Imperial Valley press., 1926-04-26

san FRANCISCO. Cal. April 30.
Veterans and their American
Auxiliary wives, daughters, sisters
and mothers from California. will
sail to France to attend the Ameri-
can Legion convention there in 1927
from the port of New York. on Il
steamer Of the French line. This IN
information has been announced by
Frank }. Hatfield. Of san Francisco
member of the France convent ion
committee of the legion. following
the receipts Of embarkation details
for the convention from Bowman
Elder of Indianapolis, Ind, national
chairman of the committee.
Though the ship on which the Cal
ifornia delegation will embark has
not vet been definitely announced
the French line will be responsible
FOR the embarkation Of state dele
cations from Texas. Delaware, In
diana, Louisiana, Arizona. Mary
land, New Jersey, Florida and New
Mexico in addition to California,
operating ont of three of the seven
officially designated ports.
$4,000 May Sail
Present indications are, according
to Mr. Elder. that at least $4,000
veterans and Legion Auxiliary mem
bers will make the pilgrimage to
France with the legion, the greatest
peace time migration in the history
Of the world. Part of the program
in Paris win be the celebration Of
the tenth anniversary of the entry
OF the United States into the World
war. The veterans will also have
an opportunity to visit the battle
fields of the war and at the Amert-
can cemeteries will pay homage -
the thousands Of their former com
rades who now lie buritd in the soil
of France.
In addition to the wide popular
interest aroused bv the announce
ments of the convention, the plans
of the legion have been officially
endorsed by President Coolidge and
Il cordial Invitation from the GOV
eminent Of France has been recciv-
ed. Details of the vast project for
cmbarking and tls housing and
transporting aboard of this great
army of veterans are. being rapidly
perfected by the France Travel con-
veutiou committee of the legion.
Low Rates Provided
In order to place the trip within
the reach of almost every veteran,
extremely low rates are to be proVid-
ed. The minimum rate, which will
include TRANSFORMATION both ways on
the Atlantic, hotel in Paris and
transportation in France, including
a trip to an American battlefield
and an American cemetery, will be
about $175. Other rates providing
better grades of accommodation VIII
range to $3.50 for the maximum. 1t
is estimated that the trip, including
all reasonable expense can be made
for as little as 5000.
In order TO make it possible for
the rank and file of veterans to
save their money for the
trip, the France convention
committee is sponsoring the organ
ization of American Legion savings
clubs through banks in all parts OF
the country. A number of local
clubs have been organized in CO.
operation with legion posts through
authorization obtained from John j..
Wicker, .Jr., of Richmond. Va, ma
tional travel director for the France
convention travel committees.
No Crowded Ships
The legion is also backing ma
tional movement to grant eX-SerNlce
men sufficient vacation time in 1872
to make the trip. 1t is estimated
that it will require at least four
weeks to 90 and return from France
Congress has taken the lead in this
movement by the introduction of q
bill which would give all cX-serice
employees OF the government extend
cd vacation periods in 1927. En-
ployors associations in all part of
the country are also endorsing the
plan.
The return to France in 1927 is
in no sense to be compared with
the troubled days Of crowded trans
ports in 1917, according to Mr..
Eldpr If will contrast in almost