Show copy for this department supplied by national headquarters of the american lesion LEGION PAYS OFF BIG DEBTS organization disposes of claims and interest amounting to during month of april long standing debts aggregating and accrued interest amounting to CO were paid off by the american legion during the month of april according to a financial statement recently issued by robert II 11 tyndall national treasurer of the organization the statement which sets forth the financial R H TYNDALL status of the I 1 c glou as of april SO 1920 marks an important step in the history of the 15 old body it stands as conclusive evidence that the initial expenditure of some which the legion borrowed prior to the minneapolis convention for use in building up a solid permanent organ on a firm basis wag wisely made when the idea of a legion hii first conceived and its founders began putting into execution their plans for making it ho vast reality it now Is said mr tindall they found they need d money just as in the case of any new association or enterprise all business men know that every new enterprise must sustain an initial loss to be liquidated later over a period of time after the body becomes a success to initiate the plan some friends of the legion andl vl dually 2 separate loans secured by their personal notes the money was borrowed on these notes throughout the country on n basis of apportionment according to federal reserve bank als tracts the loin Is a legal debt nc hi the legion at lt na convention anil constitutes an normal business transaction the notes heir interest and every penny ot interest and principal will be paid off just as fast as our present stable resources warrant today the best evidence that the money was wisely expended Is found in lie fact that the american legion Is definitely established as a completely body that active management of its affairs Is in the hinds ot a national executive committee composed of representatives from ev cry state in the union shows eliat the organization Is a sound one it Is due entirely to the able efforts of those in charge of the early work who raised the money and expended it in a businesslike business like way that the legion Is now able to pay off these debts in substantial sums headquarters of the le glon receives no financial support ei capt from dues and sale of emblems excluding of course the trust fund given to the legion by he Y M C A this money which probably will be increased to after the final audit of the Y M 0 A canteen account w be invested in safe cecur atles pending the formal appointment of the fletcher american rational bank of indianapolis as trustee the executive committee of the I 1 eglon hav ing decided that the sum be held in trust for a period of five years the principal under this plan Is to be invested and invested reinvested re the income to be used for the benefit of disabled ex service men or for w ork in connection with the national americanism commission of the american legion the donors having expressed this preference PAID UP membership COUNTS delegates to conventions are chosen on the of number in good standing figures at rational headquarters of the Amerl cin I 1 eglon show a vast number of posts throughout the country have enrolled considerably in excess of their present actual paid up mem delegates from posts to the state conventions and from states to ha national convention are chosen on the basis of paid up membership with out regard to enrollment the state legislature of massachusetts has enacted a law prohibiting the wearing of the I 1 eglon insignia by any save actual bona alde members ot the organization which Is construed aa barring those whose membership has been allowed to lapse from enjoying this privilege individual legionnaires are being urged to assist in preventing the rearing of the legion button by persons who are not paid up legion A few state conventions already have been held the dates of the others and places where held are gh en in the following list Ind laua at june 28 and 29 montana at june 28 and 29 wisconsin at green bay june 29 and 30 nevada at lovelock july S hhope island at newport july 23 and 24 oregon at astorca july SO and 31 wyoming at sheridan august 3 4 and 5 arkansas at helena august 16 and 17 minnesota at duluth august 10 17 and IP f connecticut at bridgeport august 20 and 21 louisiana at new iberia august 20 21 and 22 ohio at youngstown august 23 and 21 texas at houston august 23 and 24 kansas at pittsburg august 23 24 and at mississippi at vicksburg august 24 and 25 south dakota at waterloo nAu gist 24 25 and 26 north dakota at melnot august 25 and 20 new hampshire at weirs august and 27 massachusetts at august 20 27 and 28 a at hastings august 20 27 and 28 kentucky at louisville august 27 illinois at chicago september 2 and 3 iowa at cedar rapids september 2 and 3 new mexico at rosvell september 2 3 and 4 virginia at richmond september 2 3 and 4 maryland at cumberland Cum berlind septem her G and 7 michigan at saginaw naw september 7 nev jersey at atlantic city sep tamber 10 and 11 new yorty at albany september 10 and 11 north carolina at september 12 west at parkersburg september WHAT THE LEGION HAS DONE met and Is meeting nil crises with out flinching always on the side of law and order the legion obtained from congress of base kiy to the disabled from 10 to a month took a farm stand for universal military training but opposed compulsory military sen ice in time of peace exerted and Is exerting the most powerful force for per cent americanism in existence today decorated may SO the grave of every comrade sleeping on the fields of the A K r or elsewhere at home or abroad advocated passage of legislation to furnish proper care and treatment for about tuberculosis patients hitherto inadequately provided tor obtained work for thousands of ex sen ice men and women just out of uniform by cooperation with federal state and community employment services disclosed failure of federal board tor education to perform iti full duty to the disabled resulting in investigation and sweeping reforms established a national americanism commission with subsidiary branches in more than different communities to foster and perpetuate a per cent americanism alie legion endorsed indorsed Indor sed and Is aavo eating adoption of the bill ghang the same rights of retirement at part pay to emergency corps boffl cers that regular officers now benjy sent to washington and maintains there a national legislative committee actively supporting and pushing con the beneficial legislation for ex service persona based on plans consistent with the nations welfare and de signed to benefit generally supplied and Is supplying the for roer soldier with the medium through which he Is n touch with the men ho wants to be united with gave him a place in patriotic community interests and the social adin he could hae obtained in no way other than the legion posts |