Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1921-01-10
STATE COMMANDED R
Of LEGION ISSUES
NE SSACE: To VETS
REMINDS MEN THEY WERE OR
CANNED TO KEEP MEMO
RIES GREEN
BECOMES LEADING
BODY OF WORLD
Again Takes Stand Against Saddling
Heavy Burden on Nation For
Soldier Bonus
Especial to News.)

Miami, Jan. 10-Impressing upon
members of the different posts of
the Florida American Legion the
fact that they were organized TO
keep fresh and vigorous the ideals
for which its members fought, State
Commander ]. L. Billingsley who IS
at the Hotel Urmey with his bride,
today issued statement replete with
advise and praise of the organiza-
tion. 1t is the first message to the
legion Of Florida from the new state
commander.
The bills now before congress,
which provide for more hospitals and
the better care of the wounded and
many other subjects, are discussed
in Commander Bil!1ngsley's state
nent, which is as follows:
Commander Billingsley's Statement.
.s'The American Legion is rapidly
becoming one of the leading organ
fszasiDns of the world, and the Ameri-
can people are beginning to realize
this fact. The opportunities for
good are limitless, and as occasions
arise from time to time, the ind:vi1-
ual members are making good.
"We are trying to impress upon
the ex-service men that the fight for
right and justice did not end with the
signing of the armistice, and it is
the duty of every good soldier and
sailor to now take his place in the
ranks of the home folks and work
for law and order.
every ex-service man should so
conduct himself that the boys and
other citizens may refer to him with
pride as an example Of modest AM
erican manhood.
"In Florida we are endeavoring to
impress the men with the fact that
each post must do its full duty IN
keeping up attendance and increas-
ing membership.
"At the national conventions a
man is impressed with the personnel
of the gatherings, the enthusiasm,
energy and sense of fair play. At
the recent Cleveland convention one
could see men of national fame who
had not only made great sacrifices
during the war, but are now giving
much time and money to the legion
work, and the keynote Of these meet
ings is good citizenship and integri-
ty.
"We made a fight against a cash
bonus for able bodied eXservice mon,
believing that there are only a few
who would be materially benefited,
although the sum of the national
debt would be increased about S2,-
OOO,OOO,OOO, thereby. Personally |
am unalterably opposed to saddling
this unnecessary debt upon the tax
payers of the country, who already
have a national debt of about $685.
900 100000
1--WE want to see the sick and dis
abled soldiers amply provided for
the crippled, blind, gassed and de-
mented ex-service men should be
properly cared for regardless Of
cost. We are now urging the pas
sage of bills calculated to take care
of the situation. One is the Lang
ley bill, now on the calendar of the
House, which provides for the build
ing of new hospitals to take care Of
disabled ex-service men, also a res
olution providing a hospital of 1000
beds to take care of mentally disa-
bled men, and the bill by Mr.. France,
providing $29,OOOOOO for the build
ing of new hospitals.
''The Legion IN Florida is growing
stronger every day, and as the years
go by, the men will look back with
pride and be able to say that they
were among the first members of the
American Legion, the greatest and
largest organization of its kind IN
the world"