New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-10
Admirable Acts Ignored

1t IS to be noted that Mr.. Warner
does not insist that long series of
lawful and admirable acts committed
by the legion, botn officially and TN.
officially, should cause people to con-
clude that the legion stands for all
that is good. However, he picks very
Vulnerable cases when he cites IN sup.
FORT Of his doctrine the case of Alex
ander Z. Anderson, formerly Lieuten-
ant Colonel of the 165th Infantry. in
his speech at the Horror of the Rhine
meeting. Of course. it is not to be
supposed that Mr.. Warner undertook
to investigate the affair before he
wrote his comment on it; but had he
done so he would have seen it clearly
stated that the objection was not to
the fact that Anderson said that the
President Of the United States had
dragged us into war, or the other
various and somewhat doubtful re-
marks made by that individual, but the
fact tina tiff member of the American
Legion should regard his country and
his service so lightly, he was not
worthy of membership in the legion
Mr.. Warner cannot deny that the
legion is the judge of its own men,
bers, just as labor union or any other
organization is, and in pursuance of
this natural and more or less to be
expected regulation, Anderson's con-
duet having been offensive to prac-
tically the entire membership of the
legion in New York County, he was
naturally and very properly expelled.
As to the other cases listed by The
Call in its article, il is to be noted thas
al offenses against so-called radicals by
s. 90 +rih If lH tn h.a
legion. The charge, which largely rests
on cases reported in sensational prints,
are cases where literature of an in.
ccndiary character was destroyed. A.
charac teristic case is the Centralia
matter, where the only version of the
murders is that told by the |. w. w.
1t is obvious that if only one side of
the case is taken it is easy to work
up sufficient evidence to make a read
able article. However, an analysis of
the article shows that the worst crimes
committed fall In two classes: %
Literature calling upon one part of
the people of the United States TO rise
and massacre another part of the peo-
pie of the United States has been
burned and destroyed. Cd Speakers
advocating the overthrow by violence
of the government of the United States
have been treated roughly in some in
stances, but in the majority OF cases
merely warned out of town.
Post Charter Revoked
1t is to be noted further that in Mr..
Warmers article, though he charges
legion headquarters with responsible
ity in all instances that he has seri-
ously Investigated he finds. however,
that the charter of the post which was
involved in the particular act has been
revoked or suspended, or, in order to
accomplish their purpose, the men
were compelled to organize indepnd-
emily Of the legion. Mr.. Warner fails
to comment upon this. refer as to
two instances, to the legions actions ar
Carpenteria. Calf, and N Saline
County, Kan.
Charges of this sort might be con-
sidered more complimentary than Of
fensive. but the legion wishes it un-
derstood that on no occasion has or
ganized violence been sanctioned by
the legion, nor has force been officially
used to oppose the advocates of force.