Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1920-05-28

~ E 1t was only a
E.st8( W. ~E9Xa little over year
ago, in France, that all were asking
what kind of a veterans organization
we should have, corresponding to the
G. A. r. and the Confederate Veterans.
We had all seen the wonderful spirit
of those In the service and we thought
1t would be more than unfortunate If
that spirit were allowed TO die out.
II, therefore, was decided to form a
great veterans organization to which
every person would be eligible who
was in service, regardless of whether
he were an officer or enlisted man, and
whether he served in this country or
France.
The movement was started on the
fifteenth of March, last year, only a
year ago. In a years time from that
small beginning it has become an or
ganization with an active organization
In every state of the Union, with some
$500 posts and a membership well
over million.
Why is it that the American Legion
In such a short time has grown so rap
Idly? The reason is simply this: That
1t was formed for the purpose of
keeping alive that spirit of service
which we all know about. And that
spirit of service is service to our coun-
try and service to our comrades.
When we were over there, we saw
ourselves the radical tendencies in
Eronca Vo Hoo ri from officarc com
Ing from England Of the radical ten
denotes in England and we heard
there was some concern in this coun-
try as to what might happen when
over four million men were demobil-
lied. We made up our minds the first
service we should render to our coun-
try as civilians would be to see to it
that this government. this country
that we were protecting against the
enemy, we would protect against the
foes within.
You have heard a great deal about
the stand of the American Legion for
law and order. That stand for law
and order has done more for our coun-
try than most of us realize.
l was talking a short time ago TO a
member of a foreign embassy and he
was discussing the American Legion,
and he said:
do you realize most of the disor-
der and lawlessness in our country is
caused by ex-service men, whereas In
your country you have your ex-serv-
Ice men putting down lawlessness and
disorderY
/ was talking in Washington in the
office of the military intelligence of
the war department which is connect
ed with the attorney generals Office,
and they both told me that the great
est central factor in curbing the activ-
tiles, Of the reds and the radicals who
would overturn our government by
force was the American Legion. Those
who would overturn our government
by force know they can only do so by
force and the only great group of cit
liens who recognize fully the power
of force are the ex-service men who
were fighting force with force. And
when they appreciated the fact that
there were $500 posts throughout the
country and not q locality of any size,
but what had an American Legion post,
and that II was a rallying point around
which the ex-service men can gather
In case of lawlessness, and that
through the legion all service men
would stop the attempts of the rad
Icals-that has turned the tide and
made an Improvement since last sum-
mer.
Let me give you an Illustration of the
soundness Of their judgment. When
the steel strike began In a town In
Ohio, the posts called a meeting and
they offered their services to the may
or. The mayor Immediately swore in
about two hundred, one hundred he
held in reserve and the other hundred
he put patroling the residence section.
The next day the labor union called
meeting for the purpose of denounc-
Ing the legion for strike breaking. The
head of the American Legion post hap
pened to be a union man and he went
to the meeting and he explained just
exactly what. they were doing, that
they were taking no part whatever in
the controversy and were simply inter
ssted in the protection Of their homes
and those of the union workers.
"You are loyal patriotic American
citizens. SO are we. We are inter
ested i'm the same things, and there
fore, this meeting which you have
called for the purpose of denouncing
the American Legion when you under
stand what we are trying to do, TO