The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-20
LEGION USING
IT'S INFLUENCE
Overseas Soldiers Organizat;e.,
Making Its Power Fclt
In Congress

Washington, Dec. 16.-Thc Amer
lean Legion, through Franklin DOl'er.
it grand commander, tonight called
On congress FOR immediate enactment
CT legislation giving former service
men ''tl,c consideration they deserve
at the hands of their government. v
Mr.. D'Olier in formal statement
warned that no policy cf false econ
on;: should be pursued now with re-
sncct 20 The disabled soldiers if SC
riolIs difficulties" are to be avoided Ia
ter by the government.
Principles upon which the present
government. insurance laws were
founded we're described by Mr.. D'Olier
as being entirely sound bat the ez-
isting legislation entirely made
Guate." He added that as a result Of
informal conferences today between
members OF congress and delegates to
t.,la convention it was evident that
congress is rot ye. alive TO the ne
ces.;ties cf he situation"
Greetings were extended the dele
.z:..eS l...;>l. ~ P:2s.@en; Wilson IN a
lester to r. G.. Chonley Jones. oirec-
Ter &C the bureau Of war risk insur-
ance at whose Invitation the confer
cnce was called.
lay / ask" the president wrote.
hat you be KIND cnonrh to convey
NY war.,1 s:aaf:leGs /" al vho r.ia.
.c:,r,.; ;fa, 'I.uS. don; :i:H&ci: ;i;.>
:,::as,,s,a - :.ae.-.rinc ,Ilarl IL :o:A.so.s.
X message vas +ece.Ted ass from
General Persi,ing vi,o sad he favored
liberal attitude toward disabled SOL
.;iers and tia. he felt sure congress
would enact the legislation necessa-
to provide for them properly.
The legion sent formal demand to
:;ccrota'w Ta'>er 4R5t Alan S. Brors
t.,!:...a4:. i,,,;is A:e,s.nGe oF,ioc.o:.
.~i:u was rc:easet recently from the
Lcavcnworth disciplinary barracks be
rearrested and compelled to serve the
"sn?ainder Of a three year sentence. In
a letter TO Mr.. Baker, Mr.. D'Oiier de-
clared that since his release, Broms'
utterances have become notoriously
seditious' and the legion felt imme-
1iate apprehension OF the man was
necessary. Mr. Raker was said to
have made no definite promise that
the legion's request would be carried
out
Senator Smoot's proposal to abolish
the bureau and distribute its func-
tions among several departments was
opposed by half a dozen delegates.
Sixteen wounded mon from Walter
Reed hospital i, Washington were
called by the legion commander as
concrete evidence &C the inadoauacy
Of the war risk and vocational educa-
tional laws They complained tl2ey
had been unable Ito get action. at
the war risk bureau and declared their
morale had been lowered because they
had not received from the government
the treatment they believed they
should have had.
Vt a dinner given the legion repro
sentatives at the capitol tonight BY
Of congress assurance was
given that they would carefully conf
ply with the request Of eX-service men
war risk insurance Sena-
tor Smoot. chairman of the senate
finance committee, in charge OF af-
fairs, pledged his support to the
Sweet bill.
Discussion Of the legislation which
the Minneapolis convention of the le-
gion had set out to obtain grew
a acrimonious at times. The delegates
stated their case frankly and drew
from the senator's and representatives.
present similar argument.
The war risk Insurance bureau came
in for severe criticism.