, 1922-07-25

IKE Nnht II means 10 be an American
citizcn-their privileges and obpga-
tons ms sueh-what American institu-
tons are and how to appreciate them.
Our endeavor has been to make our
work along this line 50 tangible that
every post may take an active part
adopting Boy Scout troops. taking
part in naturalization ceremonies and
for example-the national essay con-
test which We are putting on In order
that every boy. and girl in America
may know what we stand for and how
we intend to bs OF service to our 4 an
try. Our work along his line in
ciudes everything IN fac from put
ting up a flag on tho country school
house 20 fighting for proper immigra-
ton laws
Disabled.
sour frst duty 10 now and always
viii be to see that those buddies Of
ours who came back here blind.
maimed. broken In health ana body.
who must live through the war for
ever In the hospitals and homes OF
this country. get q squars deal from
tho country they fought for. Every
n OF you whether you havs given
the Legion nothing but your member
ship or whether you have taken an
active part. shouii take due credit for
although this is a national obligation,
that OF every citisen and not on. OIL
CATION aione--p-acticaily every bit of
legislation o in affect for the dis
abled veterans was not only written.
pushed but put through congress by
the American Legion. and the Ameri-
can Legion alone. To you and to
those good citizens who have stood
with US belongs all the credit for what
has been accomplished. Many individ-
uals and many organizations have sic
ceeded hero and there In aroustng
'some-intorest mostly local. in the dia-
abled man, but II this Legion Of ours
by the power OF it's great and all In
elusive membership0f you men every
n OF you had not stuck and fought
for this through our national rehabili-
tation committed. we would still have
tho same ~disgracefui conditions we
had two years ago. We hive a great
and comprehensive committee organ
lied in accordance with tho organiza-
ton OF tho veterans bureau which You
of the Legion created. and this COM
mittee In holding q Tremendously eff.
cient piece of work-layfnC the foun.
dation for all our future endeavors
that there shar1 DO a square deal for
the disabled man. We want him put
in high powered hospttais-we want
him cured. rehabritated. given n fair
chance not relegated tc some soldiers
home whers he VIII be useless to him
self and TO The country. And we In
tend TO see that this 10 done. We
know him and we understand his
problems. We put on the uniform
when the war began. not when it was
over.
Unemployment
I'VE have many other problems,
none o important this year than
that of unemployment Most Of US
got work II we were able to work
upo our return. but when the de.
preston came, the last man who had
been taken on-the veteran, of course
was h first man dropped off. This
was natural enough perhaps because
the old cry OF your old job or a bet
ter one while It had not been forgot
ten by all employers was. however,
not on everyone's tongue and mind.
At the first OF the year there were at
least three-Quarters of a million re.
turned. service men out of work. Here
again we felt that the obligation was
a national one. that the business and
commerce which this man had offered
his life to preserve owed him at least
a chance to earn an honest living and
to be a constructive citizen. but again
1t was left to US. You know o. the Le-
gion employment offices in al the
larger centers. Of the cooperation Of
many of Americas greatest newspa-
pers to help us. but do you know
and here again the credit il Yours
and yours alope-that on one day.
March 2o-tho American Legion put
to work v two hundred thousand
service men and we are still at II.
Was not that worthwhile? Tho L.
gion broke the back of the unemploy.
ment situation throughout the nation
after practically every other agency,
government ond otherwise had failed.
Adjusted Compensation.
Fighting for all these things and
the many others with which you are
as we'll acquainted as I am, each of
rs trying to make our post ouch a
real asset for good to our community
that they would help US with these
things. IL has come as rather a hard
shocf'-I know that you have had Il
happen to you to have some well
meaning citizen say to you. why
don't you boys put some energy Into
something beside the bonus?' It
makes me think OF a little incident
back on the main Paris road two
nights after the attack at San Mihiel
As an adjutant. I. Of course, was back
there. and as you all know the better
the adtutant, the farther back he was,
waiting for my outfit which had Just
been relieved after some rather siren.
uous days of no food. some fighting
and a lot of marching. It was II to
IL k~floneters back to thai cross road.
When they finally came pfungins
along in the dark inShe rain Of course
lit always rained when we went any.
where in France-they were all over
the road stumbling along as best they
could. damnably tired and weak and
caring little for anything. A big
pompous major Of NJ. P.'s right then
pretty far front for him and CORE
spondingiy important. started to try
and correct their road discipline by a
lot of commands-'cover and file and