Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-07

Harlan Wood of the American Legion,
are now striving to capture the first
Kentucky membership derby, which
closes the middle of next month.
According to the latest reports from
national headquarters, the Department
of the District of Columbia is leading
the So department entries on the track,
with the Department of Hawaii which
won the Lindsey trophy, runner-up.
The District has 1924 per cent of Its
1929 membership quota paid up, while
the District auxiliary has 1850 of its
1929 quota paid up, giving the District
an average per centage OF both organ
iZationS of 1890. Hawaii has a Legion
paid-up percentage of 1923 for this
year, while its auxiliary has only 53.ll
per cent of its 1929 quota paid up,
which hauls its general average down to
10170 for both organizations. The De-
partment of Wyoming is third with
9054; Panama fourth, with 8785, and
Michigan fifth in the race, with 1928.
If the District continues to hold first
place. as it has for several weeks, it
has an excellent chance of capturing
the derby and with it the first prize,
which will be awarded at the eleventh
annual national convention at Louis
vile next Fall. Department Comdr
Wood is urging all legionnaires and
members of the auxiliary to pay up
their dues for this year, with the hope
Of winning this national event.
OF interest to local Legionnaires is
the Area "B" Child Welfare Conference
of the American Legion, which will be
held at the Cairo Hotel April IL and 49,
Area "B" comprises the States of New
Vork Ncu TnrSou poncv1yania nolo
ware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virs,
ginia and the District of Columbia
Representatives of the American Legion,
American Legion Auxiliary, the Forty
and Eight and the Eight and Forty
from these States and the District of
Columbia will attend the sessions of the
conference.
DR.. Samuel Loveman of Toms River,
N. j., chairman of Area "B" of the ma
tional child welfare committee of the
American Legion, will preside at the
conference. Severally nationally known
persons interested in child welfare work
will address the conference. Edwin
Hollenback, national vice chairman of
the American child welfare committee
and past department commander of
Pennsylvania, will be present, as will
also John Crowley. chairman of Area
"a" of the national child welfare COM
mittee, which comprises the New Eng
land States; Miss Emma C. Pusch-
ner, national director of the child well
fare division, and Miss Marjorie A. Pre-
vost. regional service officer for Area "B. -
All LegionnaireS, members of the
American Legion Auxiliary, the Forty
and Eight and Eight and Forty are in
vited to the sessions Of the conference.
A dinner will be given at the Cairo
Hotel on April IL and will be followed
by dancing. Mrs. Mary Esther Kolhos,
department child welfare officer, is in
charge of reservations for the dinner.
Miss Helen G. O'Neill, national child
welfare officer is in charge of the de-
tails of the two-day conference. Two
other areas, it Is reported, have held
successful conferences and Area "B" is
expected to be in line with the other
areas.
Past Department Commander Watson
3. Miller, who is chairman of the ma
tional rehabilitation committee, an
nounces that the failure of the World
War veterans hospital construction bill
to pass at the recent session of Con-
gress has greatly accumulated an al
ready acute situation with relation to
The SCARCELY Vi Deus LOT NGtSIdIlS SulISI -
ing with mental diseases.
The gravity of the situation with
reference to the disqualification Of the
mental group is graphically indicated,
Chairman Miller says, by statement
recently made by the Department Of
Mental Hygiene of the State of New
York that, based upon past experience,
there will probably be, among group
of 3,500,O00 World War veterans,
$4,000 who at the average age of 35
years will develop serious mental dis
eases. The Government at the present
time has under disqualification close to
$4,000 veterans suffering with various
mental disorders, with practically no
hospital beds available for further adj
missions. There are extensive waiting
lists at nearly all Government neuro-
psychiatric hospitals. Mental and
nervous cases among veterans are de-
veloping at an alarming rate. particu-
larry in the large centers of population,
such as New York and Chicago. The
situation is especially critical in Chi
cago. The hospitals in Illinois, both
Government and State, Chairman Mil
Ter says, long since reached their ca
pacities and in some of these State
institutions it is reported that patients
are sleeping in Railways and corridors
because of a lack of bed space.
The American Legion in America as
wall as in France reverently observed the
passing of their former allied COM
mander, Marshal Ferdinand Foch, and
all of the departments and the 10000
posts in this country will carry a
streamer of crepe on the legion banners
for a period of 80 days in his honor.
IF thu faiYoro1 in poric
March 26, the American Legion was
officially represented at the request CT
National Comdr. Paul v. McNutt by
Gen. John j. Pershing, member of
George Washington Post of this city,
and of which Marshal Foch was also
q member; S. p. Bailey. national exec
utive committeeman of the Depart
ment of France, and Albert B. Cudebec,
vice commander of the Department of
France, representing Comdr. Charles
Hicks, who was in America. Gen.
Pershing's cablegram in reply to one
sent by National Comdr. McNutt was
as follows: LAS representative OF the
Army and the A. E. F., embracing all
veterans, shall be glad to serve as
chairman of delegation of American
legion Shall attend funeral as pail
bearer" Gen. Pershing is now the
only living honorary national COM
inander since the death of Marshal
Foch. Memorial services were held by
many posts in America.
The next regular meeting Of the
q. S. S. Jacob Jones Post, No. 2, the
American Legion, viii be held at the
Thomas Circle Club April 8. Col
Thomas ]. Dixon, Chaplain Corps,
o. S. A., and chaplain of the District
viii talk on Tactics of the Great
est Battle in History" giving first.
hand information Of his observations OF
the World War.
The six boys from the Noel House
Community Center, accompanied py
Bovd Hines. director, will be guests on
this occasion. These boys are competing
for tile U. S. S. Jacob Jones Post, No. 2
award for best results from their gar
dens, and in this connection repre-
sentative of the Department OF Agri-
- s~aSF Ia