The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-09-07

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forget ever went to war.
Candidly, feel sorry for that kind
of bird. There are a good many of
them and it is evident that there is
something out of whack upstairs; or
else he didn't learn to, use that think
box even little cit while in the SER
vice. And I am also tempted to re-
call those lines
sBreathes there man with soul SO
dead
Who to himself hsth ,lexer said
etc.
when I raa across t...::s type of
honlbre.
I go away satisfied ti.,h i when he
gets a little older and observes the
growing popularity of the American
Legion year by year he'll join of his
own free will and accord; and if he
doesn'SweN some day he Will wake
I'D to the fact that he is s. O. L.
I'm writing this article mainly for
the benefit of ex-soldiers. The first
thing I learned after getting into the
rucus October 8, 1917, was to talk
plain and 8 talk frankly to the other
fe1.cw. So here goes:
Other Soldier Organizations
Twenty years after the War Be-
tween the States the Grand Army Of
the Republic was the strongest organ
dzation in the North and the United
Confederate veterans was the strong
est organization in the South. A man
who belonged to the United Confe1ec-
ate veterans and was otherwise cap
able could have almost anything he
wanted and a soldier of the north who
belonged to- the Grand Army OF The
Republic and was reasonably fitted
could have anything he wanted up
that way and then some. President
Grant and President Mckinley were
veterans Of the War Beswaea the
States, if lny memory serves me right.
Now let's get down to the, Spanish
American war. Comparatively few
men cf the la-d got into it for the
good and simple reason that Spain
cried "calf rope" before the boys had
achance. Still, many Of those fellows
who saw service in that scrap are
leaders IN the professional and con-
mercial world today. Lcok over the
list of majors and colonies and gea-
erals in the United States army TO-
day, for instance and you'll find that
many of them were II the Spanish
American war and were partially en-
abled to climb up the ladder because
of the start that they got then.
American Legion u Future
Fifteen years from 5oGsy-nay ten
years from today, the American Le-
gion is going 70 be the most powerful
organization in the United State.
Powerful politically; powerful social
powerful in every way. In fact,
the four million and some odd hun
dred thousand fellows who saw SER
ivce during the fracas with Fritz
viii take over the whole works.
One can see evidences of it already.
A couple of ex-service men, at least.
have already been elected to con-
gress. Ex-sehvice men have been
elected to tle legislature from South
Carolina ard from every state IN the
Union. The postofice department has
ruled that those service men who arc
applicants at civil service exam;1a-
tions be given all possible preference.
In the comercial world outside the
realm of government, preference is
being shown the men who served. The
American Legion is already acting as
an agency through w'..;ca these jobs
may be Obtained. There was not
great deal CT The spirit Of fraternity
I'm the army. Some of course, but
not to any g.eat extent. There IS
more in the American Legion, now,
young as it is, than there was n the
army.
Ard that spirit of frsstse-'.-:.:c.--..==--.a a2d