, 1921-12-22
1T coULc HAPPEN AGAIN.

Charles Cushing writing in Leslie's, draws an i'm
aginary parallel a past forty year period with one in
the immediate future which is interesting even IL il
does appear preposterous at this particular time. He
suggests, if history should repeat itself as IT has n way
OF doing it is quite possible fof example that for the
next forty years, beginning with the presidential cam
paign Of 1924. only one candidate without a military
record may succeed in getting residence in the White
House And the Office Of the presidency is chosen
here only as the conspicuous token Of the govern
mental influence that a powerful association Of war
veterans can WELD.
"Absurd" you think7 Particularly in n ~paci6stic
nation7
But it happened once before, and not so long ago.
II also might happen again II the American Legion
should choose to emulate the G. A. R So let's sup
pose. For the moment let's try to forget all party Ia
bells and personal likes and dislikes--for the writer
has no purpose here but to suggest a parallel from
history. What would you say to the possibility Of such
a presidential succession as follows:
General Pershing, two terms.
General Wood, one term.
General Edwards, one term.
General Dawes, one term.
A Civilian, one term.
y. s. Grant, Sd, one term.
That Civilian again, one term.
A Doughboy Major, one term.
A Cavalry Colonel, two terms.
That fanciful parallel, as you soon shall see, IL
drawn closely from the records of the line Of presi-
1868 to 1903.
TIE presidential administration Immediately follow
ing the close Of the Civil war found an ex-state gov
ernor, who never had served as a soldier, sitting in
the chief executives chair. Even as today"-but
one hesitates to draw the parallel between Andrew
johnson and Warren Harding any closer than that
Mr.. Harding, good natured as he is, would have a per-
feet right to protest.
Note next that from the close of Johnson's admin
istration until 1908 there were twelve presidential in
augural ceremonies. Ten times in those forty Year,
the oath of Office was taken by war veterans. The
one man who succeeded in breaking through that long
succession of ex-service men was Grover Cleveland,
who was drafted In '63-"his was the first name drawn
out Of the wheel in Buffalo," a biographer relates
but who sent 4 substitute to the front. Cleveland's
excuse for this sounds good enough. Two of his
brothers served throughout the war, and someone had
to stay at home to support the family. But the G. A..
it appears. cordially detested Cleveland-and he
then made the feeling mutual by vetoing all pension
bills as fast As they came before his notice.
No one else, in that forty years after the war, be-
cnme president without the support Of the G. A. r.
lin 18s0) numbered only 400, ISL. This total. please
note, is less than half the present strength of the
young American Legion. Hereinafter follows, if your
memory needs refreshing, the list Of presidents Of the
United States for those forty years:
Ulysses S. Grant, general of the armies Of the u.
two terms. M
Rutherford B. Hayes, brigadier (brevet major gen.
eraD, one term.
James Abram Garfield, major general, one term.
Chester Alan Arthur, quartermaster general, one
term.
Grover Cleveland, civilian. one term.
Benjamin Harrison, colonel (brevet, brigadier gen.
eral), one term.
William Mckinley, captain (brevet major), two
terms.
Theodore Roosevelt, colonel, two terms.
SO perhaps our notion of the potential political DOW
er Of an organization Of ex-service men Is not so silly
as it sounds.