Evening journal., 1921-06-11

was found lying unconscious under
a bridge four miles west OF town
yesterday. He had attempted to walk
from Detroit, Mich, to his home in
Marion, Ill, after being discharged
from a Detroit hospital without any
money and he fell exhausted as he
neared this city. RAIDER told the
local authorities he had been under
the bridge for three days without
anything to eat and that he had
been too weak to summon aid. He
said he had been wounded during
the war and had gone to a hospital
in Detroit for treatment several
months ago. At that time he had
$4OO, and he had spent all of this in
obtaining treatment
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, May -S.-When a
man OF 23 who had been convicted
OF highway robbery in the Circuit
Court in st. Louis had been given a
sentence Of fifteen years imprison-
ment, he asked Judge Hall for a pri-
vate interview. He then revealed to
the judge that he had deliberately
concealed his military record
through fear. I did not want the
jury to know I had been an over
seas soldier for fear they would hold
it against me, as did everybody 1
tried to get work from he said. The
Judge commented, after hearing the
young mans story: He drove a
truck in France. but seven st. Louis
employers. including one he had
worked for before going to war. re-
fused to give him a job, as they we're
not hiring ex-soldiers. The govern
ment paid him a small allowance as
a disabled soldier, but he was kept
from getting 1t without a long de-
lay
Mr.. Legionnaire. If you know of
any World War veteran who has not
yet Joined The American Legion, who
doubts whether there is any reason
for the existence OF the organization.
who doubts whether The American
Legion can do anything that will
benefit him personals who doubts
whether or not it is his moral duty
to become a member, show him the
two newspaper dispatches quoted
above. They were published the
same day, and exactly four years
from the day the first American SOL
dier set foot on European soil
Think what the stories told IN
those two newspaper clippings in
dicatel Public Indifference. Public
neglect Veterans driven TO desper-
alton because the country which they
helped defend has seemed to turn
its back on them. Think OF the task
that faces The American Legion in
rousing the country to a thorough
realization Of its unfulfilled duty to-
ward its war veterans, in living up
to that purpose. The American I,e-
gion avowed upon its formation as
sistance to it's comrades OF the SER
vice.
Congress is still hesitating over
the passage OF measures providing
for the proper care Of the disabled,
over other relief measures for ex-
service men. The Legion must fight
for the passage Of this legislation
until it Is passed. In nearly every
State in the Union the Legion is like
wise pressing its case for justice to
the ex-service man. Throughout
the cities and towns OF the land the
Legion is lending practical assist
ance to the ex-service man in need,
working to live up to that clause in
the preamble to its constitution
which provides that we shall con-
secrate and sanctify our comrade-
ship by our devotion to mutual help
fulness'
THE country will not be aroused
when one sick and penniless veteran
crawls under a bridge to die. It will
not be aroused when one hungering
veteran turns to crime. But II will
be aroused when it sees all veterans
Of the World War rising to demand
adequate care and assistance for
those comrades who need IL. Like
wise in each community Of the coun-
try the Legion cannot adequately
render that first hand practical as
sistance TO its comrades who need Il
unless It has full cooperation OF all
ex-service men"