San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-04
LEGION WILL
GIVE OPINION
ON NEW LAWS
Committee Named to Look
Into Legislation So Attitude
May Be Determined.
NOT In POLITICS
Say Action Justified by De-
mands on Ex-service Men
to Aid in State Affairs.

A general outline of the problems
facing the legislative committee of Alamo
Post of the American Legion, and
the objective set for the year was told
by Henry Lee Taylor, following his
appointment as chairman by Post Com
mander r. H. Durkee, at the last meet
ing. Those who were appointed to
serve with Mr.. Taylor are Col. George
Chase Lewis, Maj. Charles c. CressOn,
Jack Locke, Leo Brewer, w. Il. Tut
tie, and Wayne Davis.
Commenting on the purpose of the
committee, Mr.. Taylor said that, while
the legion never has and never will en-
gage in politics, he felt it the duty of
the members to take an active interest
in both state and national affairs.
There are some laws, he said, that will
be proposed in the near future which
should be opposed by the legion, and
some which should receive its support.
The members feel that since they were
the most potent factor in the winning
of the World War, they should also be
one of the greatest factors in the re-
Mobilization of the country after I've
war. That they will do this, Mr..
Taylor said, is evidenced by the ever
increasing voice that the legion is gain
ing in the Legislature.
Predicts Legion Majority.
-Four years ago." he said, mot a
single ex-service man sat in the legis-
lative halls at Austin. Today there
are 40 ex-service men in the lower
House and three in the Senate. In
ten years there will be an overwhelm-
ing majority in both houses. Welding
this ever-increasing influence as we do,
We feel that we would be slackers if
we did not use it TO the best interests
of our country. We propose to put all
of the fire and enthusiastic patriotism
that characterized the American soldier
in time of war, into the work of plac-
ing our country forever upon a firm
foundation. We do not think it I'M
fitting that men who suffered the hard
ships of the battlefields, men in whom
this country placed its faith in the hour
of its greatest need, should make sug-
gestions, and in extreme instances, de-
mands to our legislators"
Knowing what the war is, he stated
further, the men of the legion hate it,,
\ and will always try to avoid the mis-
| take of unpreparedness which was so
costly to the country in 1917. To
| avoid this in future, he said, the le-
giOn will support appropriations to
maintain the army, navy, national
guord, and the Organized Reserves, and
will stand squarely behind the national
defense act of 1920.
e.
legion feels that some are too prone
! to forget the causes and incidents of
the World War, and the men who made
the supreme sacrifice. To the end that
they shall not be forgotten, the legion
will work for the erection of an ap-
prOpriate memorial in the state to COM
memorate the deeds of the men who
gave their lives in the war. In this
connection, it will also be advocated
that the state appropriate a sum of
money with which to secure for the
state some of the war relics in the
hands of the United States government.
Have New Legislation.
Education and Americanization are
also important factors in the objective
of the legion. According to Mr.. Taylor,
the legion has taken the public school
under its wing, believing that education
is the greatest safeguard of peace, and
it will strive constantly to Americanize
the foreign-born citizens and residents
of this country. Among the other things
that the legion will espouse are the re-
moval of the constitutional restriction,
denying the right of suffrage to the
men in the service of the country law
making it compulsory to display the flag
in the schools of the country, and pro-
hibiting people who teach disloyalty to
the government from ever again teach
ing in an American school; passing
law whereby cities and counties can
issue bonds for the erection of Ma
tional Guard armories; law approriat-
ing funds to properly house and care
for the archives and records o. service