Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-08-10


speaker. He said that he had at
first thought the adoption of denun-
ciatory resolutions would result in the
Legion's being put into politics, but
that after careful consideration IF
the circumstances he had come to the
conclusion that the adoption of these
resolutions would do violence to the
convictions of no man." He. added
he regretted that politics mad become
associated with the attitude of The Le-
gion toward Watson and Hardwick,
and said he had heard that at Talbot
ton the adoption of similar resolu-
tions had resulted in % members of
the Legion leaving the meeting at
which they were adopted. He was
convinced, however, that the adop-
tion of the resolutions as read would
not only promote the interests of the
boys who fought "over yonder," but
would serve to help hold together
the members of John D. Mathis post.
Evan Mathis said he did not con-
slider the Legion going into politics
because it opposed the candidacy of
two men who had offered ''insult after
insult" to the Legion. every one
knows that one of them opposed US
throughout the war, and accepted
money from our enemies" he said,
and then added that the American
Legion is neither fighting Watson nor
Hardwick, but the principles enun-
ciated by both these men, in the Le-
gion's fight to maintain the principles
of its constitution, and the establish
ment of a 100 per cent pure Amerl-
canism.
Ben C. Hogue, who made one of
the most imprisoned addresses of
the meeting, declared the fight on
Watson and Hardwick not a political
proposition at all but merely and SIM
ply a defensive fight. "We've been
attacked, and any man will fight back
when he is attacked" Hogue declar-
ed. eve have the right to fight these
two men, Watson and Hardwick, the
same as we have the right to fight
the Bolshevist and the Red VINO
would attempt to address ourr cltl-
zenry from a box on our streets.
These two men are opposing the
American Legion, and we would be
towards and traitors to our comrades
and our brothers now pushing up dali
sizes in Flanders, were we to refuse
to fight them" Hogue then asserted
that 95 per cent of the American Le-
gion posts in Georgia would adopt
resolutions condemnatory of Watson
and Hardwick, and that the state
convention, when it meets in Au-
gusta, will do likewise, but he said
that the state convention meets only
few days before the primary, and
that Legion members everywhere
should take up the fight on Watson
and Hardwick Immediately. .
Thereon Jennings, who said he had
been a Hardwick man until recently
announced he would support adoption
of the resolutions by the post and
said they should either be adopted or
rejected, that to sign them as citl-
zens would be both improper and un-
fair.
Harold Ahearn, DR.. H. A. Smith,
John W Westbrook, DR.. ]. I. Stukes
McCord Prather, and John Wheatley
were others who made talks all agree
ing that the Legion had been attack
ed by Watson and Hardwick, and
that it became therefore the duty
of the Legion to fight back.
The discussion of the resolutions
was closed with an address by Com
mander Dan Chappell, in which he
spoke along the line of the previous
speakers, concluding with the request
that the resolutions be re-read by the
adjutant before a vote was taken
thereon.