New-York tribune., 1922-05-30
Foreign Wars Committee
Head Asserts Senior
League Had 3 Service
Men Vendors Arrested
Alleges Salesgirls
Get SIS a Day Pay
Charges Dugout Workers
Contracted to Furnish
Blooms to His Society

M. T. Behar, chairman Of the New
York State poppy drive committee of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars, issued
statement last night accusing the
Senior League of unfair competition in
selling its poppies on the streets.
The Senior League, he said, had
caused veterans employed at the Dug
out workshop ,ance} an oral CON
tract they hao ( with the Veterans
of Foreign Was to sell the latter or
ganization their entire output of pop
pies for Memorial Day; the Senior
League, he said paid vendors of the
artificial poppies s5 day; representa-
tives of the Senior League. he said
had caused the arrest of three war
veterans who were selling poppies.
The Senior League, with the CO.
operation Of members Of the Junior
League and the Pail Mall Supper Club,
undertook the poppyselling campaign
for the benefit of veterans at the
Dugout. II has been said that part
of the proceeds were to go toward
Society Women Selling Blooms
Society women have been selling the
other public places for days. Mrs. j.
T.. Hand headed a group who visited
the Belmont race track several days
ago Among her assistants were Mrs.
James Vail Converse jr., Miss Muriel
Vanderbilt. Miss Ellin Mackay, Miss
Margaret Hennessy, Miss Peggy Powers,
Miss Peggy Morrison, Miss Marjorie
Cleveland, Miss Virginia De Haven,
Mrs. Frank c. Henderson and Miss
Katherine Adams
Mr.. Behar's statement follows:
commissioner Bird S. Coler of the
Department of Public Welfare author
ized our organization t. fsonduet a
drive through the sale of poppies for
the relief fund of our established posts
"Women representing the Senior
League were refused permission at
the time by Commissioner Coler to sell
poppics on the streets. Later these
women induced Mayor Hylon to grant
them permission and have a permit is
sued for their organization to sell
popnies.
"The Senior League has since estab
iished headquarters at the Hotel AM
bassador and rented store in West
Forty-second Street to further their
campaign, and has advertised for wo-
men and girls to sell poppies on the
streets. This has cmbarra Ssed our
| campaign and interfered with our sales
of poppies. especially as the Senior
League has offered TO pay women and
girls in its employ SIS day each for
selling poppies.
"The Senior League claims that the
in this manner are to go to aid needy
ex-service men. We deny that it is
possible for the boys at the Dugout to
make l per cent Of all the poppes the
Senior League. through its hundreds or
thousands of women and girls, are now
selling.
"And if the Senior League is selling
these poppes for the benefit of ex-
service men, why does not the league,
day each for their work. contribute an
equal amount to our established posts
1--WE assert the Senior League is es-
tablishing unfair competition in this
matter.
Charges Broken Contract
eve had verbal contract with the
boys at the Dugout for the purchase
from them of all the poppies they could
make. The Senior League. through its
representatives, caused these boys to
break their contract with us-legal
contract, although it had not actually
been signed.
Representatives of the Senior League
have even caused the arrest of our work
.ers. Three war veterans have been ar
rested because of complaints of the
league or its representatives that they
were selling poppies illegally on the
Streets
Mrs. James McVickar. head of the
Dugout, was out of the city yesterday.
1t was said at the Dugout that in her
absence no reply would be made TO MIR.
Behar's statement. 1t was learned, how
ever, that the Dugout workers have
supplied 100000 poppies to the venders
Of the Senior League.