Evening star., 1924-08-02
DRAIN AS NATIONAL
LEGION HEAD URGED
Candidacy of Former Local
Commander at st. Paul
Is indorsed.

James A. Drain of this city was
unanimously indorsed as a candidate
for national commander of the Ameri-
can Legion at the opening of the an
nual convention of the District of
Columbi department in the District
Building last night. u
Mr.. Drain. the retiring commander
of the District department and the
new commander (whoever is elected),
also were elected as delegates to the
national convention
Howard s. Fisk of the George
Washington Post. Frank L. Peckham,
Tank Corps Post, and Charles Riemer.
Stuart Walcott Post. were placed in
nomination for department COM
mander, who will be elected tonight
List OF Nominations.
Others placed IN nomination were:
For senior vice commander, Francis
F. Miller. Bureau of Engraving and
Printing Post; Junior vice commander,
Thomas j. Frailey, Serst. Jasper Post.
second junior vice commander, Miss
Helen ONeill. U. S. S. Jacob Jones
Post, and Miss Ann Harkins, Delano
Post. Miss Harkins, 1t was stated by
uISIlnKulSnGu
herself as nurse during the war and
was at the bedside of President Will
son during his illness.
Paul J. Mccain, retiring COM
mander of the Deartment of the Dis
trict of Columbia; F.. A. Awl of the
Lincoln Post and Frank L. Peckharn,
rank Corps Post, were nominated
for national executive committeeman,
with William Wolfe Smith of the
Press Club Post. Mr.. Awl and Mr..
Peckham as alternates.
The following were also nominated
as delegates to the conventions: How
ard 8. Fisk, John Thomas Taylor,
Miss Helen O'Niel. Daniel j. Donovan,
George 6 o. b. Ryeraw, Charles Riemer.
Morrell. Charles L. Ladson and Joseph
J. Idler.
Alternates were nominated as fol-
lows Selght to be elected: Mr.. Fisk,
Mr: Taylor, Eunice E. Dessez, Mr..
hadson, Capt John H. Craig, Norman
b; Landrau, Frank A. Connolly, Mr..
1dier, Albertus N. Schroeder Mr.. Nor
rell. Mr.. Cusick, Alexander N. Bre-
mer, Mr.. McNeill, M. N. Parker, Mr..
Donovan, Mr.. Buscher, West A Ham
lIton and Alexander Mann
Greetings from President.
The following message from Pres
loent Coolidge was read before the
conventions:
Mr.. Dear Commander McGahan-
reminder has just come to me that
the posts of the American Legion in
the District of Columbia are to hold
tnelr annual department convention
august and z. 1 would like through
you to extend my greetings and com
pllments to the members of the or
sanization at that time. They repre-
sent, L presume, every State in the
tional Capital have been in intimate
contact with the agencies throuRh,
which the Government maintains
contact with the great national army
or former service men. The uniform
loyalty and readiness to sustain the
government in all departments of its
relations with the men of the various
services is deserving of recornitjon
ana OF CONNIE ndation, and 1 am glad
OF tne opportunity to extend my own
assurances of appreciation and INV
best wishes to all of them. Most sin
cerely yours. "a.
..~-.-. cALvINscooLIDGE.r
letter was received also from
Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines. director
or the Veterans Bureau. in which he
. thanked the department for the CO.
operation given the bureau and called
attention to the necessity OF "carry
ing on in time of peace as well as in
war. The assemblage voted to fix the
department dues at z cents per year
instead of 81 and eliminated the wei
ioiS dppfopi idtloH OF oU cents, which
had formerly come out of the dues.
Addresses were delivered by Mrs.
T. +. Fawcett, department commander
of the District Auxiliary; Department
Commander Briscoe Goodhart of the
Department of the Potomac, G. A
r.; Department Commander Arthur
League of the United Spanish War
Veterans, Department Commander Car
roll of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars and by Robert NJ Smyth, rep
resenting National Commander Frank
Irwin of the Disabled American Vet
Grams. All expressed the Importance
of cooperation among the various
veteran organizations. Invocation was
delivered by Department Chaplain
Hugh K. Fulton.