The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-08-06

manded a hundred per cent American
ism, just as the American Legion
makes It plain that only one Gag, Old
Glory will be tolerated in this land OF
ours. On through the years the Grand
Army has stood for this same prin.
cinle Of patriotism, but death has been
removing Its comrades at a rapidtrafe
and the ranks have diminished until
now only q few more than 100000 re-
main.
The American Legion was born in
France. and It was fitting to have It
so, for IN Flanders fields repose thou
sands of American soldiers who died
that the principles of American free
dom might live. On February IS, 1919,
twenty American officers, who had
been assembled in Paris to discuss con.
ditions in the American expeditionafv
forces, met at the Inter Allied club and
there talked Of the formation of nN
after-war organization that would look
to the well-being of the men az the
service both on land and sea.
The decision was made at this con.
ference to start an after-the-war or
ganlzatiOn, while the men were yet In
France. Thus they would 20 back to
!a.merca with their minds and hearts
centered on protecting the principles
they had foSsft 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 bigger,
stronger America.
The twenty men who met in confer
ence February Is, 1919 in Paris agreed
Mt that time to call caucus Of men
representing every branch Of war serv-
ice and the caucus assembled in Paris
March Is, continuing for two days.
The men who gathered ut that event.
full meeting did many important things,
including the selection of u home for
the new patriotic organization. They
called II the American Legion, and
under that name 1t will go down in
the patriotic history of the United
States.
The caucus also named committee
of fifteen to work in the United States
and to plan for national meeting
within a year. This committee came
home and caucus was arranged for
at st. Louis, May 8.
The st. Louis meeting was n revela-
ton. There several hundred men who
had served their country at home and
abroad met and, forgetting both creed
and politics, worked to inject the prIn-
ciples Of Americanism in one great
movement, the American Legion. At
this meeting joint executive COM
mittee was formed by men OF "a states
with units in the Legion. This COM
mittee formulated a basis for perma-
nent, organization and agreed that
constitutional convention Of the Le-
gi0n 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 d. Lindsey Of Texas, Bennett
c. Clark of Missouri, Franklin D'OlIer
Of Pennsylvania, DR.. Richard Derby of
New York, and Eric Fisher Wood of
Pennsylvania. Mr.. Lindsey wa.
chosen chairman of the committee and
because Of that service and his sub.
sequent work as chairman of the Min
neapo'is convention, the title Of first
commander of the 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 NJ
the United States for charter. This
request was intrusted to Luke Lea
and Thomas w. Miller. The measure
was introduced in both houses June
y, last year. II passed the house Of
representatives August 81 and the sen
ate September s. President Wilson
signed the charter September 1G. com
plotting the work Of granting n charter.
Tie first ever granted to an organlzn-
lion or til" nature Of The American
Legion. The Legislative committee Of
IA" Legion also placed before the con-
-rrSS many other important legisla-
I've matters, including bills GOVERN.
opd grants for former service men.
bills dealing with the question Of the
I"9ortation of alien sIackcrs and other
2ntters Of Interest to men Of the Le-
zion.
Important steps, taken Mt the st.
Louis meeting provided for the open.
M Of national headquarters in New
York and for the publication Of n
weekly periodical That would he of In. |
crest to former service men. Plans
llsn were made to have three we'll |
Inown men OF the legion visit different
PARTS of the country to further the in |
cfeSts of the new organization. The |
men chosen were Theodore Roosevelt, |
IT., John i. j. Herbert and John w, |
n2cr. These made tours Of the coun. |
ry to advance the organization Of |
ocal posts. When the American lie.
'ion met in Minneapolis the member
nip had passed the 100000 mark, and (,
was predicted that The million mark I
would ha -