Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1922-01-14
VETERAN URGES
OTHER Vets To
BACK j PLEG|ON
Forget the Disagreeable in
cidents Of War and Work
Together, Says Wilcox

The following message to ex-service
men was issued yesterday by Major
George B. Wilcox. veteran soldier
and officer, in connection with the
drive to increase membership in the
local American Legion post:
"Buddies. am going to ask your at
tention for a few minutes in order to
call your attention to the fact that
you are missing something by not
joining the American Legion.
Let me start out by saying that
have served in Uncle Sans army in
every capacity from junior kitchen
police to battalion commander. I
have served under all kinds of offic-
ers. | have had to stand silent and
grit my teeth while being bawled out
by an ignorant, foreign-born corporal,
while learning my duties as a soldier.
have gone without sufficient food !;
slept in the mud and rain; in fact,
suffered all the hardships incident to
all real wars and Indian campaigns,
and l can honestly say that have not
one word of criticism to offer, and
hold no luminosity against Uncle Sam.
Must Forget Hardships
Il am an old man lin years only !;
nearly three score have passed over
my head, and, personally. have moth
Ing to gain or lose whether YOU follow
my advice or not.
Il think you honorably discharged
soldiers who have not joined the Am
erican Legion are losing something
now. and that later, when you have
seen the light, and have Joined I'D
with your buddies, you will feel like
kicking yourself for not joining EARL.
er.
I'VE must forget all the disagreed
Bile incidents of war as they occur in
every large war, where troops are
called from civil life and hurriedly
sent to the front. We men of the
Legion are learning to forget all
these disagreeable incidents. and are
remembering only the noble deeds
performed at the front, by both en-
listed men and officers. We also try
to remember some of the funny
things that happened, and the man
who can tell the funniest story of his
experiences is voted a jolly good fell
low, and we do not require any mem
bers to furnish affidavits to prove his
story If it is good one
THE American Legion has, is and
will be. behind every movement
whose object is for the betterment of
the living conditions of the ex-service
men of the World War. whether he
be Legion man or not We know
what you have gone through as well
as you do; we want to see your life
made more pleasant from now on
than it has been heretofore. We have
Legion Home in Bisbee that we are
proud of, and we want you to share
1t. All members of the American Le-
gion meet on the level and as equals.
at our home. Ex-enlisted men hold
office and order ex-officers around.
and make them act as kitchen police
when refreshments are served. and
everyone is satisfied.
Organization GROWING
Our organization has already en-
rolled one-fourth of the veterans in
the United States, and is growing
daily.
I'VE look after the interests of the
sick and wounded vets. and do every
thing in our power to help the unem.
ployed; in fact, every movement that
has been started for the benefit of
the world war veteran has either
been initiated by the LEGION or back.
ed by it.
Now. Buddies. many of you have
failed to join this organization be-
cause you felt you could not spare
the money for the dues; many of YOU
have not Joined because you had a
rough time of it during the war. and
do Tot wish to he reminded of il b,
coming in contact with anything tina,
recalls it; many of you are young and
thoughtless and figure you can have
more fun with the small amount of
money that it would take for your
dues, ETC., but let me tell you. the
time is coming, and before long, that
the vet who does not wear the Le-
gion button will feel awfully lonesome
especially if he should move into a
strange community.
Turn over a new leaf at the be-
ginning of this New Year, buddy. and
make up your mind that you can we'll
afford to invest the amount required
to buy couple of tickets to a picture
show each month, for the privilege of
belonging to the biggest patriotic SOL
diers' organization? on earth"