New-York tribune., 1922-09-18
State Convention Begins on
Thursday at Syracuse
With Lively Contest for
Office of State Commander
General Pershing to Lead
Street Parade to Stadium;
500 N. Y. City Police TO
Make Trip in Automobiles

When the state convention opens
next Thursday at Syracuse there will
be two, instead Of three, candidates for
of the office Of state commander.
Charles p. Coffey, OF Ithaca. who was
the third candidate, announced recently
at Binghamtou that he was not in the
field, and requested the counties
pledged to him to give their support to
Albert S. Callan, of Chatham, the pres
ent first ice-commander. The other
candidate is Edward N. Scheiberling, Of
Albany. The latter has been indorsed
by Albany and several other counties.
The contest bids fair TO be one of the
closest in the history Of the legion.
There are still number of counties
unpledged to any candidate. While the
entire state favors the nomination Of
the present state commander, William
7. Deegan, fer the Office of national
commander, several counties still in.
sist that he be retained In his present
Office. Commander Deegan's only COM
ment on both conventions has been,
THE voice of the Legion is spoken at
conventions"
Pershing Will Lead Parade
General John J. Pershng, has ac-
cepted the state department invita-
ton to be present at the convention, 1t
was announced yesterday at state
Headquarters. General Pershing and
his staff will arrive in Syracuse on
Thursday morning and will remain until
next Friday. He win lead the parade of
ex-service men and women, which is
scheduled for next Friday afternoon
The parade will end at the Syracuse
Stadium, where the Legion games viii
be held for the benefit OF the Veterans
Mountain Camp.
baseball and football games, an air
plane contest, q carnival, a block party
and a grand ball.
In addition to General Pershing,
other prominent guests and speakers
include Major General Lejeune, Com
mandant of the United States Marine
corps; Hanford MacNider, National
Commander of the American Legion;
Judge X. NJ. lands, head Of organized
baseball; United States Senator Walsh,
of Massachusetts, and Governor Miller.
The Senators and all Representatives
In Congress from New Y ork State have
been invited to attend President
Harding will be unable to attend on
account of the illness of Mrs. Harding.
Police Posts to Attend
Five hundred New York policemen
will leave here tomorrow night in
automobiles headed for the convention.
These policemen compose Lafayette
Post Police Department, American
Legion, and they are going 100 per
cent strong to attend the reunion. All
Of them will wear the uniform of the
Police Department Of New York, and
many of them will wear such medals
as the Distinguished Service Cross, the
Croix de Guerre, the Medal Militaire,
the Belgian Gross, as we'll as their
Police Department medals.
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, chair
man of the reunion committee, and
william f. Deegan, State Commander
OF the American Legion, advises that
scores of posts throughout the state
are coming to the reunion 100 per cent
strong. "No ex-service man can afford
to miss it," said Colonel Roosevelt.
"If he does miss it," said Commander
Deegan, "he will miss the time of his
life and miss lot of friends he has
not seen since the days in France"
The big reunion in Syracuse will be
made UP of scores of smaller reunions
that is, regimentary, company and
transport or battleship crowds. Any
such organization desiring a private
dinner or smoker should communicate
at once with Chester w. Fuller, chair
man of the arrangements committee,
Syracuse, n Y.
Commander Deegan said that all ex-
service men, whether they were mem
bers of the American Legion or other
veterans organizations, are invited to
the reunion, and are asked to come in
uniform, so they may take part in the
parade.
The convention will close on Satur-
day with the election of state officers.