The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-09-20
The LEGION ROLE
IN INDUSTRY
BY ALEX FUHSE.

1engeS IhoSe VINO question the wal
veterans liability to uphold U. S. dig
nifty abroad" those "who have
doubted whether this body of vet
Grams would worthily represent the
nation abroad, and whether their con-
duct would conform to the dignity of
the mission" my answer to all
doubters and critics is that I have
now exactly the same confidence in
the integrity, the patriotism and good
sense of the Legionnaires compris-
ing this pilgrimage that / had when
as soldiers | sent them time and again
into BATTLE" he said.
Please note that he "sent them into
battle"-that is those who were there
to be sent and who were not too busy
in the SOS, the Intelligence De-
partment," Paris and various sea-
ports,-he did not lead them.
The Pure Legionnaires.
A question relative to confidence
and dignity. Is General Pershing's
confidence in the Legionnaires the
same sort of confidence shown in the
A. E. F. which found it necessary to
order cafes closed down because some
of the soldiers who came out of the
battles he sent them into and some
who never went into battle imbibed
too freely of cognac or other liquors
they could get stronger than vim
rouge or win blanc from the French
who violated orders not to sell the
soldiers anything stronger than wine
Closing down orders usually came
after row or battle royal of some
kind after drinking bout and lasted
for an indefinite period; sometimes
week or two. Possibly the same sort
OF confidence which necessitated post
ing guards in front of houses of ill
repute; or posting guards to prevent
a recurrence of stealing honey from
French farmer; or shown by an
order issued five months after the
Armfstice; etc.
General Pershing paid warm trib-
ute to "the lofty principles upon
which the Legion was founded" at
has been unselfish in its devotion to
the rights and the relief of the
wounded and other disabled buddies,
whether they belonged to its member
ship or not, and has been most active
in encouraging Government aid for
them. 1t has supported wise legisla-
ton, not only in the interest of
veterans, but also in the cause of
general patriotism and national de-
Tense. Its education of the public in
safe and sane measures of prepared
ness would alone justify the work
and expense of such an organization"
General patriotism" -Pershing's
words-means National patriotism"
which in turn means national pre-
JUDGE and becomes hatred for other
nations when the professional spa
trlots" so order. 1t has educated"
the public in safe and sane methods
of preparedness2 Preparedness
for what? For the defense of ma
tional prejudice and the capitalists
and owners of the U. S. National
patriotism" the camouflage behind
which the capitalists and master class
OF the U. s. and all other imperialist
countries lay their plans to wage
open, aggressive and offensive war
fare for business supremacy; and the
fool worker does the fighting, becomes
the cannon fodder" and fertilizes
the earth to push up daisies" or
peoples.
The Legion AS Strike Breaker
What has the Legion done for the
veteran of our industrial battle field?
Has it ''been unselfish in it's devotion
to the rights and the relief of the
wounded and otherwise disabled? ~.
Has it encouraged Government aid
for them? Has it supported wise
/ Legislation in the interest of these
veterans? Not so you could notice
it. 1t has done something, however.
1t has helped break strikes of workers
seeking to better their economic con-
dition 1t has broken up labor and
radical meetings thruout the coun
try. 1t has opposed organized labor
and supported the open shop or
American plan policy. 1t has been
particularly vicious with the more
militant Of the American working
class and those not so strongly or
gained. 1t has helped to strike many
down. 1t has opposed progressive
labor legislation. "It has been I'M
selfish in its devotion to the rights"
of the master class. 1t has been and
is opposed to real progress. And all
in the name of patriotism" yes,-
professional patriotism-an 100 per
cent Americanism.
Are these the "lofty principles"
upon which the Legion was founded'
and to which General Pershing paid
warm tribute?"
This is my answer to General John
J. Pershing's eulogy of the American
Legion.