New-York tribune., 1921-03-23
Rhine Horror Speaker
Found Guilty of Conduct
!. prejudicial to Principles
of War Vetera ms
cnnmittee Trial
Verdict Unanimous
Accused Questions Juris-
diction, Saying His Post
Has Ceased to Exist

Colonel Alexander E. Anderson. for
merly Of the seth Regiment, whose re-
MARIA at the recent Horror on the
Rhine" meeting at Madison Square Gar
den have caused wide discussion. was
expelled from the American Legion of
New York County last night after a
trisl by the executive committee of the
erganization. Henry ". 5ixton. chair
man of the committee, presided.
Colonel Anderson was found guilty of
conduct prejudicial to the principles,
reputation and interest of the American
Legion, and his expulsion was voted
unanimously. The verdict declared the
bfHcer to be guilty on four out of five
counts.
Two charges were made against Colo.
mel Anderson originally, first, that he
had made unpatriotic remarks at the
tHorror on the Rhine" meeting. and
second, that he had used insulting and
inproper language in a reference to
Manhattan Naval Post of the Legion,
printed in a newspaper interview.
The trial proceeded on the basis OF
The first charge, the other being dropped
because the reporter who had written
the interview upon which it was based
did not appear to testify.
Sends Message to Meeting
Colonel Anderson was not repre-
tented by an attorney of his own choos-
ing, but Edward p. ScanIan. former
secretary of Post 495 of the Legion.
appeared with letter from Anderson
vhich he turned over to Chairman Bux-
ton. In this letter Anderson denied
the jurisdiction of the Legion. The
message delivered by Scanlan read, in
part: 49,
y desire to inform the executive COM
mttee OF the American Legion through
you as its chairman that | am with
eus the jurisdiction of the organization
It's bylaws, rules or actions, for the rea-
Gn That on December Is, 1920 the 69th
Regiment, Rainbow Division, Post 495,
With the approval and consent of it's
members, ceased to exist as a post of
tie American Legion"
seaman was at once asked to take
no stand He testified that the facts
geTe as stated in the letter from Col
onet anderson and that the post had
ceased to exist as long ago as Decem-
Mf. He said the reason for disband-
nsnt was that only about sixty of the
$500 members of the old seth Regiment
sculd be induced to join the Legion
tough Colonel Anderson had made
very effort to induce them to do so.
Named as Defense Council
AT this point Irving Rackoff, one OF
hc members of the executive commit,
zee, suggested that an attorney should
M appointed to defend Colonel Ander.
son. Thomas j. Brady, of the 10th
infantry Post, withdrew from the
court on request and assumed the de.
tense of the absent colonel.
Several witnesses testified to the
character of utterances delivered at
the Horror on the Rhine" meeting
aemea M. Blackwell, district chairman
~ sne Legion, said that DR.. Won Mach
= Introducing Colonel Anderson, had
lsaefred to him as representing the
american Legion. Mr.. Blackwell said
sae MADISON Square Garden gathering
ns less than one-half of one per cent
american, and Testified that Colonel
anderson in the course of his remarks
osed the phrase, when President Will
son dragged US into the war"
Scanlan, the Anderson emissary, was
tssin called to the stand. He said he
s.a come to the court merely as a mes
anger for Colonel Anderson, and did
ssV.. ~. .eei that he should be called on to
NsuIy. he declared he had known Colo
bsl : anderson for twenty years, and that
soldier. A anu q sooo
william F. Began and E. X. Morris,
SsSar SSMoer Of the Legion, also testified to
.s;n .ssaRg taken notes at the Garden gath
mug ns ana to the character of the