The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1921-06-16
MISS CURNICK,s AppREss

reaching and deep an influence upon
the growth and activity of the organ
ization, as this, the first state conven
ton.
There is no organization in the
country which has for a background
a more wonderful panorama of hero
ism and history, for a future such an
Unlimited possibility for service.
We are banding ourselves together
for the purpose of upholding the spirit
and ideals of the men OF the Ameri-
can Legion. Our hearts are filled
with a deep pride In the fact hat we
are eligible to membership in the
women's Auxiliary. We have not
chosen this work. we have been chos-
en- for 1t. When our men marched
away to serve God and Country, when
they returned became members of the
Legion and continued to serve.
The women were anxious to serve,
The temporary national organization
commonly known as the Joint Com
mittee of the Thirty-four, received
many requests for recognition from
representatives of several women's or
CARNATIONS prior to the holding of the
first national convention. The com
mittee felt that they were not suiTici-
emily empowered to grant recognition
of this character, and advised hem to
present their arguments at the Mimi
eapolis convention. The permanent
organization of this convention APP
pointed a committee to handle this
question. This committee was known
| nc, 4h, NHnn,n,t., A., u;ls,, 80, uD,nYx,tta,
1t gave careful attention TO every rep
resentative.
After thoughtful consideration to
every argument the committee decid-
ed that inasmuch as none of the or
CARNATIONS represented we're organ
lied in all parts of the state, and
therefore were not representative of
the mothers, wives, daughters and
sisters of the members of the Ameri-
can Legion, and as the officers in
practically every one of the organic
atoms were not truly representative
of their organizations and this show
ed weakness of internal organization
and unfair consideration for the rank
and file of the members, and the fact
that these organizations differed in the
eligibility requirements, therefore, IL
was decided to build women's organ
izations from the ground up.
And we have been building. Rear
ing a structure that is founded on the
highest patriotism, crystallizing u
ideals into service, Though the Wo-
mems Auxiliary of the American Lee
gion has more subsidiary units than
any other existing organization, and
though there are today 1900 units in
all parts of this country, the Ha-
waiian Islands, in Alaska, and Mexico
mere organization is not enough,
What we want is 100 per cent organ
iZati0n.
Not a unit of Is, 20, % members
attached to a post of 100, 300 OF 500
members. We want every wife, moth
er, sister and daughter. An Auxiliary
unit of 200, 300, 1000 members. It
lis our ambition and duty to work TO
that end.
Service Is Keynote
There can be no field in which the
mothers, wives, sisters and daugh-
tiers of our American Legion men can
find a large: sphere of service than
through the Women's Auxiliary.
There are in every community other
organizations, clubs, societies, leag-
ues, that serve for the moral, spiritual
social and intellectual life Of the COM
munity, but none Of these organiza-
lions can take the place of the Wo-
mems Auxiliary. No n organization
or group, or organization is so all
embracing in its demand upon the in
%terest of every type of women, or has
had its conception in such a common
sorrow and sacrifice.
A great military expert has said
that this war was won ten thousand
miles behind the firing line, literally
meaning that our boys backed by the
moral courage and faith of the folks
at home marched on to victory. This
means you women, you were the army
back of the army. Irwin Cobb has
said-Each day, during the war, the
story OF Mary Magdalene redeemed
was somewhere lived over again.
Every great crisis in the war-torn
lands produced its Joan of Arc, it's
Florence Nightingale, its Clara Bar
ton. To the women fell the tasks
which for the most part brought no
public recognition, no published ac-
acknowledgements of gratitude. For
them, instead of the palms OF victory
and the sheaves of glory, there were
the crosses of sacrifice, the thorny
diadems of suffering.
Then the hoys laid down their
arms. the Armistice came and they
returned. some of them returned to
us wounded and sick. For them the
war was over, for S it had just begun.
Our battle for nor sick and disabled
men, flesh of our flesh, and heart OF
our heart, lonely, sick, helpless, dis
couraged. We are not going to milf
fancy until every sick and disabled
boy has all the service that kindly
nursing. and medical attention can
give him.
Our motto is Service. not only for
our boys, but community service. con
structive service, social service and
municipal service. Before | left my
desk a letter came to me from a beau
tiful little town in Indiana, a city that
i personally know well. Population
about 20.000-lovely homes-business
excellent-everybody going their own