Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-08
Veterans of Great War

toned in connection with the Office Of
department commander, including
Julius l. Peyser, the present holder
of that high Office: Harland Wood
chairman of the veterans joint com
mittee; Maj. Gen. Amos A. Fries, re
Gently elected national president OF
the Sojourners Club and who is also
chief of the Chemical Warfare Sec
ton; Past Comdr. Howard S. Fisk OF
George Washington Post, No. /
Comdr. Peyser is member of Vim
cent B. Costello Post: Wood a mem
Der of the McGroarty-O'C onnell Post
and Gen. Fries of the National Press
Club Post. Comdr. Peyser announced
that he would be a candidate for re-
election. and after arriving at Poland
Springs. Me-. sent a telegram to his
post to the effect that he had decided
not to run for a second term. This
was followed later the same day with
another telegram announcing that he
had been persuaded to accept a second
nomination and as a result he will be
the first department commander in
the history of the local organization
to be nominated to succeed himself
Many legionnaires feel that there is
ample timber in the local department
and members of Costello Post have
openly stated that they do not ap.
prove of this program. AS a result of
the announcement of Comdr. Peyser
to finally permit his name to be pre-
scented to the coming convention the
seven delegates will go uninstructed
Maj. Gen. Fries. although he has
never held department office. is con.
sidered an executive and a good or
ganizer. Harlan Wood has worked
dt,vfyN he
longer In the interest of the eX-service
man and also as chairman of the
veterans joint committee, represent
ing the various veteran organizations
OF the District. Past Comdr. Fisk was
commander of George Washington
Post In 1921 and has held Is offices in
the department at various times since
the department was organized and he
served as first adjutant. Other names
may be presented when the conven.
ton convenes. National Executive
Committeeman Past Department
Comdr. Paul J. McGahan is a candi-
date to succeed himself for another.
two years.
Fhere are a number Of states being
mace up In connection with the con-
vention and number OF names have
been advanced for the three vice com
memberships. it has generally been
the custom to elect woman to the
position of third vice commander,
This office has been held for the past
three years by a member of the L.
S. S. Jacob Jones Post, composed of
women e. who served during the
World War. This year it is under
stood the same post will present a new
candidate. while members Of the Jane
A. Delano Post, composed OF nurses
OF the Army and Navy, will present
the name OF one of their members
with a hope OF success. The depart
ment adjutant and finance officer are
appointive offices.
The name Of Rev. Francis ]. Hur.
ney, assistant rector Of st. Patrick s
Church, will be presented on the floor
OF the convention urging his indorse
ment for the position Of chaplain OF
the national organization He is q
member Of Vicent B. Costello Post and
has served as department chaplain
on two occasions.
One OF the interesting features OF
the coming convention is the fact
that three Army men. a brigadier gen.
eral. q major general and q general.
are being doomed by the local post
for high offices. Brig Gen. William
Mitchell is delegate to the conven-
ton and Is expected to be elected the
next commander Of Vincent b. Cos.
tello Post; Maj. Gen. Fries will be
nominated for department com
mander and Gen. Pershing nominated
for national comma nder. The out
look in all three Instances will be
watched with much interest as time
goes on.
Tha of Ill
Wood Post, No. 8, the American lie
gion. was held last Sunday afternoon
at the home of Commander Emily
J. Carey. Triton Village. Va. Emily
J. Carey was elected delegate and
Grace Clark alternate to the depart
ment convention. The name of Alice
NJ. Prentiss, past commander Of the
Jane A. Delano Post. No. 6. as a can.
didate for junior vice commander of
the Department Of the District Of Co.
lumbia, was Endorsed by the post.
National Commander McQuigg has
urged Paul J. McGahan, national ex-
ecutive committeeman of the Depart
ment Of the District of Columbia, the
American Legion, to request a mem
bership squirt in the District in adj
vance OF the Philadelphia convention,
to be held in October.
Mr.. McGahan has sent a bulletin to
the various commanders in the Dis
trict stating that the department has
an unusual opportunity before it and
announcing that there are 1926 paid
up memberships. At the end of 1925
the department had a paid up mem
bership of 1863 and at the end of 1924
there were 1928.
The bulletin states further:
There are three prizes in imme-
date view as the rewards for a mem
bership campaign. The first of these
applies to our own department con-
vention, to be held in August. Twelve
posts, If they supply 2S7 members he.
tween this date and August 10. will be
entitled to an additional delegate to
the department convention. 1t will re-
quire from three to 81 additional
plish that end4 These posts are the
Jacob Jones, the James Reese Europe
the McGroarty-O 'Connell. the Kenneth
II. Nash. the Stuart Walcott. the
Quentin Roosevelt, the Sergeant Jas
per. the Vincent B. Costello, the Au-
gustus p. Gardner, the Tank Corps
and the National Press Club.
The second prize Is ours IL we in
crease our membership by not less
than PIC members between now and
September 10, for that will put our
membership over 2,5O1 and make it
possible for us to elect eight delegates
and eight alternates to the national
convention at Philadelphia. This will
be one more delegate and one more al
ternate than we had last year and will
restore US to our standing In 1924.
The third prize and the most i'm
portant one is an increase in our al
lotment to the Paris convention.
LAS it now stands this department
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