Evening journal., 1922-09-16
men
/ OF STATEN
CONVENTION
CONTINUED From First Page.)


The contest for State Commando
I promises to be interesting, the can
Y didates mentioned being DIR. Williar
q c. speal<man. Wilmington; Richar
r. Kenney. Dover; and DIR. Richar
r. Spahr. of Middletown.
n President of Council Ward, in hi
8 address. said the motives OF the as
ISOLATION were of the highest, and h
considered It an honor to be presen
and extended the freedom OF tn
) city to the delegates.
Benjamin F. Metz, OF Philadel
} phia, National Liason Representa-
. tive, third district. was the mex
! speaker. he dwelling on the worl
being done for the ex-service mar
} who is Ill as a result of the hard
ships of the war. He eaid the loca
} district was the poorest equipped II
the county for the caring for dis
abled soldiers.
Col. Thomas w. Miller. member OF
the National Committee from Della
ware was the last speaker prior to
adjournment for luncheon. Col
Miller reviewed the origin OF the
American Legion, and added:
I'VE basked in the velour of ignor-
ance before the war with regard to
preparedness. and the great bulk OF
American people have not yet learn
ed the lessen from Americas par
ticipation In the war. BY these re-
marks, we do not intend to criti-
else the Congress. public opinion con-
trolls Congress, and II public opinion
will become aroused. It will not be
necessary for the disabled men OF
our land 70 fight for what they so
richly and Justly deserve, by senti-
ment, as we'll as by law.
"Since President Harding assum-
ed Office. much has been done by
the administration and members Of
the Cabinet in the interest of ex-
service men. One of the most out
standing features was the appoint
ment by the President of a COM
mittee, headed by General Dawes,
for the purpose OF inqulring into
the conditions surrounding the COM
pensation, rehabilitation and hos
pitalization of disabled men and
women. Thus, the President, at the
outset of his administration, indi-
Gated that it was his purpose to
radically change conditions hereto
fore existing with respect to the ex-
service men and women of this
country. The Presidents recon-
mendations to the Congress. based
upon the report of the Dawes COM
mittee, resulted in the enactment
of a law creating the present Vet
l. -.
tor responsible only to the Presi-
dent, and in this manner, all egen-
cies dealing with the problems re-
lating to ex-service persons. disabl-
ed or otherwise, were consolidated
under one head.
This great nation OF ours takes
slowly and stubbornly to the lessons
taught by our past experiences. The
draft law augmented our fighting
forces. which before its enactment,
consisted of a small but efficient |
regular army and a national guard. !
There were defects in the draft law, 1
which are now showing themselves. I
You would not take one of two men /
equally paid In your employ. and |
send one out on particularly dam /
gerous mission which he gladly un-
dertakes out of his loyalty TO you,
risking his life, leaving his family.
ready TO encounter or surmount any
gladly TO serve you, and In I
the meantime multiply many tintvs
the wage OF the man retained home
in safety, and on the first mans re-
turn, not give him at least an even +
deal with the other.
This is not a question OF senti-
ment. Of paying for mans services
or his patriotism, because no man
nan pay for II. By reason of these
there is pending in the
Congress today, a bill which has di-
yided this country of ours, not only
IN partisan lines. and has resulted in
placing the ex-service' men Of the I
country in a false light before !
;reat number of their fellow citizens
or whom they fought. It is hoped I
hat there are to be no wars in the '
uture, but in spite Of the treaties Y
md conferences, we must be pre- Y
jared. should the time ever come {
yhen the draft law has to be invok- G
difor our protection: Jet us not only G
onscript men to fight, but oonscript Ia
as well, and all that goes !
nth it." !
Colonel Miller expressed the belief ,
hat If the compensation act was We d
oed, there still remained a chanca E,
or the soldiers. In referring to the
art OF the American Legion in the Z
World War; he said there were thou \
ands who did not find their way
nto the ranks, but entered the field
( professional baseball, and other
lucrative work" As result, we
nd many going TO Europe today
tho didn't care to make the trip in
917," Colonel Miller stated.
The bonus bill, defeated at Dover L
wo years ago, was defeated by the C
ote of two young men. Both OF T
hem were men who claimed ex- s.
mption. Now 1 say It is up to the el
merican Legion TO be heard at the In,
oils. But regardless OF politics, "
has got to be done to as D
st the disabled soldiers. "
I'VE are going forward and will N
e looked forward to as the pre- n
lier organization of the world" a
State Commander Pettyjohn an a
ounced the following committees IL
rior to the recess for luncheon: :,
Rules-R. r. Kenney. II. c. Ray, n,
L. Pyle. n,
Credentials-H. b. Cohee. w. j.
. Reagan, II. II. McSherry. N
esolutions-william Berl, Jr., n,