Evening star., 1923-10-20
QUINN NEW HEAD
OF LEGION FORCES
Commander Dedicates Ad-
ministration to Passage
of Bonus Law.


SAN FRANCISCO. Calf, october
2O.-wfth another years program
mapped out and new leader chosen,
American legionnaires ended their
1923 convention with a mammoth ball
last night, and today thousands OF
delegates are returning home to all
sections of the United States, saying
farewell with the same characteristic
and noisy demonstrations with which
they greeted each other five days ago.
John r. Quinn of California was
elevated to the post of national c"m-
mander to succeed Alvin Owsley of
Texas.
He is a former California cowboy
and now a prosperous rancher and
land owner. He was elected on the
eleventh ballot with 502 votes. COM
pared with $40 for James A. Drain of
Washington. u. G., so for Clarence Il.
Edwards of Boston and 81 for Wilder
S. Metcalf of Kansas. with Is absent
or not voting.
Five vice commanders were elected,
as follows:
Ryan Duffy, Fond du Lac. Wis;
Thurman Mann, High Point, y. -;
William b. Healy. Wiikes-RarTe. IA
c. NJ Stoddard. Arizona, and Lester
Albert, Idaho.
Ezra c. ClemanS of Minnesota is me
new national chaplain.
As the legionnaireS turned Shelr
backs on San Francisco one phrase
was on every tongue:
See you in St. Paul next year,
buddy"
Tired Hand Yields.
a tired hand yielded the executive
management of the American Legion
TO a newly elected national com
mander when Owsley turned over to
Quinn. the responsibility Of guiding
the destinics of the legion for 1928
.24. at the close of the convention.
OysleN. weary from his years
strife his $1,000 miles of travelling
during his administration on be-
half of the legion, and showing
loss of twenty-five pounds, smiled
wan smile as he took Commander
Quinn by the hand and said; II
turn you over to the mercies of the
newspapermen. the photographers
and the public"
A far different type of man took
Up Owsley's burden Quinn, cowboy
and typical westerner of the open
plains. Immediately announced he
would dedicate his administration to
conducting Wig Jrous campaign to
obtain immediate passage of the eX-
service mems adjusted compensation
act and a close and human contact
between the disabled veterans and
the government agencies in charge
of rehabilitation and hospitalization
Five Wee Commanders.
The following national vice COM
manders were elected:
Ryan Duffy. Fond du Lac, Wis:
Thurman Mann. High Point. y. G.;
william p. Healy, Wilkes-Barre, Pa;
c. NJ. Stoddard. Arizona. and Lester
Albert. Idaho
The only other elective office in the
legion. that of national chaplain. was
filed by Ezra c. Clemons of Mime
sofa. who was elected by acclama-
tion.
While the convention was officially
closed until next October when II
will convene at st. Paul. grand ball
was held here last night as part Of
the official program. Four bands fur
nished music for the dancers and 1000
San Francisco girls participated
The first communication received
by the newly elected, conn, nder was
a letter signed by n. f. Saville, for
n1eriy colonel in the aIst Division. in
which Commander Quinn was urged
TO drop his plan to fight for the bonus.
SaVilie said in part:
THE hope of the legion in demand
ing a bonus from the federal Treas
ury is a forlorn and hopeless one, be-
cause it is not sound. Drop the fed
eral bonus idea. 1t is a state propo-
sition. As l understand it, the legion
could once show a couple million
names on it's roll and now it has
dropped to something like 100000
paid up.
RapS Committees.
Drop all committee meetings and
let everything be in open public meet
ings. SO that the world will see the
cards the table and come to know
just what you and 1 know, namely,
that the defenders of the country are
it's best asset. Then your member
ship will not wane and many who are
holding aloOf will join the legion.
Otherwise the spirit of Americanism
in the country is bound to crush the
legion
Quinn made this statement after his
election:
"As national commander of the
American Legion l shall endeavor
always to interpret the ideals and
achieve the aims of my comrades in
service. l shall carry on the fight
the legion has always waged for the
disabled men and women who gave
so much for their country l shall
seek to secure close and human con-
tact between them and the govern
mental agencies dealing with their
welfare.
Il shall conduct an active and Wig
orous campaign to secure the i'm
mediate passage of the adjusted COM
pensation act, urged by the fifth
national convention of the legion.
With the help of the thousands Of
men who have dedicated theI, lives
TO the prlnClpleS set IOrth lE the pre-
amble of the American Legion consti-
tuition, and who now constitute the
membership of the American Legion
/ expect to see the accomplishment
of greater deeds to the benefit of our
glorious republic"
Cousin of Mark Twin.
OWATONNA, Mimi, October 90
Maj. Ezra c. Clemons, elected ma
tional chaplain of the American
Legion in San Francisco, was one of
the few Army chaplains with the
rank of major. He is sixty-two years
old. Maj. Clemons is a cousin of the
late Mark Twain
The major has been chaplain of
the I'd Infantry. Minnesota National
Guard, since 1892. and had much to
do in organizing the state militia
He is a veteran of the Spanish
American war, saw border service
and the world war. During the re-
cent conflict he was chaplain of the
136th Infantry, 34th division.
Mrs. Bishop Heads Auxiliary.
SAN FRANCISCO, October 2O.-Mrs.
Franklin Bishop of Leicester, Mass.
was elected national president of the
American Legion Auxiliary, composed
of mothers, wives, sisters and daugh-
ters and women who performed mill
tary service during the war. at the
final session of the organization yes
terday.
FIGHT FILLING STATION,