Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-31
PEYSER IS AGAIN
LEGION CANDIDATE
Announcement by Friends
Like BombSheII Amid
Plans for Others.

Announcement of the candidacy Of
Capt. Julius I. Peyser to succeed him
self for another term as commander
of the District of Columbia depart
ment of the American Legion has
thrown a bombshell into the ranks
of those who had planned to sup
port other candidates and brought
pledges of support to another leader
who is being urged by his friends to
run on an opposition ticket to that of
Peyser.
Capt Peyser is out of the city, and
viii not be back in Washington for
two weeks. Announcement of his
candidacy was made today by friends.
who see no reason why a department
commander should not serve two
terms.
Harlan Wood. chairman of the vet
Grams joint committee, an important
legion auxiliary, engaged in liaison
work between veterans of the various
wars of the United States and Gov
eminent departments, chiefly seeking
full compliance with the several vet
Grams preferment acts. has been
pledged the support of several posts
of the department and many of the
leaders in legion affairs here Wood
has not yet announced his candidacy.
but his friends claim he will take the
post if elected.
Busy on Convention Plans.
Legion leaders here have been &C.
tive for two weeks laying plans for
the annual department convention to
be held in the board room of the Dis.
trict Building, August q and %, the
election of officers TO be the closing
business of the convention. Delegates
to represent the District department
at the national convention Of the
Legion In Philadelphia in October
will also be elected at the department
meeting, and a determined effort will
be made to pledge sufficient support
to put over the election of Rev. F.
J. Hurney of st. Patrick's Church for
national chaplain of the Legion.
The department election may resolve
itself into a three -cornered fight. If
the friends of Howard S. Fisk of
George Washington Post. No. !. con-
vince him he should run for the high
est post the Legion can bestow on
one of it's member in the District OF
Columbia. Fisk was a candidate at
the convention which elected PeySer
last year. but withdrew his name
after few ballots had been taken
Wood Urged to Run.
Within the last week three former
department commanders and several
members of Capt Peyser's own post
Vincent b. Costello Post-have ap-
preached Wood and promised him
their support of his candidacy II ne
Will run in opposition to the present
department commander. influential
members of Costello Post claim that
Peyser will not receive Endorsement
of his own post, and that his nght
for reelection will have to be carried
on independently.
The election promises TO equal the
warm struggle for department com
mander last year when Capt. Peyser
won after nearly a dozen ballots had
been cast for q field of several candl-
dates.
The controversy between posts OF
the American Legion Auxiliary will
be aired on the floor of the conven-
ton, it is understood. with Mrs.
Thacker V. Walker. president of the
auxiliary, scheduled to run for re-
election on coalition ticket.
Wood who is a member or Nc
Groarty- O'Connell Post, was sup
porter of Peyser last year. After
Peyser's election sensational charges
were aired against Charles l.. Reimer
of Stuart Walcott Post, one of the
unsuccessful candidates for depart
ment commander, and a committee
was appointed to investigate the
allegation that Reimer had been
guilty of conduct unbecoming
Legionnaire. Reimer will not be a
candidate this year.
Charges of loose administration
of affairs at Legion headquarters are
to be aired on the floor of the con-
vention, according to supporters of
Wood.