The Washington times., 1935-09-23
LEGION OPENS
nth ANNUAL
CONVENTION

ST. LOUIS, sept. Z5 1.N.S0.
With a brassy salute from two
score massed bugles and a roof
shaking cheer from 1000 legion
naireS and spectators, the seven
teenth annual convention of the
American Legion swung into ses-
sion today in st. Louis new six
million-dollar municipal audi
torium.
National Commander Frank N.
Belgrano, jry of San Francisco,
called the convention to order
within half mile of the spot
where the legion was organized
in 1919, when some 1000 veterans
Of the A. E. F. held caucus here
and set up the basic machinery
for the legion.
It was a homecoming for the
Legion, and both the veterans and
the town made the most of it.
Jolly Gathering
Never has st. Louis been host
to such a gathering. There were
approximately $4,000 Legionnaires,
members of their families and
friends on hand when the con-
vention formally opened. More
were pouring in by train, plane
and motor, and by nightfall, Off
cials estimated, nearly 100000
would be present.
While the 1900 delegates assem-
bled for the opening session, those
with no official duties gave them
selves up to a mass jollification.
Through every downtown street
they streamed in impromptu pa
rades, singing, cheering, laughing,
usurping the jobs of the traffic
cops and making themselves the
rulers, for the next four days, of
a town only too willing to aban-
don itself to a citywide celebra.
ton.
The convention call to order
was followed by an invocation by
the Rev. Park w. Huntington
Del, national chaplain of the
Legion. in which he expressed the
hope that the Legion would con
tinue to be a major force in
making America Gods country
safe, strong and prosperous"
Schumann-Heink HonOred
Madame Ernestine Schumann
Heink, the beloved official soloist
of the Legion, then sang the ma
tional anthem.
AS she finished, Commander
Belgrano presented her with an
engraved citation from the LIE.
gion, expressing its thanks and
praising her as an "honored
American"
The convention then came to
attention for a memorial service
for comrades who have passed on.
The national chaplain offered a
prayer and Nine. Schumann-Heink
sang There Is No Death" Two
buglers sounded taps.
The session then turned to rou
tine preliminary business.
That the convention will go on
record for immediate payment of
the bonus, for which it has fought
for decade, was a foregone con.
clusion.
Silent on Method
Forty-five of the So departments
of the legion have already passed
resolutions calling for Immediate
cash payment of the bonus, with
cancellation of accrued interest
and refund of interest paid. Sig.
nificant is the fact that none of
the departmental instructions to
delegates for caSh-bonus payment
contains reference to the
method by which payment shall
be made.
A vigorous fight for adoption of
resolutions calling for cancella'
ton of American recognition of
Russia and for combating Com
munism in the United States was
also indicated. OF the 736 pro.
posed resolutions already dumped
into the lap of the resolutions
committee, more than a score
dealt with these subjects, with
large units of delegates forcefully
demanding their adoption.
Fight for Command
Candidates for commander in.
clude Maurice F. Devine, of New
Hampshire; Villas H. Whaley, of
Wisconsin; Frank D. Rash, of Ken
lucky; j. Ray Murphy, of Iowa
Daniel j. Doherty, of Massachu.
sets; Quimby M. Elton, of
Georgia; Earl V. Cliff, of Mime.
sofa; Harry w. Colmery, of Kan
Sas, and William S. Pritchard, of
Alabama. The new commander
will be named at the concluding
session of the convention on
Thursday.
Convening with the Legion are
its auxiliary, the Forty and Eight
the playground of the Legion, ~
the Eight and Forty, Women's
auxiliary of the last named, and
the Ex-Service Women. All three
held opening sessions today, de-