The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-21
THE LEGION AND POLITICS.

One of the founders of the Ameri-
can Legion. Lieutenant Colonel Roose-
welt, said in 1919: 1.-THE legion today
is as clean as a hounds tooth, and 1t
is our desire to keep it that way. We
will embrace policies, not politics" It
Is therefore regarded by the New
York Times as mot good sign when
the legion's committee on naval at
fairs voted to recommend that the or
ship subsidy.
what concern has the legion with
ship subsidies, or with any other POI
litical question before congress? If
it begins to take a hand in matters
foreign to its legitimate purposes, the
descent will be rapid. There is dan
ger enough in the faint of the cash
bonus. After that would there not be
the same pension raids that brought
about the degeneration of the Grand
Army of the Republic?"
In his report to the American Le-
gion in convention at New Orleans.
Commander MacNider declared that
it was "a great, growing and domi-
nant force" There are 1920 posts,
showing a steady increase. Never
before" said Colonel MacNider, has
SO great a force in our national life
appeared; never has such power and
prestige been granted; never has such
responsibility and opportunity existed
for any organization"
But the commander should not for
get that larger and more powerful or
CARNATIONS than the legion have been
wrecked by politics. Seeing the pos
sible uses to which the legion may be
put the greatest of labor politicians,
Mr.. Samuel Gompers, finds advantages
for his American Federation in an al
lance with the legion. The two Or
CARNATIONS, he says, have every good
thing in common" adding signifi-
cantly: I'VE have a duty beyond the
duty Of others because of our num-
bers, our strength, our declared prin-
ciples and purposes"
Mr.. Gompers seems to have forgot
ten that the American Legion favors
"a national military system based on
universal military obligation" and
that it has steadily supported General
Pershing's plan of Irregular army
large enough to provide for the train
ing of the national guard and reserves.
One of the purposes of the legion
is the winning of the bonus-"ad-
justed compensation" Commander
MacNider prefers to call it. 1--WE have
only Just started to fight" he says.
Those who represent the people in
Washington are with US by great ma
! jorities." And again: "It is a ques-
ton of promises unfulfilled."
Yet it should not be forgotten that
the plan Of soldiers insurance was to
take the place of pensions and other
| compensation was never contemplate
ed. In the preface to Glasson's Fed
eral Military Pensions in the United
States" it is said ito have the advan-
! tage Of melting more strongly the SOL
dier's self-respect of giving him, as II
/ were, a financial stake in the provi-
sion made for him, by compelling his
participation in the payment, and al
the same time of being less likely, IN
the long run, to arouse criticism and
opposition because OF the drain on the
public treasury"
The sentiment for cash bonuses Vas
not strong at the first convention Of
the American Legion at Minneapoli.
in 1919. But at New Orleans, "ad
justed compensation legislation i,
right says the commander. 'W,
know it is right, and right always pre-
walls in America
But, says the Times, we shall know
more about it after November z.