Evening star., 1925-06-27
FIVE SEEKING POST
AS HEAD Of LEGION
Peyser, Fisk, Riemer, TAFT
and Hitch Are Placed in
Nomination.

With five "a ndida les formally in the
race for department comma nder. Two
OF them dark horse candidates whose
nomination had not been predicted
The District Of Columbia Depa rtme nj
american Legion. will go into the
nnal session of the two-day depa RI
ment convention tonight assured Of
long and proba bly, hitter fight before
department comma nder Is chosen
Advocates of Capt. Julius |. Peyser,
one of those nominated last night
predict his election on the first ballot e.
while those who have been outspoken
in their denunciatiOn of alleged ''un-
ethical" tactics OF Peysers supporters
claim fighting cha nee for victory.
Dark Horse. Surprise.
capt. Peyser, Lieut.. Howard l..
Fisk and Charles l.. Riemer. and Col.
George l.. TAFT and Maj. Edgar r.
Hitch were all placed in nomina ton
last night The last two had not been
mentioned In Dre-convention gossip
and ca campaiSn managers professed to
he surprised AT their nomination.
Some members of the legion today
saw in the two dark horse" nomina-
tions a clever parlia N entsry move to
gather the bulk OF the votes behind
TAFT, Hitch, Fisk and Riemer and then
withdraw three of the latter, eavine
only one to oppose Capt. Peyser. who
is known to have considerable voting
strength before the election opens.
Col. James A. Drain national com
mander of the legion, appeared IN
expectedly at the nomina ting meeting
at the Interior Depa rtment last night
and. in a short address urged harmony
among the elements making up the
local legion. He urged continued .f
fort toward assured success in th%
legions s. .000. 900 endowment drive
The election meetina win start at
7 o'clock tonight in rhe auditorium
OF The Interior Department in order
that some routine business can he
disposed of before the balIo,ing
Comdr. Frank J.. Peckham will pre-
side. While some Legion members
foresee an airing Of personal chargee
made against supporters Of one Of The
candidates, other profess to see
friendly fight without bitterness.
Other Nominations.
In addition to the Ave candidates
for comma nder. the following nomf-
nations were made last night: For
senior vice comma nder Thomas j
Frailey, Charles J.. Reimer and VIII
liam H. Carroll: for junior vice com
mander. William H Carroll. John o.
johnson and Theodore CogsweH: for
third vice comma nder. Misses Emily
J. Cary and Helen D. McCarty
Frank l.. Peckha m. present depar RI
ment commander: the new comma no.
81 and Watson B. Miller. past deps rt =
ment comma nder. We're elected BY &C
clama ton last night delegates to the
national convention TO he held al,
Omaha. Nebr., In October.
The following were also named as
candidates for delegates: Howard $
Fisk, Harlan Wood William II. Car
roll. Charles l.. Riemer. Dr. r. G.
AacNeil. ". \. MorreH Joseph ].
Idler. Thomas J. t'railey and Helen
McCarty. Five Of these are TO he
elected tonight. while three aIterna ,es
will be selected from among the fol
lowing: c. l.. Ladson. Thomas J.
Frailey. Helen NcCarty Theodore
Cosgswell. John Thomas TayIor
Harlan Wood. Charles l.. Riemer,
T. \. Tenpletop. Wiilism Woff
Smith and X. NJ Zschsrias