The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1920-03-12

The men who gathered at that event
full meeting did many important things.
including the selection OF a home for
the new patriotic organization. They
called It the American Legion, and
under that name Il 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
arr to plan for a national meeting
within q year. This committee came
home and a caucus was arranged for
at st. Louis, May 8.
The st. Louis meeting was q revela.
ton. There seversl hundred men who
had served their country at home and
abroad me- and, Forgetting both creed
and politics. worked to inject the prin-
ciples Of Am~ericanism 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 q basis for perma-
nent organization and agreed that a
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 ID. Lindsey Of Texas. Bennett
@. Clark Of Missouri, Franklin D'Olier
OF Pennsylvania, DR.. Richard Derby Of
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 n 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 a charter. This
request was %intrusted TO Luke Lea
and Thomas w. Miller. The
was introduced I'm both houses June
q, last year. II passed the house OF
representatives August 27 and the sem
ate September 8. President Wilson
signed the charter September 16, COM
pletng the work Of granting q charter,
the first ever granted to an ~organiza-
ton OF the nature Of the American
Legion. The legislative committee OF
the Legion also placed before the o q
gress many other important legisla-
tive matters, including bills covering
land rants 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 81.
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 10 have three WELL
known men of the legion visit different
parts OF the country 10 further the In
terests Of the rev organization. The
men chosen were Theodore Roosevelt,
Jr. John p. j. Herbert and John w.
liner. These made tours OF the coun-
try TO advance the organization OF
local posts. When the American Le-
gion met In Minneapolis the member
ship had passed the 10000 mark. and
II was predicted that the million mark
would be reached In a 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 American
Legion He. with other new officers
OF the Legion have opened headquar.
tiers Offices OF the Legion In Indian
apolis. And Indianapolis and Indiana.
feeling a joint pride In the honor paid
the state by the American Legion. well
comes them When they came they
heard that Indianapolis o. preparing
to erect q memorial 20 her lighting
sons that will serve not only as q home
for the American Legion. but for other
patriotic bodies. Including the veterans
Of the Grand Army Of the Rspublte
and the Spauish-Amerfcnl NAP