Evening star., 1926-08-27
LEGION RACE STILL
HAS4CAND|DATES
PeySer Refuses to Quit, and
Interest in Election To-
morrow Mounts.

The eve Of the annual convention
of the District of Columbia Depart
ment American Legion, finds the
four candidates who have openly al
lowed their names to stand for de
partment commander still in the field.
Capt. julius ]. Peyser. present O..
partment commander. has not with
drawn from the race and will stand for
reelection tomorrow night. a maze
of conflicting reports today made it
uncertain for a time whether PeySer
would remain a candidate. but his
friends shortly after noon today de-
ciared positively that the incumbent
will rema in in the race to the end
The convention. opens tonight with
a parade of members of local legion
POSTS TO Central High School. where
nominations will be made and COM
mites appoin1ed. The election
will take place tomorrow night. clos
ing chapter of internal politics.
hurried caucuScS and dissension With
in the posts without parallel in the
eight-year history Of The leg on here.
a reorganization Of the potential vot-
ing strength TOMORROW night. made ny
Supporters of Harlan Wood. one OF the
three foremost cand dates. indicates
the first ballot With 81 necessary to
elect Maj. Gen. Amos 4. Fries. chief
of the Chemical Warfare Service Of
the Army. will receive Il votes and
Peyser will poll II votes, with in
the doubtful column. il is said. Sixty
two votes are expected to be cast
hy the posts, the department officers
and past department comma aders.
Forecasts that the present situation
Is the forerunner of an attemn- to
secure the election of Col. William
Mitchell. former assistant Army Air
Service head. for department. com
mander next wear. and that Gen.
Fries. If elected. may be shifted TO
a command outside of Washington
were handled about today as interest
In the election reached its climax and
campaign managers for some of the
candidates held hurried conferences.
Howard $. Fisk of George Washing
ton Post. No. !. parent post of the
Legion here, is The other candidate,
while the name of Frederick \. Della no.
president of the American Civic AS.
Sociation. also has been mentioned.
committee headed by Daniel j. Dono-
van of Costello Posi- called on Cant
Peyser Yesterday. urging him TO with.
draw as candidate for department,
commander. and pledging him the sup
port of the post for national exec
utlve committeeman.
Service Men Also 10 March.
The parade will start at t'olum;,i:,
road and Biltrnore street at O'Clock
tonl"ht. with veterans from all Legion
posts IN line, augmented by detach-
nlcnts from the three branches of the
service and other veteran orpaniza-
tions. Music will he furnished bv the
Costello Post bugle and drum corps.
th" McGroarty- -OCOnnel Post burle
ana drum corps and Il band will be in
line
Inc resolutions committee tonight
VIII lay before the committee withou:
recommendation resolution which
would authorize an annual levy of 81
per man on each LegiOnnaire
throughout the country to create an
endowment fund for members of the
Legion who are injured in industrial
pursuits and who are unable to aid
themselves. This is urged. sponsors
of the resolution say. to defer the day
when the Legion will petition Con
greSs for general relief for veterans
OF the World War.
Earl X. Brown of Beauschene Post
was named chairman of the resolu-
tfons committee and r. Madison Hill
campaign manager for Wood. was
named chairman of the credentials
committee at pre-convention meet
ing held last night at headquarters OF
George Washington Post.
While the present campaign for
department commander has been
kept above the plane of personalities
and the virulence Of the charges
made last year has been missing, at
least two candidates have promised
thorough house cleaning within the
legion In the event of their election.
Wood has been offered the vice COM
membership under Gen. Fries as de-
partment commander and Fisk has
been offered the vice commanderShip
under Wood. Both have turned down
these offers. preferring the highest
post or none.
The Wood ticket would install J.
Thad Baker as first vice commander
and Thomas ID. Walsh as second vice
commander, while the Fries support
ters would have Charles II. Hille-
geist for first vice commander and
George Frailey for second vice COM
m3pjoY