Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-06-19
LEGION TO HAVE
LOCAL COMMITTEES
Recommendations Include Or
. ganization Of Strong Bodies
in Counties
FOUR-FOLD BONUS FAVORED
Ru q StaN CorrcSpondent

committee snail No mandatory were
made to the American Legion canton
ment by the committee on constitution
in its unanimous report submitted at
this mornings session.
The proposal Of the Philadelphia
county delegation to the effect that
county committees be organized. WITH
prescribed powers. was indorsed by the
constitution committee. The formation
Of such a committee snail be effectco
when three ffths of the posts in any
county. vote in favor of II.
An optional plan. urged by the Henry
II. Houston Post No. 3. Germantown.
provides for the selection Of state
deputies who will be adjutants of the
department commander and whose
duties shall consist of supervising the
work Of the Legion in the various
counties
The newly elected department com
mander. Colonel David ]. Davis. de-
cared today that the general idea Of
county organization in populous coun
ties meets with his approval. Lacka-
wanna county. he said, has such an or
ganization with twenty four posts rep
resented.
Under the proposed new constitution,
| which was drafted largely by special
committee headed by Jasper Y. Brin-
ton. Philadelphia. there will be state
executive committee of twenty seven
members, elected by the delegates at the
cantonmsnt on the basis Of three mem
bers from each Of the nine Legion state
districts. These districts have the same
boundaries as the draft districts.
To Recommend Fourfold Bonus Plan
Approval of the fourfold bonus pro =
gram adopted by the national conven
tion will be recommended to the can :
tonment by the resolutions committee,
of which Frank W. Melvin, Post 20.
Philadelphia. is the chairman. This
| report favors the cash bonus as well
as the other features of the bonus plan
submitted to Congress.
There are n half dozen posts whose
delegates here will oppose the cash
bonus. acting under instructions from
their posts.
Bergd0ll's Escape Denounced
! Bergdoll's escape is the subject of g
sCathing resolution. which calls for the
prompt punishment Of all civilians and
army officials who were guilty OF
wrongdoing in connection with the
| tiasco that gave the notorious Stacker
| his freedom.
The committee had before it reso-
luton to cxpunge from the record the
De Valera resolution from the depart
ment records. The report makes rec
ommcndation to this effect, although nc
mention IS made of the name Of DE-
Valera. Posts which have taken action
similar to that of the last cantonmen'
OH this leader are requested to erase
their action from the record.
keystone Division officers made a
clean sweep of American Legion berths
at the election yesterday afternoon.
Colonel David J. Davis, of Scranton,
chief of staff Of the Twenty eighth
Division. defeated William G. Muir
dock. Of Northumberland county. on
the second ballot by 25S to $50, in the
contest for state commander. The
majority of Philadelphia's delegation
supported Murdock.
Commander Davis said he had not de e
cided as to whether or not the state
headquarters would be removed from
! Philadelphia to some other city.
! Philadelphia asked for little in the
cantonment and received little. The
delegation was divided between Thomas
Moore, Frankford Post 211, and David
B. Simpson. of the Walter NJ. Gearty
Post No. 315. for first vice commander
of the department of Pennsylvania. A
poll Of the delegates indicated a ma
iority in favor of Comrade Simpson, and
Moore withdrew. thus insuring Simp'
sons election to this second highest
Legion Office within the gift of Penn
! sylvania'S : legionarics. Simpson is 6
! Twenty eighth Division man with over
seas service.
The Twenty eighth Division and tn,
| National Guard followers corralled tn,
Office Of third vice commander of tn,
! department by electing NJ. f. Finney
Of Post 81, Harrisburg. The seconC
vice commander is c. c. McLain, o
Post 14l, Indiana county, whose sol
served in the Twenty eighth Division
Philadelphia delegation elected tn
following delegates and altcrnates to tn
national convention in Cleveland i
September:
SS''; $sss:Ss siS: ps,
ismln Franklin Post 4o5, and II. n. TullS
THIRD william H, creamer, Jr
Fourth district--J.u =, Hou,swortho Pos
and Ha5c. L %skS Moore Post r4SSkor 2SS
sixth distrIct-John FSran, Manayun
GSs ssve5yh @ ST% distr I5e stMGeorso %eHt%orS Gar
. Post 270 and Thomas F. Meehan, Post 81
Alternates
Frs, distrIctmR I; Jenkins; Pest ps o.
, aGHd Elizabeth Wunderle' fe0mon ~ r0'
""j second dlstrlct-M s. Dewolf, ol5. an
THTRaf TR2S SistrtttF Crowley Pos, IS, an
the Rsy j L; WolfS Pest rps SisS' schaene
iS,fh disfricsL|' STR 7, Tsnsrtyy5 Post 81
and Bejam!n wesS!owaaki' Pest 500 po,, AZ
and J. EIwood Rotan, Oak Lane, Post. p.
20 and T. II. Morris, Post 7.
The legislative committee urged leg
islation giving to eX- service men pref
. crpnce in selection of men for state {
municipal positions. 1t was recon
mcnded that the unlawful wearing {
the American Legion button be made
punishable offense. The report recon
mends that November / !, armisticC da!
be made legal holiday.
Pittsburgh was chosen unanimousl
! for the third state cantonment.
According to the report of John "
Brock, Jr., Of Philadelphia, Post NJ
l74. state finance officer. the depart
ment OF Pennsylvania had paid II
membership of AZ .4O1 on May 81, CON
, pared with 60,S4 in 1910. This dc
crease is attributed to the increase
dues from fifty cents in 1919 to du,
ranging from SO to SO in 1920.
, HELD IN CAMDEN ROBBERY
( Norman Wolskill, twenty three yea
I old and William HaDgoOd, thirty yea