The Glenwood post., 1920-06-26

The men who gathered at that event
full meeting did many important things,
including the selection of home for
the new patriotic organization They
called it the American Legion, and
under that name II will go down in
the patriotic history of the United
States.
The caucus also named a committee
of fifteen to work in the United States
and to plan for a national meeting
within year. This committee came
home and a caucus was arranged for
at st. Louis, May 8.
The st. Louis meeting was a revela-
ton. There several hundred men who
had served their country at home and
abroad met and. forgetting both creed
and politics, worked to inject the prin-
cipleS of Amcricanism in one great
movement, the American Legion. At
this meeting a joint executive com
mittee was formed by men of "a states
with units in the Legion This com
mittee formulated basis for perma-
nent organization and agreed that
constitutional convention of the Le-
gion would be held in Minneapolis in
November. An organization commit
tee of five was appointed to complete
plans for the Minneapolis meeting
This committee was composed of
Henry D. Lindsey of Texas, Bennett
c. lark of Missouri Franklin D'Olier
nf gNrl,T nY,in u pf,.I, I1.N.
New York, and Eric Fisher Wood OF
Pennsylvania, Mr.. Lindsey was
chosen chairman Of the committee and
because of that service and his sub
sequent work as chairman Of the Min
neapolis convention, the title of first
commander Of the American Legion
was conferred on him. Mr.. Wood was
named the secretary. One important
step taken at the st. Louis meeting
was that Of asking the congress of
the United States for charter. This
request was intrusted to Luke Lea
and Thomas W. Miller. The measure
was introduced in both houses June
27. last year. 1t passed the house of
representatives August 27 and the sen.
ate September s. President Wilson
signed the charter September l6, COM
pleting the work of granting a charter,
the first ever granted to an organiza-
tfon Of the nature Of the American
Legion. The legislative committee Of
the Legion also placed before the con-
gress many other important legisla-
tive matters, including bills covering
land grants for former service men.
bills dealing with the question Of the
deportation Of alien Slackers and other
matters of interest to men of the Le-
gion.
Important steps taken at the St.
Louis meeting provided for the OPEN
ing of national HEADQUARTERS in New
York and for the publication of a
weekly periodical that would be of in
tereSt to former service men, Plans
also were made to have three we'll
known men of the legion visit different
parts of the country to further the in
terests of the new on AHnization. The
men chosen were Theodore Roosevelt.
Jr., John p. ]. Herbert and John w.
Inzer These made tours of the coun.
try to advance the organization of
local posts When the American LIE
giOn met in Minneapolis the member.
ship had passed the T5O 600 mark, and
1t was predicted that the million mark
would he reached in n few months.
There now are more than 5000 Amer
lean Legion posts in the United States.
Alaska. Cuba and Hawaii.
Franklin D'Olier Of Pennsylvania is
the new commander of the Amerl AN
Legion. lie. with other new officers
of the Legion have opened hoadquar-
ters offices Of the Legion in Indian.
apolis. And Indianapolis and Indiana,
feeling joint pride in the honor paid
the state by the American Legion wei.
comes them, When they came they
heard that Indianapolis was preparing
to erect n memorial to her lighting
sons that will serve not only ns Il home
for the American Legion, but for other
patriotic bodies, including the veterans
of the Grand Army of the Republic
aud The Smulsl. American war.