The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-08-06


ago, Ia France, That oil were asking
what kind Of veterans organization
we should have, corresponding to tho
G. A. r. and the Confederate Veterans
We had all seen the wonderful spirit
of those in the service and we thought
1t would be more than unfortunate If
that spirit were allowed to die out,
1t, therefore, was decided to form q
great veterans organization to which
every person would he eligible who
was In service, regardless Of whether
he were an officer or enlisted man, and
whether he served In this country or
France.
, The movement was started on the
fifteenth of March. last year, only a
year ago. In years time from that
small beginning 1t has become nm Or
ganIzation with an active organization
IN every state of TIE Union, with some
$500 posts and membership we'll
over million.
Why Is II that the American Legion
In such short time has grown so rap
Idly? The reason is simply this: That
IL was formed for the purpose of
keeping alive that spirit o. service
which we all know about. And that
spirit of service Is service to our coun-
try and service to our comrades.
y When we were over there, we saw
ourselves the radical tendencies in
"a off
ing from England of the radical ten
denotes In England, and we heard
there was some concern in this coun.
try as to what might happen when
over four million men were demobil-
lied. We made up our minds the first
service we should render to our coun.
try as civilians would be to see to II
that this government, this country
That we were protecting against the
enemy. we would protect against the
foes within.
! You have heard great deal about
the stand of the American Legion for
law and order. That stand for law
and order has done more for our coun-
try tnan most or us reaIlZe.
was talking a short time ago to a
member of foreign embassy and ha
was discussing the American Legion
and he said:
DO you realize most of the disor.
der and lawleSsneSs in our country IL
caused hy ex-servIce men, whereas In
your country you have your eX-scrv'
ice men putting down lawlcssness and
disorder"
was talking in Washington In this
Office of the military intelligence OF
the war department which is connect
ed with the attorney generals office
and they both told me that the. great
est central factor in curbing the activ
tiles Of the reds and the radicals wh'
would oveclurn our government b!
force was the American Legion. Thos'
who would 0verturn our government
by force know they can only do so b,
force and the only great group of cit
liens who recognize fully the powsl
OF force are the eX-service men whit
were fighting force with force. Ant
when they appreciated the fact tina
there were $500 posts throughout TIN
country and not locality of any size
but what had an American Legion post
and that 1t was n rnllying point arount
which the eX-service men can gathe
in case of lawlessness, and tina
through the legion all service mel
would stop the attempts of the rad
icals-that has turned the tide ant
made an Improvement since last sum
mer.
Let me give you an illustration of th'
soundneSs Of their judgment. Whel
the steel strike began In town IL
Ohio, the posts called meeting ant
they offered their services to the may
or. The mayor Immediately swore II
anout two hundred one hundred M
held In reserve and the other hundred
he put patroling the residence section
The next day the labor union called
meeting for the purpose of denonnc
ing the legion for strike breaking. Th'
head of the American Legion post nap
pened 10 be union man and he wen
to the meeting and he explained JUS
exactly what they were doing. INA