The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-06-11
ABBEv|LLE VOTES
AGAINST BONUS
SPECIAL MEETING OF AMERI-
CAN LEGION POST NO. 2
HELD YESTERDAY AFTER.
NOON SHOWS UNANIMOUS
OPPOSITION TO ANY FORM
OF CASH BONUS FOR ABLE.
BODIED EX.SERVlCE MEN

In the shade OF the old water OAK
tree in front of the County Court
House late yesterday afternoon the
second secession" convention was
held in Abbeville. It was called
meeting Of the Abbeville Post No.
2, American Legion, for the pur-
pose of selecting delegates to the
State convention of the American
Legion to be held in Spartanburg,
the City of Success, and the home
Of Major Hemphill, Abbeville's best
advertiser, on next, Tuesday.
! Post Commander w. D. Wilkinson
called the meeting to order and out
lined the business upon which the
post was to act.
The first question brought up
was that of the bonus, brought up
first because as Congress had been
unable to decide just what to do, it
was presumed by the Legionnaires
that their assistance in getting rid
of this Georgian knot was urgently
needed. And the knot was quickly
loosed so far as the Abbeville post
is concerned. When the post COM
mander called for motion Wallace
Harris moved that ''the Abbeville
post 60 on record as being strongly
opposed to any form Of cash bonus
for able-bodied service men
while as yet no ample provision has
been made for those soldiers and
sailors who were either partially or
wholly disabled as result of their
services in the military forces of the
United States"
Commander Wilkinson, calling
Lieut.. Carroll Swetenberg to take
the ''tree" stated that he wished to
amend the motion before the post
which had in the meantime re.
ceived several seconds, by making
the motion "that the Abbeville post
go on record as being opposed to
any cash bonus ever being paid
able-bodied ex-service men," Lieut..
f. Z. Cox latter slight delibera- |
tion, stated that he didn't know
about that. In fifty years some of
US will be real old vets, and fifty or
seventy-five dollars may come in
right handy" he said. So upon the
strength of fact that some of the
Legionnaires might in the far, dis
tant future need the pecuniary as
sistance of a few of Uncle Sans !
dollars, the motion, as originally put
by Mr.. Harris, was unanimously
carried.
The next question taken up was
that Of sending delegates to the
State convention next Tuesday
when the South Carolina posts will
decide whether they will agin take
the bits in their mouth and secede
from the national organization, be-
cause of the alleged overriding Of
the Palmetto posts expression of
opinion as being unalterably op-
posed to a cash bonus for all ex-
service men, by the national execu-
tive committee of the Legion.
Secession was discussed, pro and
con, by many of the members pres
ent at the meeting and it may be
truthfully said that if the delegates
to the state convention had been
instructed at all, they would have
been instructed to vote against Sc.
cessioni n any form. However, the
post expressed it's confidence in the
delegates selected, and the follow
ing members will represent the Abb
beville post in Spartanburg next
Tuesday and will vote as their best
judgment directs them: R. E. Cox,
Carol Swetenburg, w. F. Jones,
Arthur Rosenberg and ]. D. Fulp.
Just as soon as the decision of the
state convention at Spartanburg is
known, provided it does not vote
for secession, the Abbeville post is
planning for a membership drive
and to fit up club rooms and "pull
off, scme society stunts.