Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
Veterans of Great War
The American Legion.

The annual ball of the Department
of the District of Columbia, the Amer
4can Legion, Wednesday night at tn
New Willard Hotel is the outstandin
event in Veteran circles this week. De
partment Comdr. Harlan Wood an
nounced he expects the affair will b
one of the most brilliant in the hiStor
Of the local department
The various committees in charg
hre engaged in completing the fina
details. In attendance at the ball vii
be several hundred delegates attending
the National Defense Conference which
is to be held in D. A. r. Memoria
Hail. January 90, 80 and 81, under the
auspices of over 30 patriotic organiza'
tons of the United States. The con-
ference is to be presided over by Mrs
Boyce Ficklen, jr.. national president oi
the American Legion Auxiliary, who is
coming at the head of the large -ep-
Fesentation to the ball.
The two bathrooms have been engaged
for the occasion with orchestra in each
with dancing from $50 to l o'clock
Additional boxes have been provided
to meet the demand and several OF
these will be occupied by the disabled
veterans from all of the local hospitals
They will be the special guests of the
American Legion on this occasion
SlldlA uldll 1AIOLIldo L dlIhlAA Va IlA~
box committee and his assistants have
completed arrangements for their COM
fort at the ball.
A meeting of the department exc
eutive committee was held last Monday
night, concluding at midnight after
one Of the busiest meetings ever pre-
sided over by Department Comdr.
Harlan Wood since his installation last
Fall.
The post commanders were requested
to have large representation at the
exercises to be held at the tomb of the
Unknown Soldier at Arlington Gene
terry January 81 at $50 o'clock. on
which occasion wreaths will be placed
by Mrs. Boyce Ficklen, jr, of the
American Legion Auxiliary and other
representatives attending the National
Defense Conference January %, 30 and
81. The. commanders were also re-
Guested to have their post colors pres
ent- and form a background for the
ceremonies which are to take place at
that time.
The executive committee provided
for a decided increase in the hospital
committee and two representatives will
be appointed from each post to assist
in visiting the hospitals and providing
comfort and entertainment for the dis
abled veterans in the local hospitals
The chairman of the committee is c.
N. Schroeder of Victory Post, who
plans an extensive program the re-
mainder of the Winter season.
Past Dept. Comdr. and National Ex
ecutlve Committeeman Paul j. Nc
Gahan, complimented the department
on its record in finishing in second
place out OF 81 departments, by having
more than so per cent of its 1928
membership paid up on December 81,
last for the year 1929. The depart
ment of Michigan finished first, 5208
per cent and the District of Columbia
next, with 50.87 per cent. He urged
the department to endeavor to capture
some Of the national trophies which
will be presented at the eleventh ma
tlonal convention to be held at Louis
vile, KY, September 80 to October 8
next. These include the Lindsey tro-
ply for the greatest percentage of paid
up members by March Is over last year;
the Quinn trophy for the greatest per-
centage gain over four-year period
on June Is, and the Emery trophy for
the department showing the greatest
percentage IN paid-up membership by
August 81, over four-year period
Austin S. Imirie, past commander
E Quintin Roosevelt Post, announced
that his post had donated a cup for
the post Of 100 members or more show
ing the largest number of paid-up mem
bers this year and another cup for the
post with less than 100 members with
the greatest percentage of pafd-up
members. AS chairman of the mem
bership committee he announced that
the membership campaign would be
started on February l,
Dept. Adjt. Howard s. Fisk, who act
ed as treasurer OF the joint ArmiStice
ball, November 10 last under the auspi-
ces of the Veterans of Foreign Wars
and the American Legion, submitted a
detailed report of that affair and at
its conclusion presented a check of
several hundred dollars to Finance OFF,
Ger F. G.. Fraser as the Legion's share
Of the profits. The report was received
with much enthusiasm and the COM
mtttee representing the Legion lauded
for its work.
Department Comdr. Wood announced
the appointment of Past Comdr. Ben
L. Fuller of Henry G. Spengler Post,
No. IL, as department service officer.
An address by Past Department
Con1dr. Julius I. Peyser, vice president
OF the Community Chest, elected much
valuable information to those present
regarding the proposed campaign which
starts this week and urging the utmost
cooperation on the part of all Legion
naires in the National Capital.
Mrs. Dorothy B. Harper, lie chapeau
OF departmental of Salon Departmental,
No. IA, Eight and Forty Society, ex-
tended an invitation for Legionnaires
TO attend the reception and banquet to
be rendered the national officers of the
American Legion Auxiliary at the Wash
tngton Hotel January 80.
a report was submitted by Welfare
On1cer Charles Kohen on the activities
OF his committee and letter of thanks
Is to be sent to Quentin Roosevelt Post
for assistance recently rendered by that
post in welfare work.
The cooperation of local members
Of the American Legion Auxiliary in
the coming membership campaign of
the American Legion, Department of the
District OF Columbia, is to be sought
through the efforts of Austin S. Imirie,
chairman of the membership committee
OF the department, and members of his
committee. Letters have been addressed
to the presidents of the various units
urging their cooperation and assist
ance in the payment of dues and Secur-
ing OF new members this year. With
concentrated action on the part of both
organizations, he has pointed out that
the local department will be in a posi-
ton to capture several of the trophies
TO be awarded at the next convention
in Louisville. which in addition carries
with 1t many other facilities of interest
to all members.
Henry c. Spengler Unit. American
Legion Auxiliary, will give tea
tomorrow from to o'clock at Thomas
Circle Club, 1926 Massachusetts avenue
northwest honOring the auxiliary off