The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-08-26

.\LEGION|
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Within The past year a transition
has been marked in the hte OF the
international federation OF war vet
Grams associations. 1t has steadily
merged into recognition as an estap-
lished organization with potential
strength to WELD no less an import
ant influence in peace than in war.
| The federation itself was inevitable
the o~utgrowth of mutual sacrifice
in military victories and political de
| feats for a common cause but us
solidarity of organization and Its
place in the public CONSCIOUSNESS
were only achieved by determined
effort. in which the Legion figured
conspicuously.|
At the third national convention
Of the Legion the federation became
a reality to American e~x-service
men, so far as the utilization with
French, British and Canadian vet
eran5 were concerned, through the
appearance Of representatives from
veterans associations in those coun-
tries. Military leaders from Belgium
and italy recalled other bonds OF
comradeship, but the worldwide or
paniZation of service men was still
in a rather visionary state, best
known probably by the French, who
had entered into its spirit IN their
reception Of "The Second A. f.. F.,
during a tour designed largely to
call attention to interallied conrad
ship.
Then came the second international
convention of the federation in Paris
in December, 1921. The outstanding
achievements at this meeting were
the STRENGTHENING of the machinery
IF organization and the reinforce
mcnt of the federation's pledge tt
maintain apart from political tend
encies the bonds of fraternal com
radeship forged between Allied com
hattants on the battlefields' with the
additional declaration ito strengthen
more and more the entente cordial>
between Allied nations by making
the government understand that thu
veterans ignore the difficulties ane
misunderstanding of politics and t
remain closely faithful to the friend
ship sealed before the common dan
ger upon fields of battle" The Am
erican delegation, headed by Col
Cabot Ward, first vice-president %
the interallied federation, took Thu
lead in the convention and were il
a large measure responsible for thes'
accomplishments.
To complete the transition of TIN
federation into a recognized organ
cation in which the Legion would b'
an active and leading member, TIN
third international convention of TIN
Federation International des Ancien
Combattants, or "Fidac" as it ha.
become known, will be brought t.
New Orleans in conjunction with tn
fourth annual Legion convention. "A
5 the close Of these sessions an ALI
ance is expected which will not onl,
perpetuate a fine sense of comrade
ship but will go far in insisting upol
, Justice in international relations an
permanent world peace.
II. Nelson Jackson, national vice
commander of the Legion, represent
ed the organization at the last ma
tional convention of the British lie
gion and close liason has been main
tanned with the Great War Veteran
/, Of Canada, in keeping with the pc
lev of relations with foreign vet
Grams. The number Of representative
from foreign veterans SOCIETIES eX
pected to attend the fourth nationa
convention of the Legion is fror
thirty-five to fifty.