Show I The l ALONG WITH THE THE LINE us 5 NATIONAL OF or MAR MARCH MAP H SERVICE ERVICE MEN MN Copy for tor This Department SERVICE Supplied by NationAl Nation H Headquarters of the Ame American can Legion Lesion TELLS OF LEGIONS LEGION'S PROGRESS National Commander DOller Makes Clear Wonderful Work Accomplished Accomplished in OUy Ohly One Year Addressing a n large audience of members 1 nf of the American Legion and their friends ti In Indianapolis recently Frankk Frank Frank- k Hn Un dOlier dOller National National Na Na- commander command command- er of the Ameri American I 1 ri rL x y 1 N can Le Legion g I on gave i the following explanation ex es 4 r. r of ot the organization and W- W purposes of the Y legion It was only a oM I little over a year ago ngo in France that all an were asking what kind of a veterans veterans' organization we should have corresponding to the G G. A. A R R. R and the Confederate Veterans We Ve had all seen the won wonderful erful spIrit spirit of those In the service and we thought It would be more than unfortunate I if that spirit were allowed to die out It therefore was decided to form a great veterans' veterans organization to whIch every person would be eligible who was in service regardless of whether he be were nil art officer or enlisted man and whether he served sen-ed In this country or France Franc The movement was started on U the fifteenth of March last year only a year ago In Iu a years year's time from that small beginning It has become an organization organization or or- wIth an active organization In every state of the Union with some posts and a membership ell hell over a n million Why y Is as It that the American Legion In n such a n short time has grown so rapIdly rapIdly rapIdly rap- rap Idly The I eason Is simply this That It was formed for the purpose of I keeping alive e that spirit of service I which we all know about And that spirit of service Is service to our country country coun coun- try and service to our comrades When we were over there we saw ourselves the he radical tendencies In France Franc We Heard from officers coming coming com com- ing from England of the radical tendencies tendencies ten ten- de cies 1 in 1 England and we heard there her wits was some some concern concern In this country country coun coun- try as to what might happen when when over four million men men were rere We made up our minds the first service we should render to our country country coun coun- try as civilians would be to see to It that this government this country that we wt we were c protecting against the enem enemy we would protect against the foes toes within You have ha heard a n great deal about the stand of the American Legion for forlaw forlaw law Jaw and order That stand for law lawand lawand lawand and order has done more for Our country country coun coun- try than mo most mOEl i of us realize I was talking a n short time ago to a member of ot a n foreign embassy and he was discussing the American Legion and he said Do uDo you real realize ze most o of the disorder disorder der del and ond lawlessness In our country is caused b by service ex-service men whereas in your country you yon have tune your ex ex lawlessness and ice m men n putting down disorder I Ivas was vas talking In Washington In the theoffice theoflice office of the military Intelligence of of the war department which Is connected connect connect- ed with the attorney generals general's office and they both hoth told me that the greatest greatest great great- est central factor In curbing the time activities activities HIes of the reds and the radicals who would overturn our government b by force Corce was the American Legion Those who would overturn o our government by force know they can only do so by of citizens cit cit- citizens force and the tile only great group who recognize fully the tile power who the service ex-service men of force are were fighting force with force And when they appreciated the fact that the there were posts throughout country and not a n locality of any size but what had an American Legion post around and that It was a rallying point which the time service ex-service men can gather in case of lawlessness and that through the tle legion all nil service m men men n the rad radicals of ot attempts would sto stop the that that has turned the tide and made an Improvement ment since last summer sum sum- mer of the Let Lt m roe me g give ve yon you nn un Illustration soundness of their judgment When the steel ste l strike began In a town In and called a meeting Ohio the posts they offered their services to the mayor may may- Immediately swore in or The mayor about two hundred bundred one hundred bundred he held in reserve and and the other hundred the time residence section be he put nut The next nest day the tike labor union called meeting for the purpose of denouncing ing a the legion le-glon for tor strike breaking The rime happened happened happened hap hap- head of ot the American Legion post and he ho went union man to be n a meeting Ung g and ond he explained Just t to the me exactly what they were doing that I Ithe inthe In Inthe whatever they were tr taking no part were simply Interested interested Inter inter- and were the controversy ery of their homes home ested In the protection workers and those of or the union American You are loyal patriotic citizens So are we We are Interested interested Inter inter- and therefore there ther therefore ested In the same things s ou have which fore this meeting you the purpose of ot denouncing I called for or Lesion lon when hen you yon under under- lie Jhc iii Jp on tolo to tn lo to are are trying l wb wha protect your homes from disorders ers for which you will not be hie we ble-we we nr are are- trying tr to protect homes as well wen as our own As a n. result of this very frank statement statement statement state state- ment by the post commander the meeting meet meet- meetIng Ing of organized labor approved the action of the legion and there was no disorder whatever In that community This Is a small thing and yet et I It shows j just st what the American Legion Is trying to do You need have no fear about the stand of the American Legion for law and order That Is one point upon which every member o othe or of orthe the American Legion is pledged and andIs andIs andis Is one thing on fin which we agree unanimously unanimously the maintenance of law ant anel order in this country and in that way we hope to serve our country In addition we are going to servo our comrades through l mutual helpful helpful- ness We will see that the dependents of those who made the supreme sacrifice fice flee are tal taken en care of that of-that that those dIsabled disabled disabled dis dIs- ph physically are properly cared for Unfortunately although although- a year ear had elapsed since the signing of the armistice armistice ar ar- ar congress had ad not done what whai It should have e done clone done done- for the disabled men The American Legion called a meeting In an Washington last December and explained what they thought was fair fall treatment to the disabled men that the they might not be objects of ol charity of a a. a private ate character and legislation which we considered Monday Monday Mon day morning was actually passed by byboth both h houses house by Saturday afternoon because what the the- American Legion asked was fair fall and Just and congress knew It had the support of the entire country Mud And as a result a man can now live on the compensation he receives receives re re- re from hi his government where he ho hohas has become physically disabled We are now asking congress to do something for tho those e of our comrades handicapped financially because of or their service In th the arm army or navy We have been criticized for doing this on the basis that we were putting a price on our patriotism due to the fact that an anyone one making that statement does not appreciate the situation I understand it Is a historical fact that George Washl Washington the father of our country countr received a grant of ot several thousand acres of land from this country in recognition of his service service serve ice during the time revolution No one has ever criticized the father of our corm coun country try hy as having put a price on his pa pa- Referring to a recent illustration When this country appreciated d what Admiral Dewey had hud done by popular subscription the they presented him with witha a h house use and no one ever said that Admiral Dewey vey had put a price on his patriotism The es service ex-service service men in what they are asking for beneficial legislation is that this cou country try shall merely help them overcome the disadvantages incidental to their military and naval service We have suggested a four-fold four optional option option- al al- plan covering land settlement home aid vocational training and for tor those who me fire not able to avail themselves themselves themselves them them- selves of an any one of those three an adjustment In hh their compensation based on length of service The American Legion every time It refers refer to this le legislation has asked congress to make It as liberal as is consistent with the welfare of ot the country country- and andas no as one Is In n position to take exception to a statement like that The American legion knows that while we were In France our strength In the face of the enemy was not the strength of the two million men In France or the strength of the two million mimon men Cn in the states But Dut it was the strength of the hundred million Americans back of ot those four million of us In service We were the spear point the hun hundred red million patriotic Americans hack back of ot us were the shaft and the strength The American legion realizes that Its future usefulness for tor good in this country will depend on the support and approval we get from the hundred million other Americans and we know we could do nothing without your support support sup sup- port and you ou may rest assured In all allour allour allour our acts we shall shan see to It that we keep leep constantly In mind the one 11 hundred hundred hun hun- dred million other Americans who are Just as patriotic and Just as loyal as we are arc |