The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1922-04-21

II IA because OF the permanently,
the stability and the potential Inn
portance of The American Legion
as an American institution, and like
wise because Of the far reaching
economic and humanitarian advant-
ages accruing 10 the workers Of the
country through the instrumentality
Of the American Federation Of La
Dor, that certain interests and IN
dividuals have undertaken the en-
forcement Of a program calculated
70 enstrange these two organizations
and to attack both Of them.
By an analysis Of the legislative
program Of The American Legion
and the American Federation Of La
Dor II will be observed that there Is
little, IL any, difference in the as
pirations OF these two organiza-
lions from that point of view. That
this is true is best evidence by the
fact that the Legislative Commit
tees of the two organizations nave
and are now working in harmony at
Washington in the interest Of edu-
cational and Americanization meas
ures.
Following the establishment Of
The American Legion there were
persons of anti-American tendon
cies. and others misinformed, heard
to say that Wall Street was spon-
soring and financing The Legion
and that its conduct in industrial
controversies would be one of par
tisanship toward the employers
contentious. As one associated with
The Legion from its inception and
preliminary meetings in Paris IN
1919, and during all Of this period
being an active official Of an In
ternational trade union, such a dec
laration that the financial interests
Of the country were backing The
Legion was given no consideration
by me because of the utter fallacy
Of such declarations II has taken
time. however, TO prove the ridicu-
lousness of the claim, il now being
best exemplified by the national
unity of the banking interests and
the Chamber of Commerce against
The American Legion's rcadjusted
compensation legislation before
Congress. II should be said here
that the real opponents of The
American Legion in this great and
meritorious issue have been the
Chamber Of Commerce and the
banking interests Of America, and
that the strongest force Of coopera-
ton with The American Legion in
pressing the final adoption Of its
compensation measures has been the
uncompromising support Of the Am
erican Federation Of Labor. Thus
time has proven the utter prepos-
terousness Of the claim that outside
interests and particularly the mon
eyed interests of America controll-
ed the destinies and the aspirations
Of The American Legion. The fact
is that no outside influence, with
out regard TO class, credit or in
fluence. runs The American Legion.
Il is a militant fighting virile, inde-
pendent, non-partisan organization,
run from within and resentlng
meddling influences from without.
The American Legion, m addition
10 it's efforts 20 maintain the CON
tact Of comradeshiD that grew out
Of the worlds conflict, has adopted
a program Of AUGMENTATION that
proposes an unceasing campaign 20
eliminate from our Republic every
evidence Of illiteracy and 20 CO.
ordinate with every educational, re-
ligious, economic and public spirited
organization that D. willing 20 make
this great fight IN the interest Of
intellectually
In addition The American Legion
has said that it proposes 20 press
home 10 every man, woman and
child, the principle Of Amcricanism
TO perpetuate the traditions Of our