New-York tribune., 1920-09-27
10000 Legion
Men Reunited
I'm Cleveland
20 Medal of Honor Win.
ners Arrive Early for Com.
vention; N. Y. Delegation
Biggest of Amy State
Biz Boom for MacNider
Banker Favoring Bonus Out
for Commander; Cenaralia
Flag i'm Parade To-day
From a s.or. correspondsus

From SfdD Correspondent
CLEVELAND, Sept. 2S.-This is the
eve of the second annual convention of
the American Legion, and to say that
Cleveland has done herself proud in her
reception to the stalwart veterans Of a
great fighting machine is mild praise.
More than 10000 legionnaires are bill
!eted in the convention city and twenty
Of the Congressional Medal Of Honor
men, winners of the most coveted dec
oration for valor within the gift of
the American people, are among them.
1t is difficult to say just what the
convention will bring forth in the mat
ter of new legislation and new policies,
but it is plain that an insurgent move
msnt is on foot among great number
Of the more than one thousand dele
gates which will preclude any possi-
bility of a machine administration"
being chosen for the new year.
New Workers Arrive
The New York delegation reached
Cleveland this morning, seventy eight
strong, and found that one candidate
IOT u4tEOuak SOIuIIlduueE was D0lnR
pushed vigorously by the Illinois dele
cation. He is Milton G. Foreman, Illi-
nois past department commander, and
his followers take his election to the
high Office for granted.
The New York delegation, under the
leadership Of Past State Commander
Wade H. Hayes, is the strongest of any
state, and has not committed itself on
national officers. However, it is certain
that the New Workers will not approve
any politics in the organization. Any
effort by the other states to "railroad"
q candidate through will meet with
opposition.
Hanford MacNider, of Mason City,
Iowa, carries most of the favor Of the
New Workers in the race for national
commander. His letter to the Wall
Street interests recently, in which he
rebuked them for their attitude toward
beneficial legislation for veterans, has
won him host of friends. They point
out that he is banker and has in
In declaring himself on the principle.
he is a war hero, having won nine
citations and is known as two-Eanded
mans man."
Strong in South and West
The weight MacNider carries in the
South and West probably will make him
q keen contendep,
As for the legion's attitude toward
the bonus, there Is DO possibility that
it will be changed. A survey Of the
delegates to-day showed that they stand
ten to one in favor of the additional
compensation.
70 The vice-commanders probably will
be selected in a different manner from
thatof last year 1t is proposed that the
country be divided into five districts
and that vice-commander be chosen
for each. One district would comprise
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
and the New England states. No can
didate has yet appeared for this Office
IN the New York zone, and none will
be selected until the New York dele
gatess caucus tomorrow morning.
At the caucus of New Yorkers this
morning it was decided that in all
voting the unit rule would be adopted,
provided that two-thirds of the dele
gates agreed on any issue. Hayes was
elected as permanent delegation chair
man and Miss Ray Sawyer executive
secretary Of the State Of New York,
secretary.
Will Study Candidates
1t is safe to say that so far as New
York's attitude toward new officers is
concerned the delegation might be
from Missouri" 1t demands to be
shown the merits and abilities of the
candidates and will not support any
!egionnaire in whom it has not the
fullest confidence.
Irwin Ira Rackoff, of the Murray Hill
Post, still has the honor of being the
most diminutive member Of the Legion.
HIS four feet ten of stature obscures
aim until he starts to talk
Ohio State Department Commander