The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-08-23
PRESIDENT MAY
ATTEND LEGION
IN new ORLEANS
General P ersh hing Is
Among the Notables
Who Are Planning To
Visit the Crescent
City" Next October

New Orleans, August 23.-(By the
Associated Press THE Crescent
City is preparing to entertain the
largest gathering in its history when
100000 members of the American Le-
gion and other visitors come to the
Legion's national convention here, Oc-
tober 1920.
With the tentative acceptance of the
convention invitation by President
Harding and General Pershing, and
the definite acceptance of Major Gen
eral John A. Lejeune, commandant of
the United States marine corps; Sam
uel Gompers, president of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, and kene-
saw Mountain Lands. commissioner
of baseball, the Legion meeting will
assume national Importance. Con-
vention officials also expect to enter
tain a famous marshal of France and
other World War notables. Prom
nent among the distinguished guests
will be twenty-five mearers of the
congressional medal of honor, the
highest award for bravery made by
the United States.
President Harding has written con-
vention headquarters that he will
come to New Orleans if the pressure
of public affairs does not interfere
and similar message has been re-
ceived from General Pershing, who
led the Legion men in France, and
who was Il guest at their national
gathering in Kansas City last year.
The visit of General Lejeune will be
of special interest to Legionnaires,
since the Marine Corps leader is a
native of Louisiana and was one of
| the most popular commanding gen.
erals in the American eXpeditiOnary
| forces. The presence of Mr. Gompers
at the convention is expected to de-
velop closer relations between the Le-
gion and organized labor. Judge
Landis is the father of a former serv-
ice man and has spoken at Legion
gatherings in all parts of the country.
In preparation for the visit of the
thousands of former service men, the
convention committee has prepared an
elaborate program of entertainment.
Convention sessions will be held only
in the mornings, enabling delegates
and visitors to participate in the fes-
tivities the remainder of the day.
The first American Legion national
Olympic meet will be held at the
convention. Legion athletes from ev-
cry state will compete for national
championships in track and field
events, aquatic sports. amateur box
ing and wrestling, golf and tennis
There also will be a national marks
manship contest and a tournament of
professional boxers. A decision bout
between Bob Martin, who won the
heavyweight championship at the
tournament staged by A. E. F. fight
ers after the armistice, and Captain
Roper, heavyweight champion of the
service men who remained in Amer
lea, will be one of the leading fea
lures of the boxing card. The Legion
bantamweight championship will be
settled when Johnny Buff and Pal
Moore meet in the convention ring.
Ranking with the athletic meet will
be a naval show in the port of New
Orleans and on Lake Ponchartrain.
Dreadnaughts, cruisers. submarines
and sub-chasers from all the great
naval powers are to be on exhibition.
Legion national officers are now max
ing arrangements for ships to come
from England, France, Italy, and
number of South American countries.
In addition there will be flotilla of
yachts and small pleasure crafts on
Lake Ponchartrain.
The United States navy will send
number of seaplanes from Pensacola.
Fla. On one of the convention nights
these planes will fly over the bust
ness district dropping flares and
lights in imitation of the bombing
raids made by the Germans over the
American trenches and billets.
Memories of days in France will be
revived by a number of New Orleans
societies, which will combine in the
presentation of a French carnival
night. Stores will be labeled with
French signs and the picturesque
garb Of Brittany, Normandy and other
French provinces will be mingled
with the khaki. blue and green of the
veterans Downtown streets will be
Illuminated by $4,000 electric bulbs,
and will be decorated with flags of
allied powers, state seals and Legion
banners and emblems. Doughboys
in search of former comrades will
meet in impromptu reunions under
divisional insignia flags to be hung
over the streets.
Fifty thousand marchers and one
hundred bombs are expected to par
ticipate in the convention parade. The
Legionnaires will march by states in
the order of membership increase
during the last year. To stimulate
1.-THE attendance of bands from all
nAn L.. L.. I'll