Evening star., 1923-07-22
Veterans of Great War

The membership campaign of the
American Legion in the District of
Columbia Is attracting attention in
the ranks of veterans. as free trip
to the national convention of the
legion at San Francisco in October is
to be the reward for the member Sc
curing the largest number of new
members.
The contest was launched two
weeks ago by a special committee
named by Department Commander
John Lewis Smith. and will continue
during July and August.
There are upwards of $4,000 young
men and women. veterans of the great
world war residing in the District of
Columbia who are eligible for mem
bership in the American Legion. Last
year about one in every four or these
veterans wore the emblem of the
of this campaign to recruit at least
one-half of the total number of
eligibles into the ranks OF those who
belong to the more than twenty-five
active posts In the department.
The third annual excursion of the
American Legion is to be held at
Chesapeake Beach. July 81. Ihe en-
tertainment committee, headed by
william F. Franklin of the Vincent b.
Costello Post. is arranging an elabo-
rate program for the outing. L. Nor
man Templeton. with headquarters in
room 400. 1923 New YORK avenue
northwest. the department headquar-
ters, is chairman of special SUB
committee handling the tickets for
the outing.
A meeting of the American Legion
department executive committee VIII
be held July 80. according to notice
sent out from headquarters during the
past week 1t Will be at this meeting
that the committeee VIII discuss the
appeal which has been taken to 1t in
the case of Maj. Thacker V. walker.
who was depoSed as commander or
the George Washington Post recently.
Lew S. Mohler. the department ad-
jutant, was elected commander OF the
George Washington Post TO succeed
Maj. Walker at meeting held Tues
day night The vice commanders are
scheduled to be elected next month.
Women who served during the
world war will have the right to be
admitted to homes for disabled vol
received recently by Lemuel Bolles.
national adjutant of the American
Legion, from George H. Wood. presf-
dent of the board of managers of the
National Home for Disabled Nolun-
teer Soldiers. Honorable discharges
from the Army, Navy and Marine
Corps were granted to approximate
so 900 women who served in the last
war Homes for disabled volunteer
soldiers are located in Ohio, Wiscon-
sin, Virginia. Kansas, California, In
diana, Tennessee and South Dakota.
The first autumnal promenade of
the members of Voiture Locale ia,
the Washington unit of La Societe
des 40 HommeS ct s Chevaux, the
official playground organization of
the American Legion, will be held in
September. Decision to this effect
was reached this last week after
conference between the officers of
the voiture and Capt. L. w. Jordan,
the chef de gare.
During the summer months. owing
to the fact that the primary purpose
of the "Hommeys' is to aid and CO.
operate with the American Legion In
every way, no attempt has been made
by this organization to schedule out
ings or events that would detract
from the annual excursion of the de-
partment of the District of Columbia
of the American Legion or the other
open-air events given under its au-
spices.
The local voiture is one of the
largest units of the forty and eight
in the United States. and enjoys an
unusual distinction in that 1t is the
only one that CAN be formed in the
District of Columbia and has a priv
ileged status at the promenades ma
tional. or national conventions, in
that it may send five delegates and
five alternates.
At the September promenade, the
"wrecking crew." which is under the
leadership of Austin S. Imirie, the
conducteur. will function with all of
the paraphernalia used in the initia-
tory ceremony. and score or more
poor goofS. as the novices are
called. will be put through the PAGES.
Frank G. Peckham. the correspond
ent of the voiture, has addressed a
letter, covering the activities of the
voiture. to all of its membership. 1t
was also announced that at the Sep