The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1922-01-20
American Legion Stands For.


ideas into the heads OF rev mllllon
persons.
Is The Legion In Politics
The American Legion is absolutely
non-political. There is no class, no
creed, no party. No man holding
public election office can hold any Of
flee in the Legion. Every national
convention of the Legion has squelch-
ed any idea Of politics. No Legion
post could be lined up on any polit-
ical questions. 1t can't be done.
Is Legion Opposed To Union Labor?
At the national convention last
October, Geo. L. Berry, who repres-
ented the American Federation Of La
Dor and who is now president Of the
International Printing Pressmen's
Union, and a member Of Hawkins
county post No. 81. Rogersville,
Tenn, and who delivered stirring
address before 10000 people on labor
and the Legion was chosen one Of the
national vice-commanders Of the
American Legion. Thousands Of Le-
gionaires are Union men. A Union
man belongs to his Union to raise
the standard of his trade, and for self
protection because he realizes that in
organization is efficiency. The same
man belongs to the American Legion
because he realizes the value of or
ganization, for the purpose Of OBJ
tanning what is due him and COM
rades, and because of what the Le-
gion stands for.
Legion Military Or Militaristic?
The Legion is merely a large group
of ex-service men banded together
to make America better place to
live in and for their own mutual good.
They realize that nothing can be ac-
complished except through organ
ization. They're through with the ar
my because they earned their dis
charge after doing their duty. But
they earned more than an honorable
discharge. They acquired among
other things, the right of preferent-
ial treatment which the Legion, as
an organization has been securing
for them and all ex-service men, and
which it proposes to continue secur-
ing for them. Membership in the
American Legion must not in any way
be confused with enlistment for mil
itary service. The Legion is not mil
itary or militaristic.
Do Legionaires Serve In Strike?
There is no obligation for military
service of any kind in connection
with Legion membership. There is
nothing to prevent any Legion MEM
ber offering his services, if he wish
es, but no officer Of the Legion or
of the law has any authority, ex-
press or implied, to order any man to
serve on account of his Legion MEM
bership. The Legion is merely big
Fraternal Organization. Men who
have volunteered their service in the
past, to preserve order. have done
so not as members of the American
Legion, but as individuals, on the
same footing as other citizens not
members of the Legion. Do not for
get that thousands of those who wear
the Legion emblem are members of
Union organizations all over the
country.
What Has The Legion Done?
The book of what legislation was
passed through the national congress
by the Legion National Committee
required over three hundred pages
and was over an inch thick. The
American Legion obtained raise in
compensation for disabled men from
$50 to $50 per month. $125,0O0,OO0
voted to the War Risk Insurance Bur-
eau for death and disability claims,
$50, 100000 voted to the board of vo-
cational training and $46,OO0,000 for
hospitilization. The Legion obtained
preferential rights for ex-service men
filing on homesteads. The Legion
is actively pushing the adjusted COM
pensation measure. 1t has already
been pushed through the House of |
Representatives and was only stopped
by the Presidents message. The Le-
gion in Oregon has passed many
measures of benefit to former service
men including the Oregon State bo-
nus bill: State relief funds for needy |
veterans; Veterans admission to SOL
dier's home at Roseburg: State medal
for Veterans: History of States part |
in war and records of former service
men and women; Law for recording
of discharges for veterans free of
charge by county clerks in the coun-
ties of Oregon; passage of law for
protection of American Legion En-
blem; making Armistice Day legal
Veterans educational assist
ance; public expenditure for memoir
ials; Veterans welfare commission;
grants for funeral expenses; admis-
sion to state hospitals; and in Port
land handling the unemployment sit