The Penn's Grove record., 1920-09-17
American Legion
UphOlds Patriotism
State Officers Elected and Poll
cies ExpOunded for Good
Government

LAiS ANSV S1OSJ 1SpcA NAAiSAlt VI bAAS
American Legion, at the closing ses-
lantic City last Saturday, declared
itself "unalterably opposed" to the adj
mission of draft board officials to
membership. The legionaires also ex-
pressed the conviction that any form
of amnesty for Eugene Debs and
other political offenders, draft dodgers
in particular, would "place a premium
upon treason"
In a memorial which is to GO to the
Department of Justice they urged that
steps be taken to cancel the naturali-
zation of every former alien who tried
to dodge the draft, and that more zeal
be put into the departments efforts to
seek out and punish slackers.
Rival factions fought for an hour
over a declaration of policy respecting
the attitude of the legion towards cap
ital and labor. AS a compromise, the
Legion reiterated its absolute neutral
ity in all disputes between capital and
labor. SIN other resolutions the meet
ing proposed moving picture courses
to teach the value of American citizen
ship to foreigners; urged more books
in public Libraries telling of the
achievements of the United States of
America, and urged the incubation of
a "stand-up-and-fight" spirit in oppo-
sition to Sovietism propaganda.
The convention advocated the con-
solidation of the War Risk Bureau, the
vocational training and the public SER
vice; asked Congress to provide spe-
cial funds to meet xces insurance
costs, voted a charter to Theodore
Roosevelt Post, Vineland, which is said
to have been the first post organized
in the country, and urged an actuarial
investigation to fix the cost of war in
surance.
Leonidas Coyle, of Bridgeton, was
elected State Commander. Other
officers elected were: Senior Vice
Commander, Joseph D. Sears, of
Bloomfield; Junior Vice Commander,
Andrew Kohler, of Somerville; War
Risk Insurance Officer, Samuel Cath
cart, of Newark; State Historian,
Walter Hanstein, of Atlantic City;
Chaplain, the Rev. VIM. Dubell, OF
Woodbury., and Finance Officer, VIM.
L. Thobault, of Madison. The new
Commander appointed C. Percy Hutch
inson, of Trenton, Adjutant. Asbury
Park was chosen as the next meeting
place.
First American Legion
The first american Legion" was
founded in 1892, and it's existence, by
that name, terminated in 1876. War
Department records show that when
the regular army vas r~eorganlzed In
1892. following the Revolutionary War
it was first to officially designate the
LEGION" and was divided into four
"sub-legions," of which the Fourth
United States Infantry was a part.
The idea of Designating the United
States army as the legion originated
with Gen. Knox, Secretary OF War un-
der George Washington. The army
was patterned after the Roman legion,
the old military organization under
which julius Caesar and his successors
conquered as much OF the world as
was then known.
The american Legion" was conn
manded by Gen. Anthony wayne;
("Mad Anthony and was organized
under his direction at Pittsburgh, IN
Nav 1892. President Washington IN
structed General Wayne mot to spare
powder and lead, so that the men be
made marskmen." The legion found
its only battle as the legion at Miami
Rapids in the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
country, August goth, 1894, engaging
a force of hostile Indians. In 1875, II
having been decided that the Roman
formation was not suitable for fight
ing Indians, the legion was disbanded
and reorganized into four regiments Oh
infantry.