The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-10-16
OWSLEY DECLARES THAT LEGION MUST
 N ] I BACKS LIDE [
Tells Members To Keep To Original Purpose In His Re-
 tiring Message

SAN FANCISCO, Oct. 15.--Alvin M. Owsley retiring national commander of the American Legion. in his fare- well address today before the organi- zation's national convention, called upon the ra4n of the legion with pa triot hearts, pure as gold, to respond in this hour fraught with many pos- abilities and laden with whispers of impending danger.
 There is no back-sliding for the legion away from the original pur- pose of its founding" he said, and the constitution of the United States, which is the supreme law of the land, must be upheld and defended by you.
 Law and order will be kept and preserved; right proclaimed and proudly asserted the Master of Might" Mir. Owsley declared "The memories of our sacrifices as com rades must be carefully conserved and the we'll being, happiness and prosperity of all sanctified by our de- votion to mutual helpfulness.
 Would Conserve Resources.
 Our immense treasure of national resources must not be wasted away in profligate expenditure for individ- uals for the profit and benefit ac- cruing to groups and combinations of capital that sometime may acquire and keep vast holdings against the public policy and common good. Let us then inaugurate and freely sup port an extensive program for the conservation of our natural resources: reclamation of waste lands, where homes, farms and expression of in- dividualism can be built and estab- lished; preserve and give fullest pro- lection to our national forest reserves and parks and the development of our waterways rivers and canals"
 Always and fixed in the mind of the legion is the recognition and desire to uphold and further the best interest of the laboring people, MT. Oswsley continued.
 When speaking to the delegates at New Orleans, as the newly elected national commander, l committed the legion under my leadership to four comprehensive principles of endeavor: Hospitalization, rehabilitation, ad- justed compensation and Americani- zation.
 Speak For Progress.
 "The separate reports of the de- partment heads appear, to me, to speak of a consistent progress toward a better state. for our sick and dis abled comrades, justifiable predic- ton of the passage of the adjusted compensation bill by the next Con- gross and the inauguration of a pa- triotic American discussion and leadership on matters of national education, respect for our flag, vete- ran unemployment. permanent en- dowment for decoration of graves in foreign lands, an understanding of and a business conception of the legion's opportunity of educating and protecting the orphan children of service men, the announcement and introduction to the nation and to the world of the legion's advocacy of an international conference for the limitation of air armament.
 "America must either work for peace or prepare for war: adherence to and liberal support of a conserva- tive and adequate policy of national defense. the stamping of the legion in it's true light before the nation as an American institution Whose creed and purpose are so truly expressed in the familiar term of Service to God and country"