The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-06-05
American Legion Post to be Formed
Tonight at County Court House
and Get Early Number in
State.
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO 1T
Lieutenant Vaughan Has Been Ap-
pointed to Attend to Preliminary
Work Until Officers Can
be Elected by Men.

The meeting at the county court
house at 1880 o'clock this evening TO
4 organize a Keokuk post of the Amer
/ lean Legion will be historic one.
/ All soldiers and sailors OF the
! world war are invited to attend. and
the forecast is that a large crowd
I will be present when the chairman's
4 gavel calls the meeting to order.
Lieutenant L. H. Vaughan was
appointed by the district committee
to start the organizing in Keokuk.
and he at once called the meeting
for that purpose.
| 1t is the intention to have post
Of the American Legion In every
city and town in southeastern iowa
before the month of June ends. say
t. L. Brookhart and John ]. Seerley.
appointed at the St Louis conven-
ton to attend to the organization In
| this section of the state.
! Lieutenant Vaughan will act as
temporary chairman for Keokuk and
southern Lee county until the per-
manent organization is completed.
Something to Create Pride.
Mr.. Brookhart said the other day
about the organization:
"At a convention at ST. Louis on
May s, 8 and 10, at which were pres
ent delegates from every state in
the union, the organization of the
American Legion was begun. That
convention is one of which every sol
der, sailor and marine who served
n U
should be proud
1.-The spirit of true and unselfish
Americanism which led the dough
boys to victory on the battlefields OF
France and guided the lives and &C
tiyities of those less fortunate sol
diers who were refused the privilege
of meeting the foe in deadly combat,
that same spirit was the very life
and soul Of this convention.
1.-THE organization Of the American
Legion is to be effected nationally at
a convention to be held at Mime
apolis, Mimi. on November II. and
the organization locally is to be car
ried out by state organizations.
The Iowa Organization.
plans for the organization OF the
American Legion Of Iowa were COM
pleted by the Iowa delegates, who
met al the caucus in st. Louis, May
8, and 10.
Colonel Matthew FINLEY, COM
manding officer OF the One Hundred
Sixty-eighth regiment, was elected
chairman of the state organization.
Lieutenant Colonel Guy Brewer, COM
manding officer of the Third bat
talon, One Hundred Sixty-eighth
regiment, was elected vice chairman,
and CAPTAIN John MacVicar, OF Des
Moines, secretary.
'Des Moines will be the seat of
the state headquarters. The state
secretary will proceed at once upon
the state organization. Posts will be
organized in the respective districts
and on the petition of not less than
fifteen eligible persons.
"The state executive committee
consists of two members from each
congressional district and five mem
bers at large. The members Of the
executive committee from the first
district are T. L. Brookhart, Wash
ington. Iowa, and John j. Seerley,
Jr., of Burlington.
To Be Snappy Work.
ut is earnestly requested that
each city or town organize post
during the month of June, in order
that the representation Of the first
district may be large at the state
convention which is to be held prior
to the national convention Of No
vember IL. All applications for char
tiers are to be sent to the members
of the state committee OF the dis
trict, then to the state secretary,
and then through him to the national
committee, who issues the charters
The membership fee is 81 and the
charter fee is SO"
Those Who Are Eligible.
The following is copy of the
resolution adopted by the convention
at ST. Louis, establishing the quail
ficatfons necessary to membership in
the organization:
"All persons shall be eligible to
membership in this organization who
40 Military mr. naval service