Evening star., 1922-10-19
PERSK|NG GREETS
LEGION "BUDD|ES"
A. E. F. Commander Gets
Warm Welcome on Arrival
in New Orleans.
OWsLEY GAINS STRENGTH
Texan Has Good Chance to Sue
ceed MacNider as National
Commander.
Ry the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
NEW ORLEANS, October 19.--The
fourth day of the national convention
of the American Legion was marked
by the arrival Of the commander of
Gen. John ]. Pershing, who reached
here today from Washington. after
Gay spent in Atlanta, Ga.
The general. official dignity laid
aside, leaned from the platform of his
sleeping car ahead of his staff ofii-
GERS and grasped the hands of the
"buddies" who had come to the sta
ton to meet him.
Tomorrow the legion will select a
successor to Hanford MacNider, ma
tional commander of the organiza-
ton.
Says Legion Is Dying.
Late last night Maj. Hugh Scott. a
medical officer, whose home is In
Oklahoma City, Okla, and who is
now serving as executive officer to
Col. C. R. Forbes. director of the
United States Veterans Bureau, told
a representative of the Associated
Press that Col. Forbes decision to re-
turn to Washington followed a long
distance telephone conversation with
high officials in Washington, in close
touch with the President. According
to the sources usually reliable, the
chief executive said that Col. Forbes
was at liberty to use his judgment as
to remaining here.
DR.. Scott late last night told the
Associated Press he regarded the
legion as a dying organization, and
had been administered to 1t when
President Harding vetoed the measure
for adjusted compensation last sum-
mer.
1t has been openly,charged by Will
liam F. Deegan of New York, COM
Col. Forbes actually came to the con-
vention by direction of President
Harding in an effort to procure the
selection of man for national COM
mander who would maintain a luke
! warm attitude toward proposed ma
tional legislation for a soldier bonus.
Campaign for Commander.
Alvin T. Owsley, head of the legion's
commission on Americanization, ap-
peared early today to be the outstand-
ing candidate for national commander.
Supporters Of William F. Deegan, New
York state commander and the first
candidate publicly to announce that
he was running for the office. appear
ed discouraged by unconfirmed rumors
that the Missouri delegation and the
predicted midwest coalition" had
split, and that the south, with the
possible exception of Alabama, was
lining up in favor Of Owsley.
Gen. Pershing was on the program
as a speaker before the convention
today. Others included Rear Admiral
Pickett Magruder. U. S. N; Brig.
Gen. Eli K Cole. U. S. M. C.; M. Ba-
Satau Setsrans e. J. Dyeet sae nresident
of the Australian veterans, and Capt.
William Appleby of the British
legion.
presentation Of the city of Paris
medal to New Orleans. an aerial cir
afternoon and a banquet to Gen:
Pershing and other distinguished
visitors at the Southern Yacht Club
in the evening, awarding the Mac
Nider trophy and reports submitted
to the convention by the rehabilita-
tion, naval affairs, constitutional
amendments, resolutions, internal or
ganization, Americanism and me-
MORALS committees.
With the adjusted compensation is
sues finally disposed Of yesterday by
4 unanimous vote to fight on, the dele
gates settled down today to the fight
for commaAder-in-chie
D. c. POSTS WIN APPLAUSE.