The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1922-12-22

SIlCdH lie cAIeuucu InSlE ualiuS ~
greetng to the American Legion
last week when National Command
or Alvin Owsley of the Legion visit
ed them ir Washington. The presi-
dent received the Legion chief at
the White House and talked with
him at length, The wife of the
president arose from her sick bed
and received the Legion commander
in her wheel chair. At the home OF
Woodrow Wilson. the former com
mander in chief Of our expedition
airy forces welcomed the leader of
sages they sent through the Legion
to all veterans of the great war.
From President Harding: You
say to the American Legion and to
the American boys that they should
have what they expect from the
government and what they are en-
titled to. am behind the hospitali-
Zation program and it will be pushed
to speedy conclusion"
From Mrs. Harding: 81 want you
to say to the former service men
that friend of the American Legion
has been i'll, but she is much better
now and will soon be on the job"
From Woodrow Wilson: Say to
them that | am their comrade. Say
to them that they are real soldiers
who fought for the liberty of the
world. They were the crusaders for
liberty"
On the same evening of the day
on which he had visited these dis
tinguished citizens, National Com
mander Owsley told members of
J., Patrick Costello Post of Washington
about how impressed he had been.
Like hundreds of other young Am
orleans" he said, 81 was curious to
States. And when met and talked
with President Harding and he took
my hand and said: "Owsley, l am
glad to see you because you repre-
sent that great organization which
/ respect and revere so much, The
American Legion l was impressed
by his strength and manhood, pos
isessing that vital Americarism
which is the ideal of the American
Legion. l felt then and want you
to know that believe the American
Legion can go into partnership with
our government for. the accomplish
Following his conference with
President Harding, Commander
Owsley had the privilege of meeting
Mrs. Harding, who arose from her
sick bed and dressed in order to talk
with him about his disabled COM
rades and assured him that she is
true friend of the Legion. Then
Commander Owsley passed on to the
home of that soldier and command
err in chief of our armies in the
great war - Woodrow Wilson. In
telling Costello Post about his visit.
Mrs. Owsley said: 'And as l stood
hnfny>a that - -
who fell in the service of his coun-
try as Loyalty as man ever did, i
wished you might have been with
me-. for / thought of the rank and
file of the Legion then, and said
Mr.. Wilson, | thank you for the
compliment to the American Legion
in receiving your ,comrade. | come
to pay the respects of my buddies to
our former commander in chief and
our now great distinguished citizen
He thanked me, and when l told him
that in January ! expected to begin
talking to 100000 Legionaires and
the men and women of the United
States, and that wanted a message
to carry to them from him, his eyes
flashed. he sat erect his jaw set, and
he said: Say to them that | am
their comrade. Say to them that
they are real soldiers who fought for
the liberty of the world. They were
the crusaders for liberty And as
left him, he wished The American
Legion God Speed" ~.
From the Stars and Stripes.
Washington, d. c., Commander
Alvin Owsley is proving himself a
remarkably competent and effective
Exceptionally graceful acts while in
Washington on his first official visit
to the Capital. He called on Mrs.
Harding, who is slowly recovering
from her serious illness, and later
the same afternoon he called upon
Woodrow Wilson, another famous
invalid living in the Nations capital
lefty. There are not many people
who could and would. call on and be
received by these two convalescenus
on the same day. The National
is one of the few. In the name OF
the men who served this nation I'M
der arms, he is welcome under any
roof that covers real Americans.
And Commander Owsiey represented
that cause with power, dignity, and
courtesy. Commander Owsley faced a
test when he came to Washington
Circumstances outside his control
had built up a peculiar attitude In
Official circles toward the Legion
and its new commander. Forces none
too friendly were anticipating hope
fully some occasion for fault finding
with the Legion's chief representa-
tive. Commander Owsley met the
test, unconsciously perhaps, and full
filled the hopes, not of the unfriend-
ly, but of the most earnest friends of
the Legion. The Legion is enormous
Ily strengthened by his visit. It can
be proud of the abilities of its new
leader"
| SANBORN POST is ALIVE
Adjutant Yaeger of Sanborn,
MINI, Legion Post writes: "On De-
lcember 26 with the aid OF our auxil-
larry, we will give a free movie,
dance and supper to all who care to
come. On January 16 our post will
thave open house for all paid up Le-
lgionaires, their wives and sweet
hearts. We are all cut building a
skating rink a block wide and a
block and half long"
WE'RE ON TOP TOO" SAYS
-". BREWSTER ~
Adjutant Frank Bauchle of Brew
ster, Mimi, Post No. 464 tells he
world that ION Saturday December
9Th Brewster Post and its Auxili-
airy held a bazaar which cleared $500