The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1920-03-27

as the American Legion, and
1t is going forward with a speed that
indicates a membership of 100000
before the end of the present year.
The Grand Army of the Republic.
founded following the Civil war,
reached its peak in 1900, when the
roster showed a half million members.
With 100000 to draw from, it is pre-
dicted that with the present campaign
for 100 per cent Americanism, the
roster of the American Legion will be
above the 100000 mark by 1921.
The Grand Army of the Republic
has played an important part in the
life of the republic. Once or twice
politics threatened its total disrup-
ton, particularly in the year preced-
ing the election of Gen. John A. Lo-
gan as commander in chief. General
Logan succeeded in steadying the boat.
The disaffectiOn grew out of reports
that men with bad Civil war records
were receiving preferment in appoint
ment to political offices.
To Maj. Benjamin F. Stephenson Of
Decatur, ILL.,, belongs the honor of
founding the Grand Army Of the Re
public. In 1866, the year following
the close of the Civil war, Major
Stephenson called together a handful
of veterans at Decatur and established
the first post. Only one charter men,
her of the Grand Army still is living,
Capt. Il. A. Smith of Lake City, la.
Major Stephenson. in council with
some of his comrades, drafted secret
ritual. 1t was wordy, oratorical af-
fair and was revised in later years.
The ritual was so pretentiOus that it
was hard to find printers who could
set the type. but Major Stephenson
finally rounded up Isaac Coltrin and
Joseph Prior, printers who served in
the Union army and entitled to know
the contents of the ritual when they
Joined the Grand Army.
Twelve men constituted the first
post and the hall in which they met
still is a hallOwed landmark i'm Deca-
tur. The Grand Army at first was a
sort Of vigilance committee that sought
out persons given to dislOyal ut
terances, and soon had them marked
for punishment II they did not de-
sist. The men of the Grand Army de-
manded hundred per cent American
ism, just as the American Legion
makes 1t plain that only one flag, Old
Glory, will be tolerated in this land of
ours. On through the years the Grand
Army has stood for this same prin-
ciple of patriotism, but death has been
removing its comrades at a rapid rate
and the ranks have diminished until
now only a few more than 100000 re-
main.
The American Legion was born In
France. and 1t was fitting to have II
so. for IN Flanders fields repose thou
sands Of American soldiers who died
that the principles of American free
dom might live. On February 10, 1919,
twenty American officers, who had
been assembled in Paris to discuss con-
ditions in the American expeditionary
forces, met at the Inter-Allied club and
there talked of the formation of an
sfter-war organization that would look
to the well-being of the men of the
service both on land and sea.
The decision was made at this con-
ference to start an after-the-war or
eanization, while the men were yet in
France. Thus they would 60 back to
America with their minds and hearts
conferred on protecting the principles
they had fought for. And they came
home TO find that the great army of
men in American training camps were
ready, too. They had not crossed the
sea, but they were willing to go and
were equally willing to participate in
any movement that meant a bigger,
stronger America.
The twenty men who met in confer
ence February Is. 1919. in Paris agreed
at that time to call caucus of men
every branch of war serv-
Ice and the caucus assembled in Paris
March 10, continuing for two days.