Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-27
OVER THOUSAND
DELEGATES, ! !!
LEGION ] J | MEET
Important Questions Will
Come Up Before Members
OF Soldier Organization.

VI Soldier organization.
S Cleveland, Sept, 27.--More than
enc thousand delegates were. in their
eoots this morning8whe Franklin d
Olier, national commander called to
order the second annual convention of
American Legion, bordering in inn
portance the national sessions of the
big political parties. The theatre
floor resembled one of the big politi-
cal conventions, state standards and
pennants desigating seats allotted to
the various delegations.
Commander d'Olier presented Rev.
Francis ]. Kelly of Troy, N. Y, 1.-The
fighting chaplain" who delivered the
invocation. Mayor William H. Fitz-,
gerald welcomed the visitors and dele
gates in behalf Of the city.
= The convention prepared to adjourn
at noon to witness the parade this
Thousand former service men and
women. the feature of the three-day
convention.
Two Big Questions.
One of the first important matters
to be presented before the convention
after the eepreliminaries was report
of the credentials committee. The com
mfttee was in session early today to
decide two questions, which. after
Drotracted debate, failed to end in
q solution at meeting Of the execu-
tive committee last night.
These are: Shall each department.,
be allowed only it's five delegates at
large and one additional delegate for
each even 1000 paid up members. or
shall it be allowed one additional
delegate for each 1000 paid up mem
, bers or major fraction thereof?
Shall the posts. in foreign countries
be allowed votes in the convention?
The credentials committee COM
nized department represented at the
convention, including all states, the
District of Columbia, Alaska and
Hawaii. &
Whether an additional delegate
would be seated by states having q
major fraction of one thousand paid
up members effecting twenty three
votes.
The question of the seating of dele
gates or their proxies from foreign
countries or. outlying territorial pos
sessions of the United States involv-
ing SO votes.
Pending decision of these two 'ques-
tions. the voting strength at the con-
vention ranged between 1,047 and
1,156. ' "i8f ....
Legion, ORGANIZATIONS in Mexico.
Rico, Argentine. Belgium, British
Isles, Canada, Chite. China, Cuba,
France. Guatemala, JAPAN, Poland,s
Samoa and -ssantoss Dpniingo were in
volyed. H. 4, ss.33g:Sffs
The executive committee decided
Z Inst night t1laA ropresentaso on ains sss;fe
Z tonvehtion SHOULD be on the besis of
p = In,
which on that date totRlled 8l8,680.
q There was strong objection to this
ruling by many states, particularly
New Jersey, where itwwas said the
membership had been increased by
eleventh hour efforts from $4,000 to
$4,000. National dues for more than
100000 men have been received
now, it. was said. e5 sysa
Y .ss 1000, 600 Men Joinedlas
r. G., Creviston. director of organi-
zation for the Legion, said 2more than
two million men have joined the
legion. He. explained the disparity
of national dues received represent
de1inquents and unacknowledged pay
ments of national dues. -
How the case of ex-service men and
particularly the disabled has been
championed in Washington during
the past ten months was shown be
the report of John Thomas Taylor,
chairman of the national legislative
committee. -a
In all 473 bills were presented to
the: sixty sixth congress that vitality
affected the veterans The legislative
committees duty was to see that act
ion was taken on them.
The first convention of the legion
in Minneapolis last November adopted
pretentious platform. The commit
tee has had bills introduced covering
every resolution adopted at the first
convention.
High lights in the active legislative
Accomplishments of the legion are:
The Sweet bill. increasing the al
lowance to disabled men from $50 to
$50 a month: the obtaining of $46,-
100000 for disqualification for the dis
abled; increase in pay of vocational
training students from $50 to 800 a
I month; investigation of the methods
of the federal board for vocational
training leading to improvement; laws
to expel and exclude aliens who are
( anarchists @
Veterans Of all the Allied nations.
1t is said, will start movement at
the convention to form their own
Il League of Nations
The proposed amalgamation will
the Unite9s States; the Great War
Veterans Association OF Great Brit
ain, the Union Fighters OF France
and several other French associations.
The convention will chose Wednes-
dayswith the election of officers.
The most prominent names men
toned in connection with the nomi-
alton for national commander are:
F.. w. Gilbraith Of Cincinnati, Milton
j.. Foreman. of illinois,; Emmett o.
Eeilisof Kentucky. and Hanford Mac
sleNider of Iowa. h@
Approximately $4,000 visitors were
here today to witness the parade. A
half holiday was proclaimed by May
or Fitzgerald. 1
HISTORY OF LEGION: ~
@ cleyeland, O.. Set. 27.-How the
American Legion has expanded since
D the. close OF the first national conVen-
4 ton last November from loosely
knit structure. Of 3.472 posts in fifty
4 departments to worldwide orsani-
zations OF .ts approximately $500
9 functioning posts in all states. the