Omaha daily bee., 1920-01-20
As to "Muttang Its Mission
From the American Legion Weekly.

1t should be very clearly understood that
the American Legion is very much in politics.
The august Saturday Evening Post rises
lately to question editorally the American
Legion's decision at Minneapolis to keep out of
partisan politics, It suggests that the legion
"mutfed its mission" when the charter conven-
ton ruled that this organization shall be abso-
lutely nonpoltical and shall not be used for
the dissemination of party principles or for the
promotion of the candidacy of any person seek
ing political Office or preferment."
Let US suppose that it had been otherwise;
that this sage advice had been given and ac-
cepted by the American Legion before its con-
vention. Endorsements for president of the
United States would have been an early order
OF business, no doubt. Imagine, if you can the
legion delegates from say Massachusetts,, Ne
braska, Texas, Illinois, Washington, Indiana,
Kentucky, Ohio and California, agreeing just
who should be the next president and going
home to govern themselves accordingly. State
delegations with favorte sons OH their hands
might have been out-voted in some instances, if
| not convinced And the League OF Nations
would have come up for organized considera-
| ship, OF railways, and every other issue that
would have been represented by few adher-
ents, enthusiasts and lobbyists
What an hour of JOY for the practical polite
| ans and practical lobbyists. We are assuming,
that practical politicians continue to exist and
| flourish even at this late date. And that their
purely tactical uses methods. ethics and even
powers are unimpaired as result of the war
And that they would have lost all claims to
being practical politicians if they were not in
side the convention enclosure once the gates
were open: Such being the case, their lieuten-
ants would have been on the job early and late
with practical advice" for otherwise these rank
political amateurs of the legion might spend all
their time expounding ard applying mere boy
lsh ideals that they had brought back from
training areas and battlehelds, and thus forget
to deliver the political bacon
Patronage, Of course, would have been bar
tered IL Ike futures in wheat. Beneficial soldiers
legislation would have gone on the trading
block and into the pork barrel, to be doled out
IN return tor political support. If after such
a performance the legion had inquired where
T congress stood on this measure or that it would
OF course, have been more or less practical had
individual congressman made discreet inquiry
as to just how much legion support was coming
their way at the polls next election.
With the nationl convention setting the
pace and example, the same performance of
course, would have been reproduced in minia-
ture in every state convention and local post
meeting in the country. Picture the joy of the
practical politician were the local posts of the
legion a succession of hiving political camps.
bartering and trading with old-timers for
patronage and support. Picture a state or
bronzed candidate for constable in return for
the leglons support for the machines impecca-
bic candidate tor governor. Possibly with an
appointment as assistant warden thrown in to
boot, if a shrewd bargain were driven. For,
had the legion's vision of its true mission been
so dwarfed as to lead it into the wilderness of
partisan politics, it inevitably would have gone
into these practical plays for patronage, pres
tige and preferment.
1t is merely trifing detail that it would
have required at once division of the Amer-
can Legion into at least two great parts the
American Legion auxiliary 10 the republican
party and the American Legion annex TO the
democratic party. 1t would have been a bit
early, to expect lifelong party men in the legion
to abandon their parties completely on ma
jority. vote of their new organization-the
American Legion
But they are merely keeping their collective
a duty that could be performed by aloofness Of
their organization from party entanglements
They were practical enough to know that there
are lot of things out of kilter with our political
life. At the same time they knew that funda-
mentally the government is sound enough and
good enough for any human being, idealist or
otherwise. SO how quicken the political life
and conscience of the country? How bring
ideals and the practical everyday application Of
those ideals into closer cooperation. Through
political parties, no doubt; but certainly not bv
jumping pell-mell in the heat of white hot
political campaign which meant division of the
ranks at the outset and an ultimate assimilation
by political parties.
The mistake is frequently made of ruling the
American Legion out of politics because Of its
Minneapolis action. 1t should be clearly I'M
derstood that the American Legion is very
much in politics. It's members belong to politi-
cal parties, and no doubt they will keep up
their affllation with these parties in so far as
the country is run through parties. As individ-
uals they are free to become candidates. and no
doubt there not only will be demand for them
i'll public life but response fully great enough
to meet all demands
But they are merely keeping their collective
voice free from party entangements They are
not keeping their organization out of the politi-
cal life of the country bat out of the clutches of
the practical politicians. If the American
Legion as an organization has chosen to hold
aloof from the old parties, if it is going to
work through them rather than with them, it is
because it does not intend to burn its bridges
| behind it and be absorbed into nothingness 1t
| is because it prefers to watch the political par
| ties of the present and see that they meet, as
| they must meet the standards of all inevitable
| new era in American political life. 1t is be-
cause it prefers being political spur to being
political asset,
We believe that, far from "muffing" its mis-
| sion,' the American Legion merely escaped its
| extinction when, at its charter convention. it
refused to divide its strength into rival political
| camps and cast its hat with a whoop into the
! political arena.