Grand Forks herald., 1922-06-21
(By Stan Corrcspondent.)

Formal opening of the third annual
convention of the North Dakota de-
.partment of the American Legion
took place here this morning at $50.
State Commander Phil r. Bangs OF
Grand Forks presiding.
. Z The feature of the opening meets
ing was a stirring address to the
Legionaires by Mrs Eugene Fenlon
OF Devils Lake. state president pf4the
-Hrncrf carr Legion auxiliary, who
opened by saying that many fine
things could be said Of the Legion.
bit the finest. she thought, was that
1t was not standing on past records.
but achievements of the present.
The speaker said that among the
many achievements of the organiza-
tion was that of arousing the people
Of this country to good citizenship.
She complim the members OF
the Legion on the fact that after be-
ing discharged from service they did
not take the attitude of having done
their bit and settling back. but COM
ing forward for further service at a
the need of sane thinking and ener-
getic action.
Mrs. Fenlon stated that at the
present time radicalism was at work
with all its forces to destroy the
things the Legionaires had fought for
and that everyone must be as much
on the job now as during the war.
She said that to be great nation
need not be OF one blood. hut must
be of one mind. Likewise. she,
cautioned the need of thinking and:
acting together in the Legion and be-
cause its members knew the cost of
preserving peace and the govern 4
ment she said that she had great
hope. So
Interests Are the Same.
The head of the auxiliary closed
by saying that the interests Of the
Legion were those of her organization
the men who have fought the war
would find the women behind them to
the limit in every undertaking.
Her address was received by the
convention with a prolonged ovation. +
Chaplin Opens Session.
The session was opened this MORN
ing with an Invocation by Dept. Chap
lain Bill Upshaw of jamestown, who
asked the divine blessing on the
memory of the "Buddies" who gave
their all, for comfort to those who
had given them up and for guidance
in the convention work. Ils
The call of the convention was read
by State Adjutant Jack Williams and
Judge c. w. Buttz of this city. gave a
brief address OF welcome which was
responded to by Frank B. Streeter for
I the Legion. ,rt S.,
Bangs Reads Report.
Phil Bangs, state commander, read
his annual report this morning, shows
ing that policy of strict economy
had been practiced by the departments
officers during the past year and with
good results. He spoke of the splens
did growth of the organization during
the past year and recommended that
the incoming officers continue policy
Of economy that the departments
might be established on a iru1
financial foundation. rs
Better Financial Standing. !.
T The report of Jack Williams, state
adjutant, gave in detail the work OF
state headquarters during the past
nine n.onths. He stated that through
policy of retrenchment, the year.
which had begun with deficit OF So
500, had been ended with a deficit Sot
about a Thousand dollars, and with
funds in the treasury with which To
pay that. His report showed that
there were 222 posts in the state a8
this time, with membership Of oyOs
nine thousand.
VIM. stern5sof Fargo. chairman oS
the state Americanism conmittees
submitted his report, which SrecoMs
mended that the convention Appr6
pirate n fund with which the wOfl
pointment OF America oficers q
localiposts take painS to 10 that cnlsl