Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-08-24
New York Prepares
For Legion S Second
Invasion Thursday
BY the Associated Press

NEW YORK, Aug. Z5.-BlaSe new
Workers, who have had 10 years to
recover from their last American
Legion convention, will get chance
next week to prove they can take
1t again.
Legionnaires from all of the 48
States will descend on the metropolis
for their 18th annual convention. a
four day affair beginning Thursday
that is expected to bring thousands
Of visitors.
The convention, Of course, will
have it's serious business but the
trek to New York also is deemed
likely to provide opportunities for
some good, clean, old-fashioned, I'M
inhibited Legion fun.
Residents who remember the 1887
invasion are wondering if New York
will get the same lively treatment
again.
Cabinet Officers To Talk.
This time. the World War veter-
ans mostly will run in their mid
f1fties but they will be reinforced by
a swarm of high-spirited World
War II fighting men, many of them
attending their first national legion
meeting.
On the serious side, there will be
talks by high cabinet officers and
military leaders, presentation Of the
Legion's distinguished service medal
to three notables. and a scrap
among at least eight candidates for
election as the new national COM
mander.
The convention opens at 1880
am. Thursday with Madison
Square Garden session to be ad-
dressed by Mayor William O'Dwyer,
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey, James v.
Forrestal, newly named Secretary of
National Defense, and Field Marshal
Viscount Harold Alexander, COVER
nor general of Canada.
Vinson to Get Medal.
At the same session the dis
tinguished service medal will be pre-
sented to Chief Justice Vinson and
Senator Martin, Republican, of
Pennsylvania. Forty and Eight, the
Legion's fun group, will stage its
parade Thursday evening.
fridays session, at the list Regi-
ment Armory on Park avenue. will
include talks by Gen. Eisenhower.
Army chief of staff; Admiral Ches-
ter w. Nimitz, chief of naval OPP
erations; Gen. Carl Spaatz. COM
mander of the Army Air Forces:
Kenneth C. Royal, Secretary of
War, and Sir Ian Fraser, president
Of the British legion,
william s. Knudsen, former lieu
tenant general and wartime pro-
duction chief. will receive the dis
tinguished service medal at the Fri
day session.
On Saturday the Legionnaires will
march up Fifth Avenue in their an
nual mammoth parade, a 12-hour
spectacle.
At the final session, to be held on
Sunday at the armory, delegates will
adopt resolutions and elect a new
national commander.
In Presidential Race.
A legion spokesman said no fewer
than eight men are potential can
didates to succeed Commander Paul
H. Griffith of Uniontown, Pa. He
listed them as: S. Perry Brown OF
Beaumont, Tex, Lawrence F. Quig-
ley of Chelsea, Mass; James r,
O'Neil of Manchester. N. H.: Joseph
j. Malloy of Washington; Benjamin
C. Hilliard, jr., of Denver; Bascom
F. Jones of Memphis: Frank E. Lowe
of Portland, Me: and Robert w.
Coliesh of Des Moines, Iowa.
The Legion, which claims $780,
900 members, 10 per cent of them
World War II veterans, expects s.
579 official delegates for the con-
vention and an equal number Of al
ternates. The Legion's women's
auxiliary, which will be in session
at the same time, expects 1855 dele
gates and the same number of al
terpates.
New York's hotels have set aside
$4,000 rooms for the visitors and
most of them also have made other
preparations.
Hotel Clears Lobby.
For instance, Donald M. Mumford,
manager of the Pennsylvania, con-
vention headquarters, has a memory
extending back to 1887 and he ex-
plains that his hostelry's lobby will
be completely bare of touches,
chairs and palms during the four
days in case any motorcycles or
horses wander in by mistake.
We're clipping the bottoms Of
the paper laundry bags" he adds.
Normally, they could hold water.
Lamps will be removed and the
ceiling wattage stepped up to COM
pensate. Pillows can be turned into
confetti The boys need pillows for
complete rest Well supply rooms
with nice pillows each evening.
We're just removing impedimenta
from the scene so they can enjoy