New England bulletin., 1949-07-02

 lhs glenn douoles3
glenn douolo3

 The following is the second in series of guest columns by mem bers of local vet organizations. zation in preference to another, but believes information concerning an bona fide vet groups ought to be made available to our ex-GI and draftee readers. Veterans organi- zations are important and power full. Choose the group of your h&~ ing, but choose one. G. D. By A. c. Blanks, Adjutant McKinney-King Post 142 Since 1885 the American LeSio@ has provided practical training in government sponsorship of Boys States throughout the Nation, and for the past three years has spon- sored and paid for a National Boys Forum of Government.
 The American Legion througa its more than 17,OOO Posts, carries on hundreds of different types o1 activities for the betterment of the community, state and nation, such
  sponsoring safety programs, build ing swimming pools, and hospital equipment.
 The American Legion is truly representative oS America since there is no recognition of former
 military of naval rank and no lines of distinction drawn between races creed or color.
 It represents all walks of life. There is no rank in this organizar ton. The American Legion has an en- dowment fund of s7,OOo,0oo for th@ purpose of providing a method or properly financing it's RehabllIta~ l ton and Child Welfare Programs. Legion members are provided with two publications monthly which contain matters relative to veterans affairs, namely The American Legion Magazine and The National Legionnaire. There is a Legion Post in prao- ticaIly every community, village City or town in the U. s. A, and your membership card admits you l to the clubhouse of any post III the U. s. A. You receive this card when you join the American Le- zion and it should be kept on your person at all times, especially when out of town, at home, or wherever you are.
 The American Legion in ts against an applicant for member ship because he had no overseas service
 Your service discharge makes you eligible if honorably dis charged, whether you served home or abroad. That wasn't your choice as you were available TOT any place you were needed
 However, the Legion has within it's ranks more overseas veterans than all the total membership Of all other organizations c0molned l of veterans.
 Under Legion sponsors--ip total an permanent compensation Tor creased from $soooo per month i'm 1918, to $13S.00 per month now' with as high as S36000 per month in specific cases of certain nature l After World War I, there was nc single agency available for nospi" ta1ization of veterans. The Legion was responsible for legislation en- acted in 1921, creating Veterans Bureaus: in 1880 the Legion sec ured enactment of laws bringing about consolidation of Veterans Bureaus, Pension Bureaus, and Soldiers Homes into what IS now the Veterans Administration. VA Has 100000 Beds
 Now VA has about 100000 beds l for veterans, with thousands more under construction, or planned Ior later. Next week. more about the Legion.
 1 Now for Comrade Bivens and his activities in the Oratorica1 Contest. Commander Thomas s14 nally convinced him of the nece s sity of his services in this UR. l After seeing that it was for the betternnent of youth, Conrade Biv- ems was given the free reign ana was on his own. He faithfully at tended all the committee meetings at a sacrifice of his time from ] past times and hobbies. E7@