Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-04-01

The men who gathered at that event
full meeting did many important things,
including the selection OF home for
the new patriotic organization. They
called IL the American Legion, and
under that name 1t viii go down In
the patriotic history OF the United
States.
The caucus also named a committee
OF fifteen To work I'm the United states
and 10 plan for a national meeting
within n year. This committee came
home and a caucus was arranged for
at st. Louis. May s.
The ST. Louis meeting was a revela-
ton. There several hundred men who
had served their country al home and
abroad met and. forgetting both creed
and politics. worked TO inject the prin-
ciples OF Americanism in one great
movement, the American Legion. At
this meeting a joint executive com
mittee was formed by men OF "a states
with units In the Legion. This COM
mittee formulated basis for perma-
nent organization and agreed that
constitutional convention OF the Le-
glon would be held In Minneapolis in
November. An organization commit
tee OF FIVE was appointed to complete
plans for the Minneapolis meeting.
This committee was composed OF
Henry d. Lindsey of Texas. Bennett
| c. Clark of Missouri. Franklin D'Olier
of Pennsylvania. DR.. Richard Derby If
| New York, and Erie Fisher Wood az
| Pennsylvania. Mr.. Lindsey was
! chosen chairman Of the committee and
! because OF that service and his sub
sequent work as chairman Of the Min
neapolis convention, the title Of first
commander ~ the American Legion
was conferred on him. Mr. Wood was
named The secretary. one important
step taken nj the 81. Louis meeting
was that OF asking the congress Of
the United States for charter. This
request was ntrusted to Luke Lea
and Thomas w. Miller. The measure
was introduced In both houses June
81. last year. II passed the house Of
representatives August - and the sen.
! ate September =. President Wilson
signed the charter September l6 COM
pleting the work Of granting charter.
the first ever granted 10 an organiza-
tion az the nature ~ the American
Legion. The legislative committee Of
the Legion also placed before the con-
gress many other important legisa-
tive matters. including bills covering
land grants for former service men.
hills dealing with the question Of the
deportation OF alien sackers and other
matters OF interest 10 men OF the Le-
gion.
Important steps taken at the ST.
Louis meeting provided for the open
ing Of national headquarters in New
York and for the publication OF a
weekly periodical that would be of in
terest To former service men. Plans
also were made to have three we'll
known men OF the legion visit different
parts of the country to further the In
terests of the new organization. The
men chosen were Theodore Roosevelt
Jr.. John +. j. Herbert and John W.
liner. These made tours Of the coun.
try 10 advance the organization Of
local posts. When the American Le-
gion met I'm Minneapolis the member
ship had passed the 10000 mark. and
il was predicted that the million mark
would he reached In a few months.
There now are more than 5000 Amer
lean Legion posts in the United States,
Alaska. Cuba and Hawaii.
Franklin DOlier Of Pennsylvania Is
the new commander OF the American
Legion. lie, with other new officers
Of the Legion have opened headquar-
ters offices 'of The Legion I'm Indian.
apolS MD Indianapolis and Indiana,
feeling % ioint pride In the honor paid
the state by che american Legion, wei.
comes them. When they came they
heard hat Indianapolis was preparing
To erect memorial 10 her fighting
sons that viii serve not only rs home
for the American Legion. but for other
patriotic bodies. including The veterans
of the Grand Army 0f the Republic
aud the Spanlsh-American war.