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Show SOLDIERS, SAILORS AND MARINES NOT ANSWERING. The Soldicrs-Sailors-Marines. a weekly paper published in Washington, Wash-ington, D. C., by men who have seen service, is opposing the American Legion and in its last issue copies approvingly the following from a Norfolk paper: What's the matter with the American Legion? Or, what's the matter with Norfolk's former sailors and soldiers? The legion j, wants the sailors and soldiers, but few of the sailors and soldiers appear to take an interest in the legion, A number of attempts i have been made to organize a branch of the legion in Norfolk, the latest bein yesterday afternoon, when a meeting was called in tho Federal Court room, but in each instance not more than a corporal's guard has shown up Yesterday's meeting was ad-I ad-I journed until Thursday evening of next week, when another meeting will be called, i The American Legion is not the only organization that, is mak ing a bid for national recognition as the official society for ex-service ex-service men. Tho organization known as the Veterans of the Great World War has been instituted and has branches in various vari-ous cities. While both profess to be organized for primarily the j same purpose, there is no concealing the fact that considerable ill- fcelinp exists between them and that there is apparently little hope of reconciling their differences One complaint that the ex-service men have against the American Legion is that it was organized in Paris at a conference j, that was attended and dominated h commissioned officers, the j rank and file having had little to do with formulating its pro- ! gram or principles, and that at the caucus recently held in St. Louis it was noticeable that only a modicum of recognition was given the enlisted men. Another complaint that is heard is that the organisation as a whole is dominated by Lieut. Col. Theodore Roosevelt, who is v using the magic that attaches to his illustrious father's name to j further his personal aims and political ambitions. Hence, the reticence of the average service man in joining any- I thing that he has reason to Buspecl was organized by designing politicians whose purpose seemingly is to "put one over" under camouflage of "perpetuating ties of comradeship " There was I very little "comradeship," the service men say. between officers and enlisted men when they wore the uniform, j This sharp cleavage between officers and men will disappear with time and eventually the soldiers of the great war will be as eloselv I bound by fraternal ties as are the members of the G. A. K. j Here in Ogden. repeated calls have been made on the returned boys j l turn out at public affairs and identify themselves as a compact organization, but invariablj th- response has been disappointing j This is to be explained by the reaction which come with the return H to private life. The great body went to war as a duty. Much of the work became exceedingly irksome when the armistice was signed and the boys all looked forward to the day of release, with restless antici pation. When they were discharged, their one desire w to forget army life and pet back to normal surroundings, and so thev eaded the organizations which arc appealing to them In military terms Ten years from now there w ill be a mighty association of veterans of the world war. Then the softening effect of memory, which makes even disagreeable experiences take on pleasing lines, will bring the boys together in fellowship, ami the aging soldiers will march down the winding road of time, arm-in-arm, closely united by common impulses im-pulses and recollections dating back to the day when America needed them and they responded. |
