Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-10-31
.DJ||Az, JACQUES
ARE WELCOMED
BY LEGION MEN
State Delegations on
Ground for Early Vote
Trading.
Many Foreign, Generals
to Be Guest at Legion
National Convention.

Kansas City, Oct. 3O.-The
equivalent of a war strength
division, made up Of men from
New England to San Fran
cisco, their wives and rela-
tives, had arrived here Sun
day night, to attend the ma
tional convention of the Ameri-
can Legion. which begins
Monday. Included in the
hundreds of arrivals Sunday
were two of the Legion's and
nations guests from abroad
General Armando Diaz, Of
Italy, and General Baron
Jacques, of Belgium.
They reached the city Sunday morn
ing within half an hour of each other
and were given a rousing cheer.
through lanes of men,, women and
children. the two distinguished military
representatives of the entente powers
we're hurried to waiting motor cars and
whirled off to the homes Of the Kan
sas City men whose guests they will be
while here. Shouts Of welcome fol-
lowed them until the cars were out OF
sight.
The two men had breakfast and
then heard mass The remainder of
the forenoon they spent resting At
his own request, no elaborate program
of social entertainment was arranged
for General Jacques.
Greeted by Countrymen
General Diaz had more strenuous
day. The local colony of $4,000 Ital-
ians took him in charge and he was
guest at theater and dinner.
Another Of the notables coming in
was Vice President Coolidge. who will
be President Harding's official repre-
sentative az the convention. Pro-
longed cheers greeted Mr.. Coolidge.
This big mid-western city Sunday
night was riot of color and crowds.
The man in the olive drab rubbed el-
bows with the wearer of the Sam
Erown belt. and many naval uniforms
were in evidence.
Divisional insignia flashed out in the
goodnatured, jostling. cheering rest
less throngs milling" in the streets,
hotel lobbies and theaters.
Taxicabs full of men in khaki dashed
through the streets with abandon and
the sight of pretty girl brought cheers
from the former "gobs" and dough
boys"
A national political convention prob
ably never developed more electioneer-
ing and lobbying than was being trans
acted in hotel rooms and lobbies Sum
day and Sunday night. State delega
tions, practically all of which are on the
ground. began their caucuses and vote
trading.
Three Questions
Three outstanding propositions en-
gagged the attention of legion politicians
the choice for next national command
er. and there are more than dozen
favorite sons, strong possibilities and
dark horses; the selection of the next
convention city and a fight to remove
the permanent headquarters of the or
ganization from indianapolis. Vote
trading by delegations revolved around
these points with sectional compllca-
final alignmcnts.
There seemed. however, to be a |
general acceptance among delegates !
that a man from the south or west ,
would be the next national commander
of the legion The eastern states thus
far have not lined up behind any can
didate or candidates-in fact New /
York announced it was not grooming !
anyone in the race, but would go on the
floor and vote for the best man.
Missouri Busy
The Missouri delegation has been
actively at work trying to gain enough |
votes to bring the permanent national
headquarters from Indianapolis to Kan
sas City.
In the pre-convention campaign
ing New Orleans and San Francisco
have come out as the strong
est contenders for the next convention.
A resolution voicing an unmstakable
demand for immediate action by con-
cress on the federal bonus proposition
viii be one of the principal issues
taken up by the convention. it was
said. The resolution committee began
work in executive session Sunday.