
not worth the paper they are written
on, and, In the feeling that many men
have been little better than victim
ized, the government Is now trying
to rectlfy the mistakes and mjustices
resulting from the over-zealousness
of physicians at discharge camps"
DR.. Claypool cited the case of q
Knox comfy boy who had suffered
from asthma all his life, who con
tracted pneumonia in the service and
who Ia now able to work only n few
days each week. A waiver was sign
cd by this young man but, in spite OF
that. he has recently been awarded Q
80 per cent disability calm and al
expenses of his treatment. Another
instance mentioned was df an ex
soldier with knee trouble who alst
recently received 80 per cent dis
ability claim despite the fact that h
had absolved the government from al
liability ut the time ho was dis
charged.
"These things have been accom-
plished by the public health servic
which Is under the treasury depar
ment and has nothing to do with tn
war risk bureau" DR.. Claypool COZ
cluded. "and any man wo has thi
sort of grievance can be assure
full justice II he will come to me-"
Several other remarks were mao
and the meeting adjourned.