The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-04-23

protect your homes from disorders,
for which you will not be response
ble-we are trying to protect your
homes as well as our own"
AS a result of this very frank state
ment by the post commander the meet
ing of organized labor approved the
action of the legion. and there was no
disorder whatever in that community.
This is a small thing and yet 1t
shows just what the American Legion
is trying to do. You need have no
| fear about the stand of the American
Legion for law aid order. That is one
point upon which every member of
the American Legion is pledged, and
is one thing On which we agree unani-
mously, the maintenance of law and
order in this country, and in that
way we hope to serve our country.
In addition we are going to serve
our comrades through mutual helpful
ness. We will see that the dependents
of those who made the supreme sacri-
fee are taken care of-that those dis.
abled physically are properly cared for.
Unfortunately, although a year had
elapsed since the signing Of the ar
mistice, congress had not done what
it should have done for the disabled
men. The American Legion called a
meeting in Washington last December,
and explained what they thought was
fair treatment to the disabled men,
that they might not be objects of
charity of a private character, and
legislation which we considered Mon
day morning was actually passed by
both houses by Saturday afternoon,
because What the American Legion
asked was fair and just, and congress
knew it had the support of the entire
country. And as result a man can
now live on the compensation he re-
ceives from his government where he
has become physically disabled.
We are now asking congress to do
something for those of our comrades
handicapped financially because of
their service in the army or navy. We
have been criticized for doing this on
the basis that we were putting a price
on our patriotism, due to the fact that
anyone making that statement does
not appreciate the situation.
| understand it is a historical fact
that George Washington, the father
of our country, received a grant of
several thousand acres of land from
this country, in recognition of his serv-
ice during the revolution. No one has
ever criticized the father of our coun-
try as having put a price on his pa
triotism.
Referring to recent illustration;
When this country appreciated what |
Admiral Dewey had done, by popular |
subscription they presented him with
a house, and no one ever said that |
Admiral Dewey had put a price on his
patriotism.
The ex-service men in what they are
asking for beneficial legislation is that
this country shall merely help them
overcome the disadvantages incidental
to their military and naval service.
We have suggested a four-fold option
al plan, covering land settlement.
home aid, vocational training, and, for
those who are not able to avail them
selves of any one of those three, an
adjustment in their compensation
based on length of service. The
American Legion every time it refers
to this legislation has asked congress
to make it as liberal as is consistent
with the welfare of the country, and
no one is in position to take exception
to a statement like that.
The American legion knows that
while we were in France our strength
In the face of the enemy was not the
strength of the two million men in
France, or the strength of the two
million men in the states. But 1t was
the strength of the hundred million
back of those four million
Of us in service. We were the spear
point; the hundred million patriotic
Americans back of us were the shaft
md the strength.
The American legion realizes that
is future usefulness for good in this
country will depend on the support
ind approval we get from the hundred
million other Americans, and we know
We could do nothing without your sup
bort, and you may rest assured in all
)ur acts we shall see to it that we
,eep constantly in mind the one hun
lred million other Americans who are
ust as patriotic and just as loyal as