The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-16
IL is Believed keokuk Post VIII be
Large as Well as First In This
Section After Tuesday
Evening.
SOME POINTS CLEARED UP
Nothing Like Il Was Ever Seen Be-
fore, and Examination Shows
Objections to 1t are Impos-
sble Here Now.

| If there exists IN tne minus OIL any
men any doubt as to the real pur-
pose and nature of the American
Legion which is now being formed In
J KeoRuk, as there seemed to be at
/ the time the first meeting was called,
/ the following excerpt from one OF
! the leading American magazines
I should Danish that doubt. 1t appear
! ed in the form of an editorial which
was called forth by the convention at
ST. Louis.
"a national convention of Ame:i-
can soldiers and sailors in which no
grievances were aired, no political
axes ground, no special privileges or
preferments demanded; where ora
/ torical bunk was hooted down;
where social discrimination was Ia
boo and military rank counted rot at
| all: where the past glories Of war
twere subordinated to the future
glories of peace, and where the La
/ tional interest was placed above all
! partisanship-tha is something new
under the sun.
! 1T was in such a convention, held
! in st. Louis during the seoood week
in May, that the new spirit Of the
American army and navy expressed
itself articulately for the first time
since the armistice was signed. The
birth of the American Legion was
attended by circumstances having
significance comparable with those
surrounding the signing of certain
document in Philadelphia one hun
dred and forty-three years ago come
July 4.
The Privates In Command.
"a brigadier general arises to place
in nomination the name of a man
who and is cried down by dough
boys with calls of Name him! who
is hep A proposal to give extra Lay
to enlisted men is unanimously ee-
feated because, as Lieutenant Colonel
Roosevelt put it, we are not hcre to
Isandbag something out of the govern
ment, but to put something INTO it
The invitation to make Chicago the
next meeting place of the iegi n is
refused because American soldiers
and sailors don't want to go to a
city whose mayor would be ashamed
to welcome such a convention. A
progressive republican, son Of
famous father, refuses the chairman
ship to quiet suspicion of personal
ambition, and the Office goes to
southern democrat of whose party
the gathering is in complete 1gnor-
ance.
'One of the convention stenogra-
pliers said: This is the funniest con-
vention l have ever attended We
have an idea that there was an ele-
ment of prophecy in her homely re-
mark-a body representing more than
four million American soldiers and
sailors that makes SO little political
noise is likely to be about as funny
to the conventionally minded politi-
clan as a bombardment of gas shells.
This language of restraint in the
mouths of organized civilian youth
may prove to be a natural companion
to the famous battle slogan of the
A. E. F.: Let's go!'"
Want Every Man Here Out.
At the first meeting but twenty-one
men responded in Keokuk. Some of
those who were present were of the
opinion that many Of the men who
are eligible to membership in the
organization do not understand that
lit is in no way a military organiza-
ton.
The above article makes that as
clear as any other that has been
written.
A second meeting has been called
for tomorrow night to complete the
organization of the local post.
All men who respond to this meet
Ing may become charter members.
Those in charge are hopeful that
there will be no less than seventy
five men out.