Evening star., 1938-08-14
J.T.BRADY NAMED
NEW COMMANDER
:0FLEG|ON IN D. c.
Edward R. Dixon Is Defeated
by 173-to-17 Vote as
Convention Ends.
UNANIMOUS BALLOT
ELECTS THE OTHERS
Motion Beaten to Revise Laws of
Department on Welfare and
Relief Work.
picture on Page A-IO.) J

James T. Brady, solicitor in the Vet
Grams Administration and commander
of National Cathedral Post, No. TO-
was elected commander of the District
Department of the American Legion
last night as the departments goth
annual convention came to a close at
the Mayfiower Hotel.
He polled 173 of 100 votes to defeat
Edward R. Dixon of Government
Printing ONCE Post. No. 80, the other
nominee. He succeeds Thomas Mason,
jr.. as head of the department.
Other department officers were
elected unanimously without a roll
call. They were w. T. Slattery. Treas
ury Post, No. IS. an investigator in
the General Accounting Once, first
vice commander; Julia Long. COM
mander of Jane A. Delano Post. No. s.
second vice commander; Joseph Koehl
Agriculture Post, No. 36. third vice
commander; Joseph J. Malloy, local
attorney, national executive commit
teeman. and Paul j. McGahan, Sergt
Jasper Post, No. 13, alternate.
A heated discussion of Legion
Community Chest relationships pre-
ceded the elections and resulted in
the defeat of a motion to revise the
by-laws OF the Department relating
to It's welfare and relief department.
Withdrawal Suggested.
The resolution was introduced by
Costello Post and provided that the
present welfare administration be
superseded by committee Of Is past
commanders. This committee was to
see that a Legionnaire was installed
as Legion welfare director instead Of
Chest case worker as at present. It
also was to seek Chest funds for the
Legion's welfare unit, according to
W. p. Kershner of Sergt Jasper Post,
who spoke In favor of the resolution.
If these funds were not sufhcient. he
suggested withdrawal from member
ship in the Chest.
Gen. Amos Fries. chairman of the
Resolutions Committee. said there had
been previous threats to withdraw
from the Chest.
Julius Peyser, commander of Co.'S
tello Post. urged adoption of the mo-
ton and said the Chest had promised
in conferences with Legion ohicials
that legionnaire would be appointed
to direct the Legion unit but had not
done 80.
Vigorous opposition to the criticism
Of the Chest was voiced by Col. West
A. Hamilton Of James E. Walker Post,
No. 26: Harlan Wood, past depart
ment commander; Fred Fraser of
Sergt. Jasper Post and Mr. Malloy.
Attack on Chest Hit.
IF our welfare department needs
reorganizing, let's do it," Col. Hamil-
ton told the more than 500 persons
present. but let's not attack the
Chest" The Chest luncheons. which
had been attacked as unnecessary ex-
pense, were defended by Col. Hamil-
ton as accepted procedure and legiti-
mate expense.
Don't withdraw from the Chest"
urged Mr.. Wood If our own house
is in order We can set the Chest in
order"
Mr. Fraser and Mr.. Malloy defend
ed the present administration Of
Legion relief by the Chest. The reso-
luton was defeated overwhelmingly.
Convention action included approval
OF a proposal that the departments S
Veterans Committee meet with other
veterans organizations to push for a
veterans preference law.
The Legionnaires also voted to send
a telegram to Norman Rocca. son of a
Legionnaire, who is representing
Washington in the All-American
Soap Box Derby at Akron, Ohio,
today.
Membership Record.
Retiring Commander Mason said in
his annual report that membership in
the District Department had reached
an all-time high Of 1929.
After awarding citations to the
guard of honor. he was presented with
a sword on behalf of the guard by
1t. J. j. McGinnis. He received his
past commanders badge from Mr..
McGahan and was given his past
commanders ring by his post, Second
Division No. %.
He then turned over to Mr.. Brady
his commanders hat. as did all the
retiring officers to their successors,
and the new officers were installed
officially by Mr. McGahan.
Mr.. Brady's acceptance speech
pledged allegiance to the legion and
anticipated this department will rank
among the first 10 in membership in
the coming year. The new leader
served in the 10th Company Of the
Coast Artillery at Fort Totten, N. Y,
during the World War.
Delegates Chosen.
Delegates chosen to the national
convention were Mr.. Brady. Gen.
Fries, Belle T. Graves, Albert Dunlap,
w. P. Kershner, Mr.. Peyser, Ernest
Campbell, Theodore Cogswell, Hay.
wood Saunders, Donald w. Smith,
Horace Lineburg, Augustus Giegen-
gack and Edwin P. Van Hise.
Alternates were Charles Wolfe,
Harry Ware, William Cassidy, Bernard
Bee, Anne Frame, Hugh Marsh,
Joseph Giovanoni, John H. O'Con-
nell, Howard Fisk. Samuel Powell,
Donald Stanley. E. ]. Commingore,
Harold Mclaughlin and Hugh Hig-
gins.
Meanwhile, the Legion Auxiliary
ended its convention at the Carlton
Hotel with election of officers for the
coming year.
Those elected were Miss Minnie
May Hardy, president; Mrs. Sarah
Kohen, Mrs. Viola Hines Fones and
Mrs. Mary B. Mcmillan, vice presi.
dents; Mrs. Helen M. McCabe. his
torian; Mrs. Anna Elliott, chaplain;
Miss Helen Mahoney. sergeant-at-
arms; Mrs. Ethel Z. Clark and Mrs.
Myrtle spudis, color bearers, and
Mrs. Eula Hollis, property custodian.