The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-01-27

Some states have barred him rom boxing within their boundaries and there has been considerable criticism because he did not enlist in some have declared 1t unjust for Dempsey to receive a fortune for boxing Car pentier when he did nothing during the war but work in a shipyard. Members of Harry W. Congdon post of the American Legion of this city, have taken up Dempsey's case. The following article will disclose the progress made so far:
 If the man was a wilfu1 draft dodger and shourd he be so found he should be publicly condemned, but should 1t be proven that his was deserving case and legal exemption from service in the recent World War, granted him, then he should be completely exonerated from the many allegations heaped upon his good name, was the concenSus of. opinion of the members of the executive committee of Harry W. Congdon local post of the American Legion, at special meeting held last evening at which the status of Jack Dempsey, recognized heavyweight champion of the world. was the prin- oipal topic of discussion. A commit tee was appointed to in1me diate1y tn- vesttgate the matter.
 The meeting was held in the rooms of the Bridgeport club on Cannon street. Members of the executive committee was called in special ses- sion for the express purpose of mak- 1 ing arrangements for the memorial services to be held in the High school Lyceum on Feb. 22. While this was an important matter and occupied | considerable time the meeting was a | quiet affair until the Dempsey matter
 was brought before the committee. Ii was then the excitement commenced l for this matter was totally unexpect- ed to be entered into the affairs of the | meeting.
 It was brought to the attention o1
 the executive committee by. one mem
 Der that the American Legion was or
 gantzed for the purpose of seeing thai
 justice is done not only members O
 the Legion but to everyone who Is
 citizen of the United States and fo
 maintaining an absolute spirit of de
 mocracy and fair play in all matter
 of national interest.
 Certain posts of the Legio1
 throughout the country have openl
 denounced Dempsey and publicly ac
 cused him of being a. Stacker" so
 called. One or two other posts o
 the Legion have exonerated tn
 pugilist and even gone so far as t
 elect both Dempsey and Georges Car
 pentier, heavyweight champion 0
 Europe, to honorary membership i their posts. Some members of tn
 executive committee raised objectio to meddling in this affair without con
 sulting the National Executive com mittee. The fact was then disclose
 that the National Commander ha already refused to take any action l
 the matter one way or the other. A suggestion was made by 8 mem s Der of the committee that the matte ! i7be o,a1ly ignored by the local DO: . Lbut other members urged that th ! lmatter be brought to a, head, loca1l ;, at least, by the Bridgeport Post eau: ing a thorough investigation of th , status of Dempsey and why caus : should have been found by his loc; z exemption board to grant his claim. It was agreed that the case of Jac }Dempsey has become 8 national an
 Ilikewtse an international topic alrao K on the eve of his first attempt at d. ] lfending his title as heaTyweigl champion boxer of the world since I decisively won the title from Jess Wi Hard on Independence Day of the pa
 year. The committee further agree -tthat the fame and fortune likely to
 accumulated by the champion depen'
 ed whole lot upon public opinion {
 it is likely to be moIded by the actit
 of the various posts of the America
 tLegion throughout the states Whi
 that f
 matter should never have been di
 cussed by an individual post al "A should have been left to the nation s body the deed has been commit J and in the opinion of the local Exc
 utive Committee it should be finish
 in 8 thorough manner and Demps b eit7cr proven an out and out wifi IS draft dodger or the mans honor su is tained Should the latter be the T n suit of the investigation Jack Dem " sey will be elected an honorary mer
 ber of the HCrry w. Congdon Post
 Bridgeport.
 As one energetic member of t ls committee said: This man Demps u has at stake a good name. and a fo y tune as well. I heartily agree that d should be condemned by all 100 r t. cent. Americans should it be prov l. that he did wilfuIly dodge the Sele
 tive Service and should 1t be so foul it you will find me foremost in pros e. cutting such condemnation. HoWeF; m tho matter should be given deep co ct sideration and a thorough inVest1s Id tion completed before any action
 taken by the Harry W. Congdon Pc
 ''Yes, have read considerable ', the case. It is Dempsey's claim tn o he had dependent mother, cri IS pied brother and 8 young sister d is pendent upon his support; that r. claimed exemption on those groun
 and when exempted by his local boa n he sought employment in a sh1pya d. where he was of some material be le eft to his country.
 e. "Should it be learned that his clai lg was a deservinr one he should lg cleared at once of all accusations
 the contrary. It Is true that ma tI members of the Army had bona fl a claims as deserving as that of Ja ,y Dempsey and were refused exemptt
 by theirslocaI board but because z- injustice was done some by Thar o- boiled" draft boards it is to the ho
 or and credit of the California ( " emption board for granting the cha1 of pion's request if he proved to tn tb satisfaction the legitimacy of n claim.
 N The matter has caused consideral