The New York herald., 1921-10-18
HECKLING OF O'RYAN
BY. VETERANS ENDS
MEETING IN UPROAR
General Fails to Convince
That Civil Service Pref
erence Is Undesirable.
WOMEN ALSO BOO HIM
EX-SOldiers Pack Galleries
at Joint Meeting Of
City Clubs.
IDEALISM NOT IN FAVOR
Former Division Commander
Would Grant Awards i'm
Order of Merit.
IDEALISM NOT IN FAVOR

Major Gen. John F. Organ, who
commanded the Twenty-seventh Divi-
sion in the world war, was heckled so
badly by former soldiers last night at
the Town Hall. during meeting on
the State constitutional amendment
granting war veterans preference in
the Civil Service, that those in charge
OF the meeting brought it hurriedly
to close. Former soldiers packed the
gallery and formed in platoons at the
back of the hall, and they finally be-
came SO boisterous with their Ques-
tons and so insistent upon making
speeches that Miss Mary Garrett Hay
president of the Women's City Club
told them they would have to stop
their heckling or she would stop the
meeting. The men refused to stop.
Then" Miss Hay said. "the meeting
ends right here
Several women got into the contro-
versy just before the meeting ended.
One wanted to know IL any provision
served overseas. The General replied
that he didn't know and then there
were Kisses and boos of a decidedly
feminine quality.
All of the programme OF the meeting
except questions from the audience. had
been completed by this time. Ellis Par
ker Butler. who presided. had beer
numbering on the table with his gave
for some time in an effort to stop tn,
commotion. but the former soldiers
some of whom served under Genera
O'Ryan, were so interested in telling
him in chorus why they wanted m,
voters to favor the bill that they pai.
no attention to the hammering of MIR
Butler. Some OF the men In the bacl
OF the hall began to shove and pusl
about and dozens of them began yellrns
In unison that they wanted the amend
ment adopted. 1t was then that Mig.
Hay issued her uitimatum and finally
stopped the meeting.
The meeting was under the Joint aus
pices Of the Women's City Club and the
City Club. and Major-Gen. O'Ryan wa,
the principal speaker. He said that 9
large number of soldiers we're agains
the amendment because IL would de
prive the veterans OF some of theii
idealism and lower the high standard;
which they maintained during the war.
"The amendment puts the man who vol
unteered and the drafted man and tn,
man who served in the gusrdhouse and
who received an honorable discharge be
cause this Government did moi want TO lei
him GO with a brand on him ell on the
same level" said Gen. Organ. Then hi
outlined a plan suggested by a commit
tee, of which he is member. by which
veterans would receive credits up to the
number OF twenty and which the com
mittee thinks would be a fairer system
Of rating.
Kill that amendment first" he said
land then having killed 1t you will
rouse to their senses tho veterans, mos,
OF whom haven't looked into the ques-
ton at all. Kill II because it is con-
trary to the spirit that animated these
men when they went overseas"
The two clubs sponsoring the meeting
csk voters to oppose the amendment
Mrs. Mary f.. Paddon spoke In favor ol
another of the seven amendments to be
voted on. that relating TO chldrcn's
courts and courts OF domestic relations,
and DR.. John IT. Finley favored pro-
vidlng literacy test for voters.