The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-03-22
WORLD WAR VETS
GET TURN DOWN
Former Service Men in Ottumwa
Send Sweeping Cold Wave over
Meeting Which is i
Staged.
THEY MAY COME HERE
American Legion Men in kcokuk May
Have Opportunity to Back Up
Action of Ottumwa Efsfg
Brethren. I'll.

Brethren. 3t,t.
Former service men in Keokuk
! probably will have an opportunity to
! turn down membership in the organi-
cation OF the World War Veterans,
AS nearly as anyone can learn from
the organizers, the veterans are op-
posed to the things the legion stands
for. Cold shoulders are being turned
on the organizers, the latest case of
frigidity occurring at Ottumwa.
The Ottumwa Courier gives this
account Of the sweeping cold wave:
Service mentof Ottumwa passed up
a golden opportunity last evening,
when. after listening patiently to ten
thousand miles of talk handed out by
Lester P. Barlow and Ward Martin,
organizers Of the World War Veter-
ans, not one took advantage Of the
chance offered by the two men to
ally themselves with an organization
that, with the committee of forty.
eight, the National Nonpartisan
league, the National Socialist league
and other radical organizations, Is. in
Barlow's own words, going to stamp
out the demagague, clean out Amert
can politics and sweep the country
at the next election" ......
The audience at one time during
the evening reached as high as fifty
or sixty, more than half of whom
were members of the local post Of
the American legion, but by. the time
Barlow had stopped to catch his
breath near the latter part of his
speech, the audience had dwindled
until mere handful remained.
When, at the close of the speaking,
Barlow invited service men to come
forward and join his organization, he
found himself alone in the hall with
only his partner and the two men left
to close up the hall remaining. s$
The meeting was a, farce from first
to last and provided round of en-
joyment for the service men who
attended. The American Legion men
who were present were on hand to
see that the organizers did not at
tempt to repeat in their local ap-
pearance their attacks on the Ameri.
can Legion which they pulled off in
| other Iowa cities in which they have
appeared. The organizers had appar-
emily heard Of the attitude of local
legion men. for not once during their
talks did they attempt an attack on
the legion, and throughout the even
ing offered concniatory remarks and
tried to smooth over their past at
tacks on the legion. !,
Martin Defends Barlow.
Martin opened the meeting and,
after explaining the objects and pur-
poses Of the World War Veterans,
launched into an oratorical and flow
cry defense of Barlow. According to
Martin, Barlow has been the most
abused and misunderstood man in the
country, savior unappreciated, and
the goat Of everybody from army Of
ficers to county officials. He dwelt
at length on the service which Bar
war; told how invaluable he proved
himself to be to the aircraft division
of the army, how he had refused a
commission as colonel in the army,
and had waived all claims to, royal.
ties from aerial bombs which he. is
claimed to have invented for the use
of the American army.
Martin did not slight himself,
either, and told of the glorious record
of his ancestors, from the one who
steered the Mayflower into Plymouth
bay, down through history and in
Guiding himself. ,..-..
He launched an attack on practi- /,
cally all Of the public officials. from I
members of congress down to- the !!
sheriff Of the smallest county in Min !
nesota, and according to him they /
should all be prosecuted, hanged or /
otherwise punished for misdeeds ,
quoted by the dozen by .the speaker.
= .". -: na e.-1' ss.,; ,
at. No Figures to Show. -
Although both speakers had boast /
ed during their talks, of the 100000
members in the organization, when
questioned they were unable to offer
apy figures on the enrolment in any /
state, the number Of posts or the size
Of any. ~...>~.
y. F. Steck, member of the ma.
.ional executive committee of the +
legion, and prominent in the affairs
IF the local post, acted as interroga
tor of Barlow and, aided by other
H.,
getting Barlow to backrwater on most
IF the statements which he had dwelt
upon during his talk. 80.
He admitted, when questioned by
Mr.. Steck, that the statement he had
made during his talk to the effect
hat he had headed 3 delegation, of
World War Veterans to the American
legion national convention in Mime
,polis last fall was misleading and
hat he had gained admission to the
halls on guests ticket
which he exhibited. .-
While both speakers had empha'
sized in their talks that the orsani-
alton was opposed to compulsory
military training, but favored uni,
7ersal military training, they offered
~ satisfac Glory anwswer to Mr.
,teck's query as to how it would be
,ossible to have universal training
Without making it compulsory.
of tho nina wOrlS l.