Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-09
MEMORIAL HOME
BILL DISCUSSED
Sx Service Men Given Hearing
Before the State Legislature
at Dover.
s,sr Correspondence of Every Evening

star Correspondence of Every Evening
State House, Dover, April "a strong
delegation from Delaware Post of the
American Legion urged the passage OF
the bill approprating S3oO,OOO Tor
Memorial Hall and Arscnalin Wilmington
at a hearing before members of both
branches of the Legislature in the House
Chamber yesterday afternoon, The post $
plea for a homo instead of 4 bonus was
met by emphatic statements from both
Senator Gormlcv and Representative
McNabb. who declared that they were
II sc daily by ex-scrvice men TO grant
q DO ,us \ third project, the appropria-
ten of $50, coo for Memorial Home In
Dover. was supported by Attorney
Henry Ridgley of Dover.
Presentation of the case OF Delaware
Post was in charge OF Lieut.. Col. }.
Austin Ellison and Col. Ellison pointed
out that, the appropriation of S300,00O by
n State would mean building worth
practically 81 900, 900. rs at least another
100000 would be raised in the city. He
said that the present armory is old and
probably unsafe and that the proposed
building, besides serving as home for
the Legion and the G.. \. r., would be
modern armory.
Rev. Francis Tucker, formerly an
army chaplain, followed Col. Ellison
with an eloquent address in which he
said the Legion had not come to rad
The treasury or put a price upon patriot
Ism. and was asking nothing for gratitude,
hut only for Justice. The memorial home,
he said would enable service men to
serve the State as citizens IN the same spirit
in which they had served her as soldiers.
The Federal Government, he added,
would probably satisfy the demand Tor q
bonus
Henry Ridgley, spoke of his farewell
10 Walter l.. lox, the first Delaware boy
10 lc killed IN action. The Dover post
~ tho Legion has been named after him.
The proposed memorial hall on the
mort Invest corner Of Dover green. he sand,
would serve as an outward symbol 20 re-
mind the State Of those virtues with out
which she csn not lcng exist. and 10
cuunteIsct the tendency 10 forget the
ideals of 1917 and 1918 and center all
thoughts on self
Major John p. Ia Fevre OF Dover said
that the First National Bank of Dover
lad voted 10 sell its building and lot on
the proposed site Of the memorial home,
II tho State should make the sppropria-
ion. 10 build the home. Lieut.. William
D. Turner, Commander of Delaware Fost,
said that the delegation represented 2,3oO
service men and that its request was
not selfish. but indicated further willing
ness 10 serve.
When the Legion had completed its
presentation, Senator Gornicy arose
10 defend his bonus bill. He said that
nc was not oppos I'd 10 the Legion project,
,ut had introduced his bill in response
10 a real demand voiced daily hy service
men.
Representative McNabb d ha
would vote cheerfuliy for all t,
and added that be felt safe in sot.
he Wilmington Memorial Ion
The appropriation was contingent
rsising smother $500, 900 IN the city
Wilmington's treasury, he SAID, is not
hulging like that Of the State. His bonCs
bill, he declared, was intended to give .
present benefit 20 the soldiers who had
sacrificed the most, and many of whom
iad not vet got on their feet financially.
some Of them had told him, he continued,
that the Legion represented chiefly the
officers; but he declared himself ready
10 vote for any measure II he were con-
vinced that the former private soldier vas
l,ehind it. (As matter OF fact, most OF
the members are from this rank
The Memorial hall bill, originally
being contingent on the city OF Whining
ton duplicating this 100000 State
approximation, will be amended. it is
understood, 20 make it possible to
duplicate this State fund-and more
through private subscriptions