New-York tribune., 1922-10-17
eeion Insists
o. Square Deal
For Disabled
scNider Tells Convention
That Demands Will Be
Made for Betterment
&c Hospital Conditions
Attacks Forbes
~ Workers Confident
Deegan Will Be Elected
National Commander
By Walter J. Fenton

American Legion Editor OF sHs Ai'oS
NEW ORLEANS, Oct. l6. Veterans
II The World War, some of them gasp
;n1 for breath, because of the tightness
Of their wartime uniforms, others
wearing hats and caps of various de-
xcriptions and hues, with the insignia
OF their respective states blazing loreh
from their arms, chests or heaugeaI,
r,oured into this city to-day from all
narts of the country. Thfe annual con-
yention OF the American Legion is the
cause OF their presence.
Mnre then 200 delegates from New
Yerk State arrived here soon after
nocn on the heels of the delegation
from Pennsylvania. Both delegations
came on special trains. Practically
every twenty minutes during the morn
inr special trains enptied their dele
gations. There was considerable hust-
Ing about to the hotels. The days ses-
sjot, had been adjourned when the two
allegations arrived. and the balance of
he day was passed in catching up on
de doings OF the mornings convention.
sac conclaye will end on FRIDAY.
Eastern states pinned their interest
q The program of disqualification, aud
Sew York was interested mostly in the
far,paign of their past state command
Il. William F. Deegan, for the Office
q national commander. 1t was but a
shoyt time after arriving in this city
shst the New Workers expressed feel
lax Of confidence that they would re-
TIN With the national commander.
MacNider Opens Session
The convention opened within short
distance of the historic square where
andrew Jackson mustered an army of
,bsypshooters and frontiersmen to fight
,te British more than century ago.
National Commander Hanford Mac
gdsr presided. He spoke to the gath
,riag as he would to company of his
usa He called attention to the plight
aihe disabled veteran and made it
phin that the Legion would make de-
nsnds for the betterment of conditions
fer the wounded veterans and see to it
that the program was followed out. In
regard to the adjusted compensation
IL declared that the Legion had only
started to fight. His address was fol-
lowed by convention committee reports
snd tae process of organizing the vari-
ous units to take charge of the entire
convention. Then there was a silent
brought an adjournment of the session.
There was no session in the afternoon.
Perhaps the event of most interest
10 ,he members of the auxiliary, who
also are in convention here, was the
states dinner, held tonight at the
Athenian. The tables we're arranged in
geographical order and each state table
bore product of it's own. Iowa was
represented by large displays of corn,
and similar emblems were adcrted by
tie entire assemblage. New York State
sdop.ed the excelsior. which is used in
The state SEAL Each member of the
suSliary was entitled to one guest.
TAsNew York table was in charge of
An Stanley Matthews. Each state
mreauired to respond in few words
tos toast. State Commander Albert
Callan and C. W. A. Cannon, the
snt vice e-commander, of New York,
vgs the guests of the New York aux
Hry.
Past Commander Deegan, asked re-
nsding the statement of Colonel
Charles R. Forbes, director of the Vet
cans Bureau, to the effect that he
thought "an overseas man should be
chosen as national commander" re-
fused to comment, but Bennett c.
Clark, national committeeman from
Missouri and son of Champ Clark,
issued this statement:
Colonel Forbes. of the Veterans
Bureau, has seen fit to attack William
T. Deegan, of New York, because he
did not have overseas service. This
attack will be bitterly resented by