New Britain herald., 1926-08-26
SERVICE KEYNOTE
 OF JACKSON'S TALK
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ganization; the respective chairmen will submit more detailed reports of the various activities.
 Membership

While we have not reached the quota assigned by national head quarters, we all can feel proud of the membership to date. The increase has placed this department in a better position than ever. ] Share found that membership has in- creased in those posts which have remained alert and which have en- gagged in many activities to keep their members interested. This has been proven by the Eddy-Glover post, No. 6, of New Britain, which has led the state, with the largest membership, for the past two years. Special mention should be made of the membership of the women's posts, the Jane Delano post No. 2, of Hartford, having revived after two years of inactivity, with an tn- creased membership.
 Service
 ''Under the head of service, let us consider rehabilitation, guardian ship, institutional welfare, and state aid.
 Upon the rehabilitation commit tee rests an important duty. Service to our disabled comrades and their dependents is our first obligation. Under the various acts of Congress, the United States has accepted cer- tain obligations to the service men and their dependents. It is the duty of the American Legion to assist in seeing that every person entitled to receives it.
 Guardianship provides an im- portant duty. We can offer an ef- ficient volunteer service, through our posts. to our more unfortunate comrades, who have been judged mentally incompetent or have in- competent dependents, to investi- gate and recommend suitable con- seryators when requested, to check up delinquent and erring guardians and appear in probate courts to present or object to accounts.
 State aid fund, an act, for which we are thankful. ot our state. The manner, in which this fund has been disbursed by the members oi the Legion. is highly commendable Volumes could be written of the wonderful relief this fund has pro- vided. Institutional welfare is a work which is calling for more attention, as we find an increasing number of serviccmen scattered throughout our institutions. They should receive visits and attention, along with other assistance that may be given their dependents.
 Allingtown Hospital
 This department should be yit- ally interested in the retention of the |. s. Veterans hospital, No. Al, for the reason that Connecticut men should be treated as near 10 their homes as facilities will permit Contentment is said 10 be half the cure, and it Is q common desire Of the men to be near their families and homes. The lease on this his pital expires. June, 1921 There is 6 possibility of the government pur- chasing the property, providing facts are presented, showing the need of retaining 1t. This should appeal to all.
 Child Welfare
 Closely akin to our duty to our less fortunate comrades, Is tho Legion's sacred obligation to the orphans of veterans. This project is receiving careful thought and plans are made to check up the conditions of the orphans and other depend ents of the veterans, seeing that their lot is made less to bear.
 Endowment Fund
 When speaking of service to the disabled and the orphans, I must naturally refer to the American Legion rehabilitation and child wei fare endowment fund. This fund was solicited for the purpose Of purpetuatng the Legion's rehabili- tation service and the care Of the orphans of the veterans. Our quota was a generous one. and We have done very well. having reached within a few dollars of the $780, O00, in spite Of some posts which did not give cooperation to this effort. The action of those posts leaves them open to censure.
 'Too much credit cannot be given 10 the loyal Legionnaires and their friends who assisted. It is hoped that the quota can be completed this year.
 Amcricanism
 The Americanism committee Is responsible for the romotion of it's program, sub-divIded under the headings of educational @and patriotism. Boy Scouts, boys work, and community recreational and welfare. Tho educational and patriotism committee has sponsored q number Of well written bulletins on this subject, also. encouraging the observance of patriotic holidays. flag code, simultaneous observances of the seSquiccntenial, and is now working out a plan of organization for getting out the vote. It is plan ned that there will be q moro con- centrated effort in tho observance Of American Education Week, Boy Scout work among our members has developed energetically. More than half Of the posts in the state have taken mp this work of spon- soring troops and supplying scout masters, The posts are encouraged to get in back of this work. to the extent where every post will sponsor one or more Boy Scout troops.
 Boys work has taken the form in a program of the Big Brother movement. hikes, and junior base ball teams. All three of these pro- motions have been received favor ably by the boys. where the Legion