Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-08

Continued from First Page)
such as this city has not known since
the old cowboy days.
Fire crackers and torpedoeS rever.
berated frequently from all sections OF
the city Joyous Legionnaires marched
up and down the streets, shouting and
capering and State delegations bantered
each other in the tongue of the A. z. F.
Wild cries of Powder River" proclaimed
the arrival of Northwestern State dele
cations.
'Pershing Warmly Welcomed.
San Antonio is traversed by a mean
dering river which twists through the
business districts under a number OF
steel bridges and many of the Legion
naires devoted part of their time 10
walking the high curving arches on
either side of the bridges.
BLACK Jack" Pershing found more
than 10000 of "his boys" present when
he stepped from his train last night
and heavy police lines were necessary
to hold the crowd back as he walked
to his automobile. He was whisked
away to his hotel before the eager
crowds could get within 100 feet Of
him.
Estimates on the total attendance
still varied, the more optimistic pre-
dieting $4,000 against the $4,000 expect
ed by the conservative. Later arrival
OF special trains will almost double
the throng now here, in the opinion
of the railroad officials and housing
directors. A total of IS special and
regular trains were due to arrive before
noon, but it was doubtful if they could
be crowded into San Antonio's yard
facilities in that time.
Use Cars as Hotels.
Most of the pullmans will remain To
serve as hotel rooms for their occupants.
Railroad companies have installed tele-
phones, radios, restaurants, electric
lights and ice water in their yards in
an effort. to make the accommodations
as nearly like those of hotel as pos
sible.
The message of National Comdr.
Edward E. Spafford and the race for
commander in the ensuing year were
the most absorbing topics of the first
days session. Spafford was expected
to recommend drive for legislation
that would enforce a universal draft in
the next war The political race was
still to embryonic to warrant more than
speculation. Gen. Roy Hoffman of
Oklahoma City continued to acquire
prestige as candidate for national
commander, with indications that the
Texas delegation might swing to him
after its first caucus.
1t was too early, however. for any
OF the State groups supporting favorite
sons to swing their votes to another
candidate, and the hackers of all of
those now in the field we're claiming
marked sentiment for their favorites
John D. Ewing of Shreveport. La. long
leader in the Southern caucus" at
Legion conventions, gained strength
with his arrival today o. L. Boden-
hammer of FL Dorado. Ark; Paul w.
McNutt Of Indiana, Gen. Albert L. Cox
OF North Carolina, j. Monroe johnson
OF South Carolina and Frank O'Neil of
Kansas, all among the leading contend
ers for the office, were supported by ac-.
tive campaigns.
The question of the next convention
city seems to have settled down into a
fight between Louisville, Detroit and
Miami for the 1929 meeting, and a
contest between Boston and Los An
geles for the 1880 gathering.
Gen. Pershing's arrival was more
dramatic than most of the spectators
who greeted him realized. It was from
here that he entrained for Washington
more than IL years ago to receive COM
mand of the A. E. F.