Evening star., 1925-10-02
R|EMER CHARGES
HELD UNF0UNDED
Legion Controversy Over Al.
legged Mismanagement Still
Acute, Despite Report.

While an American Legion COM
mittee was on record upholding the
present administration OF legion af-
fairs in tho District Of Columbia,
another critic Of legion matters took
a stand today along with Charles j..
Riemer, attacking the manner In
which leaders of the local veterans
organization handle its work.
A committee OF investigators last
night issued the following statement:
THE committee that was appointed
to investigate charges against the
management OF the American Legion
finds that the allegations that were
made in the Washington newspapers
on August 80, 1925, alleging misman-
agement of the affairs OF the American
Legion in the District Of Columbia
Department OF the American Legion
are entirely unfounded and untrue.
Tho allegations were made by Rle-
mer. who is commander of Stuart
Walcott Post.
Declares Legion Dlsintegrating.
At the same time a letter from
Mai. Thomas F.. Fawcett, member
of II. G. Spengler Post. to Depart
ment Comdr. julius ]. Peyser. charg-
ing that the legion in the Distrlct
Of Columbia is disintegrating because
the whole organization here Is rotten
was made public. Maj. Fawcett
letter contains substantially the
same allegations Riemer made IN
statements to newspapers.
Riemer appeared yesterday before
the investigating committee. but did
not testify. His trial on charges OF
conduct nnbecominR a member OF tho
legion will be held October IA. before
a trial board headed by Frank l.. Peck
ham. past department commander. Nc
testimony was offered in support OF
Riemer's allegations OF misma mage
ment Yesterday, according TO a mem
ber of the committee. The whitewash
ing given the present admlnlstratlon
was logical. the committee member
said in the absence OF any testimony
to support the charges.
Instead of being an orga niZatior
devoted to the service of the ex-serv
ice men," Maj. Fawcett's letter de
clares. the District OF Columbia de
partment has become a stew in which
Scores the Auxiliary.
He also scored the so-called Ameri
can Legion Auxiliary. and added
THAT the legion and the auxiliary
here in the District of Columbia dc
require a housecleaning is very ap
parent on every side, and the loss OF
membership in both orga nizations ir
the last two years is one of the best
| indications that there Is something
rotten internally.
Now get busy with your two-nste6
| ideas and let's see you do something
TO put the American Legion where II
| belongs. Riemer Is right, the whole
| organization here is rotten
The District delegation to the ma
| tional convention, which opens a.
Omaha next Monday, left Washington
| at o'clock this afternoon over The
Chesa peake and Ohio Railroad. Foul
! special cars were chartered. and the
party will pick up members of Other
legion posts In Virginia. A letter o.
greeting from the District fCommis
sioners to Mayor Dahlgreh of Oma hs
| Is being sent with the District delega
ton. which includes the drum corps Of
Vincent b. Costello Post.
Parting Greeting by Col. Mitchell.
The Washington contingent of th'
American Legion convention delegate
was hidden farewell by Col. Billy
Mitchell and Daniel F.. Garges. secre
| tary of the board of District Commis
sioners on behalf Of the board, IL
| front OF the District Building at
| O'Clock this afternoon. More than 90
delegates and legionnaires assemble'
in front OF the building. and thel
paraded down Pennsylvania avenue t
the Union Station, where they wen
aboard the special train.