Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-09-06
bonus IDEA wins
NOW UP To SENATE
American Legion in Rich
mond Have Hot Fight
on Measure
BARTON COMMANDER
c. Keith Carlin of alexandria Dele
gate to National COnventionO. A.
Reardon on State Executive Com.

j Richmond, Sept. 6.-By vote Of
/ 11O to Is, delegates to the State
convention of the American Legion,
at their final session Saturday
i passed resolution framed by their
national committeeman, John j.
/ Wicker, Jr, invalidating both Wick
er's majority report in favor of the
soldier bonus and the minority re-
port championed by Robert B. sTun-
stall, of Norfolk.
| The substitute resolution, after a
! preamble devoted to scourging of
profiteers, put the convention on rec
/ ord as favoring the four-fcld relief
bill, in which is embodied the cash
! bonus plan and which now is in a
!pigeonhole OF Senator Smoot's desk
! at Washington. However, it catered
/ to the opinions of those delegates op-
posed to accepting a bonus, even If
! offered by Congress, by declaring
! that Virginia shall not fight for the
bill in the national convention at
/ Cleveland a few weeks hence, being
content simply to leave the outcome
| IN the hands of the Senate without
conducting campaign to gain pas
sage of the bill.
] Robert B. Barton, of Winchester,
a captain of field artillery in the
Eightieth Division; G. NJ. Harrison,
Of Fredericksburg, and DR.. Thomas
b. Williamson, of Norfolk, post COM
/ mander in that city the past year.
were the nominees for the command
terskip. A majority, or f05 was needed.
and Barton received just that number
on the first ballot. His election was
then made unanimous.
| Bernard Meredith, of Richmond,
I who have served the past year as.
! State war risk officer, was chosen
by acclaim for the vice commander
ship.
William A. Stuart, of Big Stone
Gap, retiring State commander, was
/ opposed TO John j. Wicker, il. ma
tional committeemai. from Virginia.
for election to this Office. the next
:cntest on the slate. The present in
eunibcnt, who had been almost con-
atantly before the convention with one
phrase CIR another Of his fight for
| the bonus plan, received 122 votes to
Stuart's SO. and the latter moved for,
a unanimous return of Wicker for his
position.
Post Commander Stuart was chos-
en- delegate at large. with ninety
nine votes.
/ 1t was noon before the plan to have
! debate on the bonus limited to five
minutes for each speaker was de-
|feated. Mr.. Wicker briefly subn tilted
| his majority report, signed by ten
members and Robert B. Tunstall, of
Norfolk, reported for five minority
members. He then spoke on mo-
tion to have the convention record it.
self as unalterably opposed to COM
pensation of any sort except that for
wounded men and ,heir dependents
nd the relatives of the dead
Colonel Spiller, of Roanoke, began
the open discussion of the question.
Luncheon by the Red Cross and a
concert by the Marine Band of
Quantico, whose appearance was by
special dispensation of Secretary
Daniels then intervencd.
/ After the election of Robert T.
Barton as the commander for the
coming year. and of vice conf
mander, and national committeeman
it was decided to leave the choice of
State adjutant, finance officer, ann
historian to the selection of the new
executive committee, which is COM
posed as follows:
First district, Nelson c. Overton.
Newport News; second district. H.
L. Brooks, Norfolk; third district
4 IRichmond). Andrew Christian:
fourth district. C. f. Pollard, Pet
icrsburg; fifth district. w. S. Hop
line Rocky Mount. s:yth
district, C. F. Cooke. Roa-
noke: seventh district j. S. Graves
Charlottesville; eight district, O. A /.
Reardon, Alexandra: ninth district
!, John A. Blakemore. and tenth DIS.
, trict, w. j. Perry, of Staunton
Continued on Page Fivel =.