New-York tribune., 1921-03-05
Legion Would
Gust Hylan for
Rhine Meeting
Richmond Hill Post Asks
Miller to Remove Mayor;
Charges He Failed to
Stop German Propaganda
Veterans After Anderson
Naval Organization to Act;
Colonel Says He Will Not
Resign; Threatens to Sue

Resolutions demanding the removal
of Mayor Hylan on account of his
refusal to stop tho "horror on
the Rhine" mass meeting at Madison
Square Garden last Monday night
have been scn< to Governor Miller
by Richmond Hill Post, No. 212, Of
the American Legion. An executive
committee meeting called for o'clock
this afternoon by Manhattan Naval Post
of the Legion at the Hotel McAlpin to
take action upon statements made by
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander f. An
dcrson may result in further demands
for Mayor Hylan's removal, it was dc
clared yesterday by prominent Legion
leader.
The resolution adopted by Richmond
Hill Post asserts that Mayor Hylan
failed to usc the resources at his COM
mand to stop a meeting which was
called for the purpose of spreading
German propaganda in the United
States
Drastic action may follow the calling
of the meeting of The Manhattan Naval
Post. it was said by Commodore Will
liam Erdmar, of the naval post. The
meeting is called primarily to take ac-
tion against Colonel Anderson for his
part IN ihe mass meeting and for his
subsequent remarks in which he re-
ferred to members of the naval post as
"hcroes Of Pelham Bay" and dry land
sailors"
1t is SAID that nearly 90 per cent Of
the members Of the post have threat
ened to resign from the Legion unless
Colonel Anderson's membership card
and Legion button arc taken from him.
Blackwell Scores Anderson
Other Legion posts have taken the
matter up, it was said yesterday. and
dozens Of protests against Colonel An
derson remaining Il member of the
Legion have been made One protest
lodged by James Blackwell, chairman
of the New York State executive com
mittee, follows
II desire to call attention TO the fact
that the state and county organiza-
tions opposed the meeting from its in
ception and therefore must have op-
posed what was said there. PERSON.
ally, Mr.. Anderson is entirely wrong
when he says that the objections come
from "a dry land sailor have the
honor to have been a member Of a com
bat division in tho A. Il, f., and the
condemnation of Andersons speech /
lind to be even greater among my for
mer comrades than among those who
were not fortunate enough to get over
seas. | personally feel that the stand
taken by the Mathat-an Naval Post is
the only stand real American can
take and I wish to express my graft
tude at its action
Julia Wheclock, treasurer of New
York County Post and commander of
Barbara Frietchie Post of the Legion,
said:
"Mr Anderson should be expelled
from the Legion in such q manner that
he can never again return. His dis
paragement Of the naval service, our
first line of defense, was cowardly and
uncallcd for. Where would the army
have been had it not been for the
navy
Anderson Threatens to Sue
In regard to the protests and the
calling Of the special meeting of the
Manhattan Naval Post of the Legion
Colonel Anderson said last night:
During the war any one looking for
u part where there was danger could
have found it. Referring to the men
of the Manhattan Naval Post and my
styling Of them as dry land sailors,
my remarks were applicable to those
who wore sailors uniforms but never
became scasick 1t is this class that
shouting under cover of the American
Legion. seeks to stfle all cXpresso on
of Amcricanism or any movement sane
toned by lawful authority, for the
sake Of some cheap notorety for their
post.
Il stand by my guns. and believe !
WAS in tho right. Proof Of that has
been shown by this number of compl-
mentary letters and kilograms that |
have received since the meeting. Under
no consideration will resign from the
Legion, and if necessary / will take
civil action to retain my status in the