The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-01-15
Am crican
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Race
AS a result of Minnesota's victory
over the Department of Michigan,
American Legion, in membership
contest that ended December 81,
Tall-Corn Legionaires of Iowa have
stepped to the front with chal-
lenge to Minnesota for member
ship contest to end March 15. 1t
has been accepted. Minnesota is
nicknamed the land of "Tall Swedes
and Short Corn, by Commander j.
r. Murphy of the Iowa department
in his letter of challenge, which is
replete with good-natured "kid-
ding.
1--WE grant that as contest this
affair won't be much-if-any" the
Iowa Commander declares. "But
you may shine in the reflected glory
of your southern neighbor, and thus
modicum of greatness will be
thrust upon you," he continues.
To which State Adjutant Lindell
of Minnesota, in behalf of Depart
ment Commander O'Hara, replied:
Shades of Napoleon, can corn
alone carry men to such ambitious
heights? Is Iowa at last going to
aspire to that hign place in Legion
dom which Minnesota has for so
many years been accorded"
1--WE accept the conditions of said
contest and say to you that on
March Is, 1925, we look forward
to request from Iowa for permits
sion to assume its rightful place as
one of the townships of the North
Star state"
The Gophers will be under a
handicap in the Iowa contest, be-
cause of the greater number of
potential Iowa members. Accord
ing to figures from National Head
quarters in Indianapolis for 1925,
the Hawkeyes had 34,504 members
while Minnesota had 26,894. De-
spite this greater natural field for
the Iowans to work in, Minnesota,
as a result of its contest with Mich
igan, now has nearly double the
number of members for 1926 listed
at national headquarters that Iowa
has. This gives Minnesota lead
to start with, bat the Gophers will
be hard pressed to maintain it de-
rartment officials declare.
Legion Aida Fund For Smelling
Chapel.
With all confidence that the
people of Minnesota will respond
heartily to the appeal for funds with
which to erect a chapel at Fort
Smelling the general committee in
charge is proceeding with its. pre-
parations to start work as soon as
the chapel were obtained through
statewide competition # architects.
The structure will be of stone and
its design in pan -sect arian, serving
all forms of religious worship. The
building is estimated to cost $780,
600 and the furnishings, including
organ, $4,000 more. Fort Smelling
soldiers have volunteered 20 aid as
far as possible by making the ex-
cavation and doing such other work
as does not require special skill.
The campaign for funds to erect the
chapel is to be conducted through.
out the state the week of February
z to Ia and the American Legion is
expected to take IN active and i'm
portant part in helping the boys
and their wives and kiddies at the
Fort get real chapel.
-Four Seek Honor of "Oldest
Fiddler.
H. C. Petty of Kimball, 80 years
old, is going to have competition for
the honor of being the "oldest fid-
der" in Minnesota, for the Ameri-
can Legion radio program to be
broadcast from station WCCO, st.
Paul-Minneapolis, the night of JAM
uary %.
Following the announcement last
week that Mr.. Petty was the oldest
man to report as official Legion
radio fiddler, three other fiddlers
arose to contest his claim. And
each of them is older than Mr..
Petty
The three new contestants are E.
P. Francisco, Lake City, SO years
old; R. B. Webg, Glyndon, 80 years
old and Martin Ness, Cook. 85
years old and father of one of the
Cook Legionaires.
The four-sided battle will prob
ably be decided by department head
quarters this week. Lake City Lee
gionaires claim their candidate un-
doubtedly should win the honor and
he will be on hand, they say for the