The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-06
"JOBLESS EX-SERVIcE MEN SELL
THEIR BLOODp' SAYS MACNIDER,
COMMANDER AMERICAN LEGION
BIZ HANFoRD MaeNDER.

National Comma nder, American
Legion
Indianapolis. May 6.-The Amer
lean legion repeats its appeal to
every American to exert himself
and to join with his neighbor in
giving employment TO the ex-sery-
! ice man who needs it
1t was our estimate that 70O.-
900 of our comrades were out of
work and in great need. In nearly
every city and town of the coun-
try groups of public-spirited citi-
zens have come forward with jobs
to relieve the suffering of our bud
dies. In many instances the work
offered, and so gladly received, is
temporary. Nor has there been
enough to GO around.
Our appeal is not. for a day only.
We are constantly asking every
community to give deep thought to
his problem and to do everything
possible to provide work for these
men.
Undoubtedly the worst condition
is in the large cities where these
young heroes throughout the cold
from early morning to late at night,
trying to find a job, any kind of a
job, that would enable them to live
in the country they fought to pre-
serve. Always behind these men
are the women and children suffer-
ing as they suffer, starving as they
starve
The World war was 5000 miles
away to most Americans until our
own casualty lists began to be
printed. This need of employment
by the service man may seem to be
exaggerated or not to exist in your
community Just because you don't
see it. But the unemployment cas-
ualty lists are in your very neigh
borhood. Find the victims and
help them! You will find them
eager and ambitious to help them
selves.
In Cleveland the legion main
tains barracks for its unemployed
buddies. These men have been
picking up money by supplying al
most all the blood needed for trans
fusion operations at Lakeside hos
pital. One call for blood came at
s o'clock one morning and a few
minutes later 25 ex-service men ap-
peared at the hospital, ready to sell
their Iife-blood
An ex-soldier of Dallas, Texas,
i'll for a long period and just out
of his bed, saw a Male Help Want
ed ad in the newspaper. Two 9TH
er men saw it at the same time.
They caught 4 street car. The ex-
I,o Int
raced it for a mile and beat the
other applicants to a job.
Twelve majors, five naval COM
manders, q captains and nearly
100 lieutenants of the days of
glory applied for any kind of jobs
at the Legion employment bureau,
New York, in the space of few
months.
An ex-service man Of Emporia,
Kans., jobless and stranded in Chi
cago. was promised a job in Los
Angeles, Cal. Lacking money to
get there, he started walking
selling chewing gum bought with
borrow money to pay his expenses.
Its 1900 miles, but jobs are
scarce he said.
In Providence, R l., a young ex-
service man was fired" because
he stayed at home the day child
was born TO his wife. He hadn't
money enough to get an attendant
and now he hasn't even a place to
work. though he has searched dill
igently.
One legion pest in New York had
saved up money. gained by dances
and entertainments for several
years back, intending to build a
nice club house But they couldn't
do it and see their buGdies SILVER
ing in Bryant park. They took
their money, went to the park at
midnight and blew mess call"
Four hundred ex-service men lined
I'D in a few minutes. This one post
fed these men in restaurants each
night until it's building fund was
exhausted.
Here is an extract from a letter
received by st. Paul, Mimi, news