South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-11-03

ton lines rallied and held fast.
Senator Frelinghuysen and those
given the job Of defeating adjust
ment compensation were seized with
panic. They rushed 20 the White
House and told the president that
nothing but his own personality.
power and prestige could save the
day that he must throw himself
into the breach. What followed IS
too well known to need repetition.
Nothing could better serve 10 IL
lustrate the power Of the American
Legion. through its National Legis-
lative committee. Senator Borah
and the small Army and Navy peo-
pie IN both house and senate say
that the most difficult argument
they had to meet In trying to hold
down appropriations was the state
ment that this. that, or tie other
increase or amount was Endorsed by
the American Legion. Hamilton
Fish. jr.. Of New York. says that the
first thing asked about a bill affect
ing ex-service men is. rs it backed
by the Legion?"
The Legion has acquired this
position Of influence with both con-
gress and the executive departments
because it has come to be recognized
as a sane and sensible organization
which. when its voice is raised, may
be relied upon to speak authorize
lively after pains-taking investiga-
ton and research.
othow prcro r1fza ffOn haa n
short a time created such far
reaching impression on the nations
capital and the nations government.
Representative Of veteran organiza-
tions of the Civil and Spanish
American wars declare that the
American Legion has accomplished
as much in two years as they were
able TO realize in twenty.
The LegiOn's achievement in the
field of national legislation, repre-
ent a substantial amount Of ground
gained since its last conclave. It's two
outstanding legislative feats have
been, of course, the passage of the
Sweet Bill creating a consolidated
Veterans Bureau and decentralizing
its work, and at the advancement Of
the F'ordney- NcCumber Adjusted
Compensation Bill to a point where
it took the entire weight of the Fed
eral Administrator to effect its re-
commitment I'm the senate. Hardly
less conspicuous than these was its
success in gaining from a reluctant
congress an appropriation Of SIS
600, 900 for additional hospital facili-
ties for the disabled veteran.
The long list of minor victories to
be credited to ex-service and Legion
influence ranges from a clause in
the new immigration bill giving pre-
ferred right to entry into service
men to the congressional investiga-
ton OF the Bergdoll scandal 1t in
cludes such things as free transpor-
tation and sustenance from Europe
and Siberia for destitute ex-service
men and their families; a senate in
vestigation into the whole disabled
situation; publication of the lists of
draft deserters in the Congressional
Record: authority for the settlement
of claims of officers and enlisted
men for property lost in the service:
the return Of the body Of an IN
known American killed in Europe
and burial with appropriate cere-
monies in Arlington National GENE
terry: the bestowal of the Congress
sional Medal Of Honor on the un-
known British and French soldiers
Inferred respectively in Westminster
Abbey and under the Arch of Trl-
umph and the unknown American
soldier to be buried November 18th;
provision giving ex-service men en-