The Washington times., 1920-09-26
LEGION READY
FOR RCONCLAVE
Parade to Feature Convention
Of World War Veterans
lnNCIeveIand.

tlEN El-AND, ohtOs bSpI ~
second annual conveation Of the
American Legion, which opens here
tomorrow. viii bring together dele
gates from 9.ooo local posts situated
In forty y-nine States and the District
OF Columbia, all United states pos
sessions and a dozen foreign coun-
tries. representing q total membership
OF close to 1000. 900 veterans OF the
World War. The convention VIII ad-
journ Wednesday, September 70.
The delegates are expeoted to num-
ber about 1000. and II 70 believed not
less than $4,000 unofficial visitors viii
attend. to rsfight the war and hobnob
with old buddieG One Of the features
OF the gathering will be a parade Of
men, that promises to haye
10000 men In line. Many Will be In
uniform ~ ~
PoLITICs BIG ISSUE.
Since the delegates win represent
sections of tho land widely separated
geographically. and economically and
since practically every shade OF
thou ght. save the violently radical. 10
existent In the legion. II 10 impossible
to predict the result OF the delbera-
tions of the delegates. However. sew
eral questions Of policy are certain
to come up for decision.
The extent TO which the legion ~
an Organisation will be permitted to
take part in public affairs of a po-
litical nature undoubtedly VIII be de-
cided At present the United States
Government charter under which the
legion by special act Of Congress 10
incorporated defines the organisation
as mon par tisan" and ''non-political."
This definition Is repeated In the ma
tional constitution of the legion. BY
Common agreement among leaders the
strictsst Interpretation Of the char
Ter and the constitution has been OBJ
served in the year past. 1t has be-
come manifest. however. that there 10
a feeling on the part of the member
ship that II the legion 10 to WELD tho
influence II set out to WELD IT must
participate to a broader extent In pub
lie Affairs. Tho sentiment seems to
be that this can be accomplished BY
a more liberal official Interpretation
of the charter and tho constitution.
which would place the same strict
inhibition on partisan activity that
now obtains.
DISCUSS BONUs MEASURE.
The convention undoubtedly will
consider measures to further the pas
sage Of legislation favorable to the
disabled and 90 all persons who de-
serve compensation by reason of the
time they devoted to serving their
country. From tho action OF the vart-
Gus state conventions IL seems GER
tain that the national convention viii
pass a resolution favortng the Ford
ney bill, the bonus measure written
and sponsored by the legion. that
provides four ~varities of compenss-
ton for ex-service men and women.
This bill passed the house and VIII
come before tho Senate In December.
1t is believed tho delegates Will ex-
press approval OF the efforts OF legion
national officers in the past year that
resulted in the passage of the Sweet
and Wason bills and other measures
helping the disabled. The question
of further benencial legislation will
be discussed. Improvement OF the
War Risk Bureau. Public Health
Service and Federal Board for Vo-
cational Training will be urged.
II lis certain that the convention
will adopt a statement OF policy 10
guide posts and individuals In their
conduct toward labor organizations
and industrial disputes. In all prob
ability the Iegion's hands-off policy
will be reaffirmed and steps taken to
enforce that policy on all units OF the
organization. A system to provide
means OF disciplining members and
posts that run counter to the express
ed policy Of the majority OF legion
members will be discussed and prob
ably adopted. The national constftu-
tion fails to; provide any means Of
putting RESTRAINT on members who
embarrass the legion by. unauthor-
ixed statements or acts. This fact
according to National Commander
Franklin D'Olier. has caused the en-.
tire organization to suffer from ad-
verse criticism directed against the
activities OF one small post
REMEMBER sLACKERs.
Draft dodgers and slackers gener-
ally will be reminded that a Nemesis
follows them when the convention
resolutions committee reports on tho
t~-Le. ri