Alma record., 1922-03-09
LEGI0NNA|RES To
CONDUCT CENSUS
SERVICE AND ADJUSTED COM
PENSATION DRIVE TO START
MARCH -.

The national census of veterans Of
the World War recently authorized
by the American Legion, will begin
here on Wednesday of next week
when every ex-service man and wo-
man in Alma and Gratiot county will
be enumerated according to announce
ment made today by Lauren T. Burt.
Commander Of George Myers post Of
the Legion. The local part Of the cen
sus will be carried on under the direc-
tion Of the George Myers post and the
American Legion Auxiliary.
A house-to-house and farm-to-farm
canvass Of every city block and town
ship in Gratiot county will be made.
Every veteran will be interviewed,
asked forty-eight questions and his
answers recorded. When the national
census is complete national headquar-
ters of the Legion expects to have a
concise and complete record Of every
man and woman who was in the serv-
ice. This record will be invaluable to
the Legion in prosecuting its fight for
erans who have unsettled claims or
adjustments to make with the govern
ment. In the past two years the ma
tonal service division of the Legion
has been instrumental in settling
claims in favor of veterans totaling
more than S10,000,000.
Every veteran will be asked if he
was wounded or gassed or injured by
accident. if his health was impaired
in any way while in the service, and
if he has received satisfactory medical
treatment and compensation. 1t is
known that there are many still suf-
fering in various ways as a result Of
their military service, who have never
been reached by government relief.
The services of the Legion are laid
at the disposal Of all persons in this
position.
There are other ex-service men in a
more fortunate position, who have re-
established themselves financially and
can spare to their less fortunate COM
rades the benefits to which they are
entitled under the pending adjusted
compensation bill These persons are
to be asked if they will devote their
shares of the government compensa-
/ tion allowance to aid their needy and
disabled "buddies.' In this way the
| Legion intends to establish a rotating
/ fund for the immediate relief of all
whose needs are too pressing to wait
on the course of government pro-
cedure. There are thousands Of these.
They will not be helped by the passing
of laws. They need care taken of
them right away, according to local
/ Legionnaires. 1t has been a case of
LET George do it," and George" as
usual has stayed around the corner
This is the condition that the rotating
loan fund of the Legion has been de-
signed to remedy, and the Legion
naires are confident that the same old
spirit that brought in wounded COM
rades under fire will not be found
"around the corner" in the relieving OF
the ex-service man in distress today
All veterans are to be sought out
whether members of any soldiers or.
ganization or not. The matter OF
their membership in the Legion is OF
no consequence. The fact is that there
is no other organization of sufficient
scope to undertake and carry through
a national census of veterans, anC
with the very apparent need of sucf
a census the Legion has taken it up.
The recording of what choice eacf
veteran will make under the five al
ternatives provided for in the Adjust
ed Compensation bill will be a very
important result of the census. This
question is to be asked of every ex
Continued on page three)