The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-08-25
AMERICAN LEGION
DEMANDS JUSTICE

EoA@-ASAOAA ~ OCCOlllt
Potent Factor Says
New Commander
BOISE. Idaho Greater publicit,
OF American Legion affairs With,
the department Of Idaho Is promise,
by the new administration of IN
organization. d. Harold .McGratt
newspaper published OF Jerome
Idaho and vice-c0mmander Of tn
American Legion, elected at tn
Kellogg convention has been an
pointed publicity director for the Of
ganization for the ensuing year. MI
McGrath is one, OF the best know
OF the young newspaper men OF til,
state having been asAociated witt
newspapers In Idaho at Boise. Lewis
ton, Twin Falls, Wallace, Kellogi
and Jerome. Assisting him ii hi,
work will be c. A. Bottolfsen, pub
Usher Of an Arco newspaper and H
H. Miller Of Wallace,
Activity In the legion for the en-
suing year promises to be virile and
conservative. Robert D. Leeper
newly elected state commander has
issued the following statement upou
his conception Of the functions n
the organization. In an interyiey,
In the Lewiston Tribune, Mr.. Leeper
stated: :
"The convention did me the yery
great honor to elect me as com
mander of the department Of Idaho
for the ensuing year." said Mr..
Leeper, when interviewed, land /
enter upon my duties fully cognizant
OF the magnitude of the labors ahead
of me-
Is He continued to say that he was
highly impressed with the personnel
OF the convention, the seriousness
and ability with which the work was
carried on, and with the great mani-
festation Of hospitality extended to
the delegates by the citizens Of
Kellogg.
Interest ran high thruout the
convention" he went on, "and from
a full consideration Of its actions I
am fully convinced that the Ameri-
can Legion Is destined to become the
most potent influence for civic and
governmental good within our
nation. It is a powerful factor now.
and It is constantly growing and ex-
panding.
THE legion" he continued. sis
the only organization which is
actively representing the ex-seryice
men IN their struggle for rehabilita-
ton In civil life. We are concerned
primarily for the care OF the sick.
disabled and destitute veterans. We
are also concerned in the breaking
down OF the, handicaps which the
aPe-bodied veterans must overcome
In his efforts to again take his proper |
place In the economic scheme"
Commander Leeper spoke OF the
struggle which the veterans are hay-
Ing to turn to their former placa, In /
the business world. MANY people J"
ne said, either fail or refuse to
recognise the true purpose Of the
egion. The handicap Of three years
absence and the loss OF small ac-
coupled with soldifying
IND Strengthening Of established
BUSINESS, renders 1t almost impos-
1bie for the returned soldiers to yet
'ack into business except at the cost
I bitter struggle. The legion
eeks to adjust this handicap insofar l
8 possible and It is our aim to help (
ur own by every means in our q
over. We seek no charity, but de- I
land JUSTICE II
In speaking of the character Of the {
egion organizations, Commander g
eeper stated: Patriotism is the
'undation head of the order. It'll
anks are filled by those who barred
leir breasts to the enemy when the b
alton was imperiled. In the fur
aces OF war has been welded an I
bond which unites ms. t
nd we feel that America ia for
mericans. Hence the strong stand d
the last state convention against n
len ownership, alien leasing OF
lDilc lands and the operation of /,
lsiness by aliens against whom
mericans cannot successfully COM
ste. LEI
The sentiment of the members of v
70 legion is eminently sound and 81
Radicalism of any n
rt is frowned upon, not only that Il
nd which tends to the subversion
government. by forceful means. c,
It also that which manifests itself Il
the passage of freak laws with 81
hlch" our country has become so at T
cted. The best guaranty of good Il
'vernment for a community is a tie
rong, active post of the American
,gion. Ito
The voice Of the American te
'gion Is growing stronger each day. III
d 1t will be well for the public to tn
ke heed. We believe that we adj &C
cate only those things which are &c
st or the state and nation, and we hi
all not speak without due con-
leration. Those who served m
nerica in time Of war feel fully en- m
Ied to assert themselves upon the
oblems which confront us now. and | ma
feel justified in demanding that ur
be considered in the settlement | an
those problems.