The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-01-23
Editor The Star

eHfAk1A AAT
Replying 20 the letter Of David
r. waiibom. ists Wet stth 81. this
poet submits tho following
II was In February. 1919. tha; the
idca OF an association Of war vsser.
ans had ita tarth. A uretinK had
he~n called In Paris 70 dl~runz the
opportunity of forming a y.trrana'
organization. This meeting wna at.
tended by 20 upcn. all Of whom wrr,
U. x. officers on February &c. 1919.
Thesr 20 offic~rs realized they had
no authority TO do more than start
tho hall rolling. This they DID by
Issuing an invitation To representa-.
ttven 81 every Overseas organization
10 meet axain Tn Parts. March 1911.
1912. Nearly 1909 delegates. half
enlisted men and half officers. al.
tended this preliminary oaucuA
They outlined a constitution. chose
an executive COMMITTEES Of 100. half
officers and half enlisted men. and
named tho haby organization THE
AMERICAN LEGION" ON April Z.
1918. at another meeting In Paris. a
plan OF organization work in France
was drafted and a committee OF 10
selected TO baEin operations IN
America A caucus was held IN 81
Louis. May 4. and 10. 1919. Al
which troops In this country and In
the navy wer. represented. Tfsrs
Il was that the nation first had itl
glimpse of tho new organization. The
delegates came from every state
Again. as In Paris. half OF their
were former enlisted mon.
with reference In question :. This
In NATTER on which there ~ nc
available data in Seattle. and vii
10 taken up further with view tc
furnishing Mr.. wallbom with ths
informat ton that ho deaircs. We d.
know thht tho Layton at its firv, con
vention Mt Minneapolis obliEarre
itself 90 the extent Of 1857. 900, Civ
ing notes secured by the guarantees
Of various individual members
These notes have all been paid and
tho legion Is now on a sound flnan
cial tasis.
With reference 20 question Z, the
uuestioner is evidently unaware oi
tho fact that shortly after the con
clusion OF the war the question Of
the army court martial manual wa
taken up and considered by the war
department at the instisation OF the
legislative department OF the United
States government and was revised
no as TO meet tho criticism to which
II was subjected thru the period OF
the war.
Senator watson's charges OF br,i
tality. covered by question 4. were
presented 90 tho United States sen
ate. Immediately thereafter an IN
vestigatinR committee was appointed
by tho senate and is now holding
hearings In Washington attempting
20 gather all possible evidence with
reference TO the charges which Sen
ator Watson presented. We do not
American Legion. or any other or
Eanization. 20 interfere with. or "a
attempt 10 influence. the action OF
tho United States senate. II. after
the committee has completed its in
vestigation, there is n feeling among
the members OF tho American 10
gion that 1t has not fully performed
its duties. that the Investigation has
not been complete. or that II has not
been fair. then the matter will be
taken up by the American Legion.
but until that time IL certainly
would neither be proper nor OF
any avail for any orgnniza ton u
attempt to interfere with the hear.
inRs OF the COMMITTEES.
The questionor has evidently been
misinformed in regard TO his aues.
tion 8. as the ST. Louis caucus did
not go on record against adjusted
compensation for ex.service men,
Tho first national convention. which
WAS held In Minneapolis. espoused a
plan Of adjusted compensation for
all who served IN the war, and left
with confidence TO the congress of
the United States the discharge OF
the obligation. which many felt was
due them.