New-York tribune., 1922-09-10
Legion Takes
Stand Against
Radicalisnl nm
Announces Opposition to
Unpatriotic Groups, and
Campaign to Americanize
Foreign Born Is Begun
Wheat Belt Posts Active
Veterans Combat I.W.W. i'm
Middle West; Oregon Com
cerned With Immigration

Surveys made in various states by
Legion officials indicate that the Amer
icanization Committee of the Legion
and the 1000 posts throughout the
country should have their work cut
out for them in an announced program
opposed to radicalism and urging the
Americanization of the foreign born.
Somewhat typical of reports, received
at national headquarters is the declar-
alton of William r. McCauley, COM
mander of the Illinois department.
'Our American people feel entirely
safe and secure-too much so for their
own good Commander McCauley said
Some cold facts, bluntly administered,
might wake them up to the conditions
all about them. 1t is generally real
lied that in Illinois there are more
than 175,000 persons above the age of
ten who cannot read or write the Eng
lish language. Those who cannot un-
derstand our tongue number thousands
'sIs it realized that Bolshevk litera-
ture, supplied through generous funds
from the Russian government, is being
circulated among those who are ignor-
ant of our own printed language, our
institutions? ?"
Activities Of radicals in many of the
states is reported, and in most cases
than at any time since the close of
the World War. In South Dakota, Kan
sas and other wheat sections, the
American Legion, during the wheat
harvest, has, engaged itself in fighting
the l. w. w. and its work of sabotage
and intimidation. In Kansas Phil Zim-
norman, noted nemesis of the Wab-
blies, organized Legionnaires in COM
bat groups throughout the wheat belt
and succeeded in frustrating the I. w.
W. in campaign designed to increase
membership and coerce the farmers.
aided with "cow itch," fre-creating
chemicals and other Of their terror
ism" weapons.
In Illinois Commander McCauley
cited American Legion efforts in Chi
cago and in Centralia as illustrative of
Americanism methods being employed
by the Legion. In Chicago the radicals
have invaded the fashionable residen-
tial or white collar districts, and
from soap boxes harangue crowds with
their un-American pleas and disloyal
utterances.
Instead of calling upon the police to
quell the exhorters, furnishing them
with persecution" appeal for sym
pathy, the North Shore Post of the
American Legion, headed by Ferre
Watkins, commander, organized a fly
ing detachment of orators. Wherever
radical soap box rostrum is set down
an American Legion soap box is placed
near by. And sometimes it comes down
to a question Of who can talk the loud
est, sometimes it is matter of elo
quence, sometimes it is logic-but the
"longhairs" are getting the worst of it
on every occasion.
In Centralia, H., nearly all the mem-
bers of Centralia Post are union coal
miners, and the post commander. Paul
M. Kramer, is one of the strikers. The
post IS conducting an aggressive. ex
tensive campaign of Americanism. of
patriotism, among the foreign-boAn
elements in the community. Under the
auspices of the post and the Rotary
Club Boy Scout camp is conducted in
park near Centralia, and bows of ali
classes bankers sons, miners sous
sons of men of wealth and men in hmm.
Bile station attend
In oregon the immigration question
mas oeen occupying the Legion, and at
us recent state convention the alien
question was one OF the most impor-
tant considered. The convenfior
adopted resolutions for the denart t;an s.gri
OF all aliens who have been in th;s
country SIX years without becoming
citlzens; the examination Of immi-
grants for entry into the country
placed in the hands of bureau With
the power to regulate the number; that
steps be taken to educate the immi-
grants in the duties Of citizenship and
to prevent congregation OF aliens in
colonies IN the large cities-and for
the filing by Oregon employers Of n
semi-annual report of more than five
ailen employees, segregating the aliens
from citizens. = -