New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1921-01-28

A SPECTACLE believed to be al
"A most unique In American history
and n that has given tremendous
impetus to the nationwide fight OF
the American Legion to obtain at
least simple justice for sick and dis
abled heroes Of the World war. was
staged In the thriving little desert
city of Tucson, Ariz., recently.
Led by Gov. Thomas Il. Campbell
and national, state and local repre-
s~entatives of the Legion, the entire
citizenry of the community brought
every business activity to n standstlll
for a day while more than 5000 men
and women In overalls or other apprO-
pirate working garb. drove their auto
mobiles To Pastime park, three miles
their hands to expedite construction
Of an emergency public health serv-
Ice hospital for tubercular ex-service
men.
Governor Campbell. f. J. winslett,
national vice commander Of the Le-
gion; State Commander Bert II. ClIn-
gan, Mayor o. c. Parker and hundreds
Of other prominent business and pro-
fessional men of the city and state
appeared In real working clothes and
manipulated shovels. picks. hammers.
saws and wheelbarrOws In the great
est frenzy Of activity the community
had ever known. The immediate re-
suit was that the emergency institu-
ton which government engineers
originally had estimated II would take
three months to build. was brought to
virtual completion within one week.
and more than 500 tubercular dere-
licts of the war who had been unhos-
pitalized and partly shelterless, sud
denly found themselves with a roof
over their heads
The whole demonstration was
planned and carried out within a lit
tie more than As hours. while Governor
Campbell and State Legion Comman-
der Clingan made flying trips from
Phoenix to address a mass meeting
under legion auspices at the armory
on the evening preceding the park
event. and to participate In the heavy
work" there next day. The chief
executive Of the commonwealth
pushed a ~wheelbarrow full Of rocks,
drove an ex-army truck and wound
up his strenuous afternoon with an
impassioned plea to T%ucsonians and all
good Americans to get together and
stand squarely behind the legion In
''the most important movement now
here for the benefit Of dis
abled ex-seryice men that has yet be-
gun In the United States"
At the conclusion of his address,
the overalls the governor had worn
the afternoon. and which fig
ured conspicuously In several hundred
feet Of movie" film unwound by a
Pathe News camera man. were auc-
of to the highest bidder. the
Morgan McDermott post of the legion
at Tucson. Approximately 500 for
the benefit Of a welfare fund for pa.
tents at the hospital was realized
the auction. each bidder being
to hand over the sum offered,
irrespective Of whether Il was high
TO get the clothes. The lid
Df the Legion Post was $40.
The attention of f. W. Galbraith, |
Ir., the legion's national commander.
was first attracted to the Tucson stu
ltion after II. ID. MaeArtan. the public
health service physician in charge Of
he hospital. had gone to Washington
md reported hat more than half Of
he 12s patients then in the lnstitu-
ion were sleeping in condemned
army tents, and that there were ap-
1roximately $50 other tubercular ex-
men entirely unhospltalized
n the community as a res& of the
congestion which followed the usual !