Imperial Valley press., 1922-03-07
STATUS OF LEGION
in POLITICS
IS TOLD Z

Because of public interest aroused in
the ex-servicc men 5 political organiza-
ton to be held in the Tulane theater
Wednesday night, statements as to the
status of the organization and its pol
icies were obtained today from leaders
of that organization and from leaders
of the Legion.
All agreed that the fact should be
well established that the political or
ganization is not in any way connected
with the American legion, it being
against the constitution of the legion
to enter partisan politics as body.
Inquiries received by leaders of the
new political organization, they said
today, 90 further and they are contin-
ually asked first, as to what is their
platform ia the coming election and
secondly as 10 what is the need Of the
organization or on what grounds it
was put into being.
The platfOr OF the organization in
the coming elections, as stated by lead
ers interviewed, is 100 per cent Amer
icanism. They did not claim that
there is any point clearly at issue on
which the organization will support its
candidates, or that they feel that there
is any special force which they believe
it should combat. However, they said,
they believe that any man who served
in any American war can be relied up
on as 100 per cent American. 1t was
added that they feel public office
could be looked upon as Il reward to
q deserving and qualified ex-service
man. They do not confine their sup
port to ex-service men and will sup
port Il non-service man over service
man if they think the cOmmunity's in
terests will be better served.
The organization was first formed
by a group Of cx service men from diff
fefent parts Of the valley in the early
part of last year. The immediate need
for the organization at that time was
that ey-service men seemed to them to
be disseminated against in the federal
appointments then being made. The
general need they felt was that public
candidates were continually asking for
the ex-soldiers support and that an
organization should be formed to prop
erly consider such requests, in that the
legion can not go into politics rs 4
body.
The gathering Friday night at Cali
patria was the result of an invitation
extended to all service men Of the
| valley to enjoy the banquet and social
gathering and it was agreed there is a
need for continuing the organization.
Regarding the attitude Of the legion
on the organization, G. f. Anderson,
| commander, stated that the legion did
not in any way expect to restrict its
members from entering politics. How
ever, he called attention to the fact
that the legion is expressly prohibited
by its national constitution from en-
tering partisan politics as body OF
from having as an officer any man
who holds a public office.
| That portion Of the American Legion
Constitution on which this statement i.
based is as follows: Article II, Sec
tion 2:
"The American Legion shall be alb
sOlutefy non-political and shall not bt
used for the dissemination of partisan
principles nor for the promotion of the
candidacy Of any person seeking pub.
lie office or preferment. No candidate
for or incumbent of a salaried elective
office shall hold any office in the
American Legion or in any department
or post thereof. -