New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1928-10-06
AMERICAN LEGION AND VETERANS
OF WAR WITH SPAIN WILL OPEN
ANNUAL MEETINGS ON SAME DAY
San Antonio Host to Or.
ganization Completing
10th Year

San Antonio, Tex, Oct. UP)-
Marking the close of the first decade
of its existence. the American Legion
will assemble here Monday for the
opening Of its annual national con-
vention. Much of its interest IL CEN
tered on holly conteAted race for ma
tional commands.
State after state has sprouted q
commandcrship candidate of its
probable or potential candidates are
in the field. as the veterans cohorts
move upon their convention city.
The largest crop comes from the
middle west and the south. With
the present commander, Edward +.
Spafford, New Yorker, the east
apparently is not disposed 10 try
again this year.
Among the candidates more or
less prominently under considera-
ton are: o. l.. Bohenhamer of
Arkansas; Albert l.. Cox of North
Carolina; Frank Douglass of Okla
homa: John Ewing OF Louisiana:
! my vi ohld W hAlVu
ID. Hood of Texas; J. Monroe john
son OF South Carolina; Howard r.
Macfarlane OF Florida; Paul V. Nc
Mutt of Indiana; Ralph T. O'Neill OF
Kansas: Rufus Rand of Minnesota
and +. M. Stayton of Missouri.
Numerous notables, both from
this country and from abroad. will
address the gathering, assembled in
San Antonio's imposing municipal
auditorium. The building was
erected at cost Of s2,ooo.O00 as a
memorial to the men who served
in the World War.
Field Marshal Viscount Allenby,
of Great Britain, heads the list of
distinguished guests. The liberator
of Jerusalem. who drove the Turk
out of Palestine and Syria and put
him definitely out of the world
struggle. will be one Of the speak
ers at the opening session.
| Major Georges Scapini, war
blinded member of the French
Chamber of Deputies: General John
j. Pershing. commander-in-chef OF
the A. f. +. and now honorary
national commander of the Ameri-
can LEGION: Colonel Charles A.
| Lindbergh. world aviation's fore
most figure; Judge Kenesaw NJ.
Lands. car Of baseball: Will
Rogers. William A. Green. presi-
dent of the American Federation OF
Labor: Lady Edward Spencer
Churchill. of England: Lady Allen
by. Lady Drummond of Canada
and Mrs. Alfred J. Brousseau, presi-
dent general of the Daughters OF
the American Revolution, are other
invited guests of the Legion and
the Legion auxiliary.
To entertain the thousands OF
visiting I.egionnaires, San Antonio
has prepared lavish program OF
entertainment. Headlining this pro-
gram is a worlds championship
rodeo. attracting all the leading con-
tenders for the titles in the various
contest classes.
decision prize fight at Fort Sam
Houston stadium. with Sergeant
Sammy Baker and Pete August cast
in the principal roles: an air circus
and a 'Folies Bergeres." with lead
ing song-and dance talent from six
nations. are among the entertain
ment features.
The greatest concentration or air
planes ever seen in America is ex.
pected TO fly over the Alamo City
On Friday. October II. the closing
day of tho convention. Leading
army and civilian f1iers will take part
and 1000 planes are expected to be
in a single formation on the day:
program. Legion convention Wis.
itors and organizations and firms II
San Antonio are cooperating TO send
out the greatest single airmail ship.
ment in the country on Tuesday.
Sixty thousand veterans and theiI
wives. mothers. sisters and daugh.
tiers will be in the great convention
parade on Tuesday.