Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1922-01-05

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| illinois Staats-zeitung December 13, 1921
The American Legion, the instru-
ment bought with British gold to sup-
press truth, to gag freedom of con-
science, to beat down every free ex-
preston of opinion, to betray organic
ed American labor-this American
Legion seeks the scalp of Police Conn
missioner Miller of st. Louis.
Mr.. Miller has in plain terms given
expression to a naked truth in that he
has established the fact that the num-
ber of crimes in America has fright
fully increased and that, among other
things, So per cent of all crimes must
be attributed to veterans of the world
war, who in overwhelming majority
did not enter the army in a spirit of
frenzied zeal, but under bitter COM
pulsion of law.
The fact cannot be disputed for a
moment that the war has completely
ruined Americas social and economic
order. OF course, want is responsible
for some of the present lawlessness,
but only in small measure. Far strong
er than want is the after effect of the
seven fat years which America enjoy
ed from the beginning of the bloody
munitions neutrality of Wilson. The
people became accustomed to rich
wages easily obtained and seek them
now in the manner which pleases
them most-with the crowbar on the
dwelling door or with the revolver on
the street.
Bnt the army, far from being hot
bed of patriotic virtue, was quite
evidently an excellent preparatory
school for the fostering of this in
clination, at least among the millions
who did not at all learn to understand
the seriousness of the war, but sneak
ed about the training camps or among
the hating places in France.
The American Legion goes about
peddling the claim that it embodies
the cream of the nation. 1t seeks to
create the belief that it unites in itself
the best and noblest elements Of the
American people, that it is dedicated
to unselfish devotion to it's American
fellow citizens, and that the mother
country owes it an especial reverence
because it SO spontaneously and read
lily sprang to her defense. That is
merely an audacious lie. Those who
in 1917 Gas previously in the years of
American neutrality voluntarily took
up arms were quite other than cream,
they were simply the refuse Of the
nation.
Those who had really adopted the
trade of war as a means of earning a
living were the best among them and
even they were, almost without ex-
ception, tramps, vagabonds, and buns,
who did not form any particular
brilliant guard of honor for the starry
banner. With them stood the many,
all too many, who had worn the
prison stripes.
OF this caliber were the overwhelm-
ing majority Of the volunteers of the
year 1917, who, in accordance with
the tradition of previous decades,
placed the American uniform only a
shade higher than the garb Of the
prison house.
| People Of this character, we repeat
| it, were, almost exclusively, either
those who found themselves ready OF
those who found themselves condemn.
ed to carry on the crusade for the
Washington foes of Germany who had
clothed their cause In humanitarian
phrases. That was the company up
on which the Wilson's and Morgans
the Anglophiles, and the friends Of
France relied. Truly a worthy tool Of
a worthy cause.
When the American Legion claims
as its nucleus these volunteers 1t il
naturally treading upon dangerous
ground, for the possibility is Imminent
Of relapse Of those elements into
their earlier pursuits and a crimina
warrant might operate to their undo.
ing.
The other membsrs of the Legior