New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-21
Legion Faction
To Urge Emery
Resign as Head
Resolution Condemning His
Attitude Toward Other
Delegates ON Trip Ready
for State Posts Action
His Retirement Forecast
Custer Unlikely, but He
May Step Aside; Knecht
Charged With Meddling

A prediction that John G. Emery, Ma
tional Commander of the American
Legion, would be asked to resign as q
result of the dissatisfaction caused by
his attitude toward fellow Lcgionnaircs
during the recent tour of France by $50
members of the organization was made
yesterday by his critics.
The fact that the attack on Com
mander Emery is being made from all
sections of the country and is not a
local outburst convinces leaders in the
organization that he will yield to the
pressure.
Overseas pilgrims we're still indig-
nant yesterday when they discussed
their trip. They repeated their charges
that Emery had held aloof from them
with few of his close friends. and
had played q major part in all cere-
monies arranged in honor of the Amer
lean Legion, to the exclusion of his
owdelegates.
the details of our treatment" one
Legionnaire said. "Most of the indip-
mites we suffered have been told. How
ever, l would like to say that one of
the most distressing features of the
trip was the lack of attention shown to
the women members Of the party"
A resolution has been drafted and
will be presented Friday to the New
York State annual convention of the
Legion, to be held at Jamestown, N. Y.
1t is understood that this resolution
not only condemns Commander Emery
and his chosen associates for their at
nm, In h.,A
upon the state delegates to the national
convention, which will be held in Kan
sas City next month, to insist that the
national body take similar action. 1t
also will demand that the decorations
received by the national commander
from France and Belgium be impounded
in the vaults Of the national organiza-
ton.
"The reason we will make this re-
quest" one of the veterans who drafted
the resolution said, "is that we believe
Commander Emery was decorated not
as John G. Emery, but as the official
head of the American Legion. We feel
that the decorations should have been
pinned to the Legion banner or to the
American flag we carried, rather than
to the breast of the commander, and we
are going to insist that they go to our
organization"
Similar action will be taken, it is said,
in the case of honors conferred on
other members of the party. These
recipients include Past National Com
manders Franklin d'Olier and Henry
D. Lindsey, Delaney Kountz, of this
city; John j. Wicker jr., of Virginia,
and Milton Foreman, Of Chicago.
One of the national officials of the
Legion, who asked that his name be
withheld, discussed the dissension over
Commander Emery's attitude. He was
disposed to place most Of the blame for
the dissatisfaction on the shoulders of
Marcel Knecht, the French information
officer in this country. He said the
Legion officials had made out an itin-
erary which would have pleased every
body, but that it was torn to pieces
by Knecht, who changed routes and
hotel accomm odations until he had the
Legion's conductor Of the tour be-
wildered. This caused discomfort,
and much Of the criticism of Emery
resulted therefrom, he declared.
However" this critic continued. cit
must not be taken that I offer any ex-
cuse for the commander. The truth Of
the matter probably is that he failed
to realize that he represented 100000
men, and that as spokesman for them
he should have been impartial and con-
siderate. 1t is my opinion that while
he was an excellent soldier and is a
loyal friend, he does not possess the
of such a great organization"
It is not considered likely that Com
mander E merry will be ousted as leader.
Such action would have to be taken
by the national executive committee
of the Legion and would require some
time, but it is believed by chiefs in
the Legion that he will withdraw to
save himself the embarrassment of
having to preside over dissatisfied
national convention at Kansas City.