Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-09-30
meet their force with far greater force,
sufficient to stop them instantly.
GROWTH OF LEGION


last November from frail structure
of S472 posts in 50 departments to a world
wide organization Of approximately $500
functioning posts in all States, the Dis
trict Of Columbia. five outlying American
and 10 foreign countries was
set forth in the report Of Lemue Bollss.
the national adjutant.
The womens auxiliary, to which moth.
ers wives, daughters and sisters OF ex.
service men are eligible, has been organ
lied on temporary basis. he reported.
Units chartered number 1850 Bolles' re-
port expressed the nope that "the COM
vention will provide the necessary author
ity to permit the development Of the worn-
ans auxiliary to that place Of dignity and
Importance to which 1t Justly is entitled"
SERVICE DIVISIONS WORK
The service division of national head.
quarters. the report continued. has OBJ
tanned the adjudication Of claims aggre-
eating more than sl,25o.oo0 in favor Of ex-
service men. This sum is but tiths Of
The total claims the legion has settled in
favor OF veterans, since national head
quarters has handled only complicated
individual cases Service bureaus have
been set UP in every State and service
officers appointed in more than 5000
posts. From these offices a majority Of
the claims have been handled
These claims have been of endless vari-
ETY. including back pay, travel pay,
bonus, $50 payable on discharge): Liberty
bonds paid for but not delivered. alot.
ments and allowances and insurance
One Of the material advantages Of MEM
bershir In the legion. Mr.. Bodies said. IL
indicated by the fact that records show
that incoming claims from non members
a
marked decrease in the number Of
claims filed by the legionnaires indicat-
ing that most legion members have sduar-
ed their accounts with the government.
During these present days Of unrest
and reimbursement. the American Legion
and the stand Of the ex-service man for
law and order is the greatest insurance
policy our country could possibly have
and the only insurance premium the ex.
service man expects in return Is simply
fair play from that government. with
which he has played so fair.
ut is only IL months ago that a. the
Paris meeting the idea of veterans or
ganization was seriously considered in
big way and the lame American Legion
was heard for the first time. Since that
/ day our organization has grown so rapidly
that In every State and in every commur-
/ ity throughout the length and breadth Of
| this land the name American Legion
stands for the highest ideals and the rlcst
| wonderful spirit of unselfsh service
| shown by every man and woman in the
army. navy and marine corps during the
| World War.
The apid growth Of the legion has been
phenomenal Such a thing has never hap
| pened before in either this or any other
country. This great growth has been due.
! ~ co. %t,a@ T,t5
down last year are now proven TO be not
only right but also practical. and. second.
to be the sponta neous desire of nearly
every veteran of the World War to keep
alive his wonderful spirit Of service to
/ his country and service to his comrades.
and third. to the strong unselfish leader
ship Of the little groups Of women workers
In every community who appreciate the
amount of work necessary to make a Sue
cess of this great movement.
TRULY DEMOCRATIC
ITO the American Legion there IL no
| east or west: north or south: no Jew or
| Gentle; no Protestant or C1thoitc. no
capital. no employer or employe, no Re-
publican or Democrat. The American
Legion Ia the only organisation In which
rs represented every good element In the
entire country: it is the nearest attempt
al organizing public opinion We know
that when public opinion speaks, II speaks
with authority. And so. during this past
year. YOU have PLAYED fair with every
element In the legion and have thus
gained the support Of public opinion. and
so the closer we stick 70 sound public
opinion the greater will BE- our service to
our country and the better able we will
be to look after our comrades needtn =
our help
Aside from the interest on the 100000
Y. NJ. G. A. fund. national heado Quarters
only source of revenue has been national
dues and profits from the sale Of EN-
biems. The matter amounts to nearly
$4,000. The legion has been obliged to
institute several court actions to pro.
tect itself in it's rights to be sole manu-.
facturer and seller Of legion insignia
The American Legion Weekly, the report
states. has turned from the loss to this
profit side OF the ledger and promises
shortly to wipe out all the previous deficit
CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE
The credentials committee was in ses.
sion early to decide two questions;
Shall each department be allowed only
its five delegates at large and one add
tional delegate for each even 1000 paid Ut
men bers or shall It be allowed one add.
tional delegate for each 1000 paid UT
MON bers or major fraction thereof
Shall the poets in foreign countries b
allowed votes in the convention?
Pending decision OF these two oues-
lions the voting strength at the conven.
ton ranged between l4,O7 and l4f5s. LIE.
! g1on organizations In Mexico. Panama
the Philippines. Porto Rico. Argentine
Belgium, the British Isles. Canada. Chile
China Cuba. France. Guatemala, Japan
J Poland, Samoa and Santo Domingo wer<
involved.
! The executive committee decided tha'
representation In the convention shoult
be on the basis OF paid up national due!
August 2S last, which on that date totaIet
slssso There strong objection Il
this ruling by many states particularly
New Jersey. where il was said the rlsra
bership had been increased by eleventh
hour efforts from 1900 TO $4,000 Ma
tional dues for more than 100000 MOI
have been received now, II was said.
r. q. Creevtston, director OF orEaruza'
ton. said that more than 100000 had Join
ed the legion. He explained that this dis
parity between that figure and the mum
Der OF national dues received represented
delinquents and unacknowledged pay
ment OF national dues. II Is regarded Al
certain that payment Of national due'
will be discussed In the convention be
cause in the opinion of many delegates
the present methods are too slow ana In