New-York tribune., 1921-11-03
Harding's Opposition to
Adjusted Compensation
Deplored ;Harvey'ssS Save
Our Skim Talk Assailed
New Workers Win
Fight for Reforms
Bergdoll Return Demand
ed; Foch Host to New
Commander, an lowan
From a Staf Correspondent

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Nov. 2.-Dele-
gates to the third annual convention
OF the American Legion unanimously
elected Hanford MacNider, of Mason
City, Iowa, to-day as national COM
mander for the coming year. Mr.. Mac
Nider is veteran Of the I'd Division,
in which he served as an officer of the
9Th Infantry and received numerous
decorations for valor. He is the young
est executive the Legion has yet
chosen-thirty-two years old-but is
conceded by even those who first op-
posed his selection to be the nearest
approach to the late Commander GAL
braith in the veteran organization.
He is a graduate of Harvard, 1911, and
entered the service during the mobili-
zation for Mexican border duty.
New Vice Commanders
The new ce-commanders, also
chosen to-day. are representative of the
entire country. They are H. Nelson
Jackson, Of Burlington, VT; George L.
Berry, of Nashville, Tenn; Raymond
0. Bracket, of Marblehead, Mass;
Charles S. Kendrick, of San Francisco,
and John A. Mccormick, Of Las Animas,
Col. Berry's vote was overwhelming
by virtue Of which he will be tho
senior vicc-commander.
Josephus Daniels jr. was nominated
for vice-commander by one of his en-
thusiastic colleagues from North Caro-
lima, but not even his own state cast q
vote for him. He received two votes,
both from Virginia.
MacNider's victory to-day is the cul-
mination Of determined effort by his
supporters to award him the highest
honors in the Legion. In 1919 at Min
neapolis he opposed Franklin D,Olier,
and when the latter received q major
ity on the first ballot the new com
mantler mounted the rostrum and with
drew in his favor. At Cleveland last
year MacNider opposed Galbraith, and
once again he withdrew.
New York Swings Election
To-day, however, delegates from New
York State, with eighty votes, held the
balance of power, and when they swung
to MacNider other states followed.
Other candidates who had been named
Jack Williams, of Missouri, and En-.
met O'Neal, of Kentucky. When it be-
came apparent that MacNider was the
popular choice all the other candidates
quit the race and the new chief of
veterans was escorted to the stand.
Commander MacNider was presented
to the convention by his predecessor.
John G. Emery, and he said:
81 appreciate the high honor and the
great responsibility. You know that
the strength of the Legion is in the
men you represent in your posts at
home, not in the national Headquarters.
There is where the Legion is and there
is where we shall try to reach.
"We must build this legion of ours
so big and fine and strong, keep it so
clean and straight and American, that
when we ask for things for the ex-
service man, for the disabled man and
for those who are financially disabled
our communities will say, If the legion
is for it we are for it,
For that service and with a pledge
to you of every economy and all meas
ures possible for constructive progress
TOR that service, stand at your COM:
mand."
Guest of Foch at Dinner
Tonight Comma nder MacNider waa
a guest of Marshal Foch at a aalinner in
his honor.
Afterward the new commander is
sued a statement in which he said that
the Legion, in it's convention concluded
to-day, had outlined four great issues
to fight for: Claw and order, i'm
mediate relief for the disabled, Ameri-
caDism and adjusted compensation.
"And we shall fight for them," he
added.
The closest contest of the convention
came in the voting for national chap
lain. The race was between Joseph
l.. N. Wolfe, Of Philadelphia, and E. A.
csatinued on psss slsyes,