Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1920-09-27

8fE4hAtNEts
our existence and, based upon these
results. to determine the policies of
the Legion during the coming year
and to elect national officers to Sad-
minister your organization and to put
into effect your decisions.
1T, Is only eighteen months ago
that at the Paris meeting the idea
seriously considered in a big way and
the name American Legion heard for
the FIRST time. since that day our
organization has grown * rapidly that
In every state and in every community
throughout tho length and breadth Of
the land the name American Legion
stands for the highest ideals and most
wonderful spirit of unselnsh service
shown by every man and woman in
the army navy and marine corps
during the world war.
Legion Grew Fast.
THE rapid growth Of the Legion
has been phenomenal. Such, a thing
has never happened before in either
this or any other country. This great
growth has been due. first to the fact
that our ideals al laid down last year
but practical, and second, to the spon-
taneous desire Of nearly every veteran
Of the world war to keep alive his
wonderful spirit Of service to his
country and service to his comrades.
and third, to the sound Of unselfsh
leadership of the little groups Of will
ling workers in every community who
appreciate the amount Of work nec-
-essary to make a success Of this great
movement.
"Ahd so all the credit Of the
achievements Of the Legion Is Justly
due to the individual members and
their unselfish leaders in every COM
munity, To these wonderful results
national headquarters has contributed
so insigni1cantly that I shall refer
but briefly to what we have tried to
do in helping this great \
eve have\ interpreted the main
function of national headquarters as
service to the different state depart
ments and have at all times favored
the maximum recognition OF the
rights of individual states not only in
their relations with the national
headquarters but as between the states
themselves as we'll. We have favored
the greatest possible decentralization
of authority amongst the different de-
partments consistent with national CO.
hesion and uniformity. We have en-
deavored to faithfully and efficiently
serve every department to the utmost
Of our means and our ability. We
have endeavored at all times to avoid
unnecessary assertion OF any national
authority but have rather appealed to
the ex%-service mans sense of team
! play-to his native tolerance-to his
willingness to compromise on the un-
essentials in order that he MAJ fight
to a finish on the fundamentals. so
that we may all pull together with a
united front and everyone pulling his
full Dad and all for the great purpose
of service to our country and service
to our comrades.
THE greatest single service we have
rendered ur@2 country was the vtrile
stand for the maintenance of law and
order. We quickly served notice in no
uncertain terms upon those wild radi-
Gals who would by force attempt to
injure these very institutions w had
risked ou} lives to protect. We stated
plainly that we were ready for then,
and could meet their force with far
greater force sufficient to stop them
instantly.
During these present days Of un-
rest and readjustment, the American
Legion and the stand OF the ex-service
man for law and order is the greatest
possible insurance policy our country
could possibly have and the only in.
surance premium the ex-service mar
expects In return is simply fair play
from that government with which he
has played so fair.