Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-19
LEGION AND WOMEN
REPORTED UNITED
Agreement Announced, but
Auxiliary Member Says
"There'Il Never Be Peace"

- very desirable agreement be
tween the Washington Department of
the American Legion Women's Aux
iliary and the District American
Legion posts was reported to have
been reached yesterday afternoon al
the conclusion of an all-day closed
door session at the Willard Hotel.
This was announced by Albert j.
Ward, national committeeman OF the
Department of New York and chair
man OF the committee appointed by
National Comdr. Howard w. Savage,
at the Philadelphia convention of the
Legion. to investigate the breach in
the auxiliary ranks here which result
cd in the withdrawal of the local posts
support of the women's body.
Work toward the return of the
auxiliary to its official standing will
he carried right through now, and an
announcement of the complete sue
cess of those efforts will be made
shortly: that is all l can say now,
declared Mr. Ward. He would not de.
fine, however. the days action which
constituted in his opinion very de-
sirable agreement"
Silent On Split.
When asked by a reporter for The
Star whether the two opposing fac
lions of the women had become re-
united or whether one side had been
dropped entirely, permitting the
reconciliation with the Legion to in
clude only one group, Mr.. Ward re
piled, Now you are asking leading
questions. Isn't it enough for me to
say that desirable settlement has
been reaChedT
Pressed further on the question OF
the split between the women, Mr.
Ward said he would neither affirm
or deny that part of it"
None of the auxiliary members or
Legion men who attended the con
ference would comment upon the
days work, but referred all questions
to Mr.. Ward. Indications were, how
ever, that the session had been a
stormy one When adjournment was
declared a woman was weeping ner
vously, while others denounced her
heatedly Still another of the de
parting women remarked that "there'll
never be peace" but no explanations
were forthcoming and Mr.. Ward in
sisted that excellent cooperation has
been shown by everybody and the
meeting has been a great success"
Divided For a Year.
The auxiliary has been split into
two factions for more than year
six posts forming one side and the
remaining three constituting the
other. When the situation be-
came acute during the Summer the
local department of the Legion
adopted resolutions at its convention
withdrawing it's support of the aux
iliaries. During the Philadelphia con
venton Paul G.. McGahan of this city
requested the national meeting te
cancel the charter of the women's
body. National Comdr. Savage, how
ever, appointed a committee to meet
here with representatives Of all sides
to investigate the differences. With
Mr.. Ward as chairman of that com
'mittee were James H. McGinnis Of
the Department Of West Virginia and
J. Leo Collins of the d. partment OF
Pennsylvania.
Gen. Amos A. Fries. district com
mander of the District of Columbia
Department, spoke briefly at the meet
ing yesterday, declaring that he
heartily favored women's auxiliaries
He expressed the hope that a recon
Citation would be effected. He did
not remain through the day, how
ever.