Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-26
Hears Legion Head

rounding the thousands or unsettled
claims. He spoke of many other
matters, dealing always with facts
based on reliable information, per-
sonal observation and experience
while travelling from state to state
and looking into the conditions of
the Legion men. His address was
listened to most attentively from be-
ginning to end, and was accorded en-
thusiastic applause.
Address Before Solons
AS soon the joint convention had
been called to order by President
Charles E. Quincy of the Senate, on
motion of Senator Garcelon of An
droScoggin, committee consisting
of Senators Garcelon of Androscog-
gin, Clement of Waldo. Morrill, of
Cumberland. Spencer of York and
Hall Of Franklin and Representa-
tives Eastman of Fryeburg, Gardi-
ner Of Gardiner, Nadeau of. Bidde-
ford, Brewster Of Portland and
Weatherbee of Carroll, was appoint
ed to escort Commander Galbraith
to the hall of the House. Shortly
after, Gov. Baxter, Col. Albert
Greenlaw, commander of the Maine
Branch of the American Legion,
State Adjutant James l.. Boyle of
Waterville and other officials of the
organization, entered amid applause.
President Charles E. Quincy of
the Senate introduced Gov. Baxter,
who was received with applause.
II esteem it a great honor and
privilege to be heer today to present
to you the national commander of
the American Legion" said Gov.
Baxter. at is a still further pleas
ure to present the commander be-
cause of the fact that his mother
sprang from the soil of Maine, The
American Legion is composed of a
body of earnest young men who re-
sponded to the call of their country
and who are now ready to respond.
Peace hath its victories no less re-
nowned than war.
LAS the chief executive Of this
State, it gives me great pleasure to
introduce Col. Galbraith, the nation
Legion"
Applause followed and another
round was given as Col. Galbraith
arose to speak.
"Mr. Chairman, Gentlemen Of the
Assembly of the Commonwealth of
Maine" said Col. Galbraith in his
opening.
at is a proud privilege that / have
to address a joint session of the
State from which my ancestors came"
said Col Galbraith.
From New England there has
come a priceless heritage and this
great state has made a name through
out the union. | come to you today
as the representative of a great or
ganization, an organization formed
with foundation of service to the ma
ton. The preamble of our constitu-
ton says that we associate ourselves
together for the good Of the country.
And that means just what it says. We
are not formed for any jealous pur-
pose.
The American Legion is not
class organization but represents
those who saw service for their
country. We have the same ideals
as any loyal citizen. This is Il great
nation. but unfortunately it has a
short memory for some things. We
are generous and forgiving and we
ought to be. We should forgive our
enemies, but we should not forget
the heroism of our own men and
women and that we owe them some
thing. We have banded ourselves
together for our God and our country.
After the signing of the armistice
we had a right to believe that we
would go back to our family and re-
esta blish ourselves"
"And we forgot at the same time
said he, the real heroes of the world
wharf.-the derelicts, who came drifting
back to our shores MANNED and Grip
pied and ill. We went into this war
with all our vigor, all our manhood
and our resources to win the war that
civilization might be saved"
Discussing the hospital situation, he
said that there were, at this time, 81
900 men in hospital, government con-
troled and otherwise owned and OPP
Grated. The public health service had
been doing a wonderful work, but it
was not meeting the needs today
You can't hosptalize men," said he,
without hospitals. The government
owes these men something 1t should
provide hospitals under the control
of the government to meet the needs
Of the situation"
He read from 4 communication dat
ed Jan. II, by the surgeon general of
tho United States, in which it was
stated that there were now in the
hospitals of the government 1883
beds and 10.347 beds in leased struc-
lures. There We're now 10000 men
waiting for admission to hospitals.
Men were entering or asking for hos
pital treatment at the rate of 1900
per month and the peak would not
be reached before 1923 or 1880
The United States, he said had new
er failed to meet its obligations and
it was the country's duty to care for
these disabled men. 1t had said it
would rehabilitate them insofar as
was humanely possible. Today the
trouble was that these men who were
entitled to compensation or educa-
tional training had, under the system
in vogue at Washington, become
merely claims, pieces of paper. The
needed change was to bring the ques-
ton of the three bureaus, hospitals.
vocational training and compensation
under one head, under the cotrol Of
one man, who could say: Il am re-
sposible, you sub chiefs do thus and
So" In this way the $4,000 claims
now pending could be cared for and
the men be looked after"