Show american Arne rican legion I 1 auxiliary initiates the me first event on the program last I 1 wednesday night was initiation ot of new members the american legion auxiliary cherishes tour four great principles justice I 1 freedom democracy and loyalty these impressive instructions were explained b by Y I 1 I 1 the first officers of the unit before tha th a C candidates andi dates were obligated as set forth in the preamble to the constitution ot of the american legion auxiliary the following flowing brave members accepted the pledge mesdames chloe tuggle john L r T E clements louis I 1 Ja J arat niao belth buck fraser eraser buck H P bradley leonard addy wilfred wortley david thompson and miss blanche dunbar mrs W J Baid bardsley sley reported a very interesting and instructive ansti active district conference held in salt lake laka city january ird 1932 at the hotel newhouse New houie the department chairmen of committees outlined the years work units in district no 3 gave short reports ot of work accomplished complis hed the poppy chairman mrs edna horm aln knows that her committee Is the th most c at important in the department it Is through the sale ot of the little red poppy that the welfare work local and state and nationally Is financed but perhaps the more valuable la Is the tact fact that the making of the poppy gives hundreds of disabled veterans a new interest and thus a new lease on life may Is poppy month following its plan of studying each year year the country where the congress Is to be held the american legion gion auxiliary will turn its attention to portugal during the coming year to portugal the place where nobody goes and to its intriguing capitol education of war orphans the bicentennial rehabilitation child welfare all were interestingly discussed music and even more music at our meetings chairman should be a live wire lead community singing and pep up the members let us not forget the music contest at the department convention next august are there any good reasons why we could not bring home the honors chairman of publicity mrs otto wisely wisely so spoke on the value of telling the tee world she commented on the amount of desirable space given this unit in our local paper publicity doubles and trebles the value of our work we do try to appreciate this privilege and count our blessing the tea press so EO powerful in public opinion and i thus character the press folk have you ever met any other group of workers who were so vitally and interestingly alive as bra are reporters wish we might in the words ot of joseph pulitzer Pull tzer state our articles so they would be briefly so they will be read clearly so they will be understood accurately so they will be guided forcefully 0 eo o they will be appreciated pictures qually lyso ac they will be remembered our membership committee reported forty one members enrolled the trea jurers report was read and accepted A scholarship award was war voted to the best beat essay on the meaning and purpose ot of the american legion poppy also a cash prize tor for the best poster january Is legislative isla tive month and a resume of the legions legislative program was read magnificently ENTY magnanimous MAGNANT the bachelors were magnificently magnanimous with a scrumptious luncheon and delightful entertainment while serving the luncheon the bachelors called on oil the benedicts to explain why they had deserted the realms of freedom and taken upon themselves the numerous cares and responsibilities ot of the married state the only reason most of the unfortunates could give was A pretty lace face and a pair of 0 snappy ankles thank you dear desirable bachelors for this delightful treat dont let it be your last one MARIE BARDSLEY I 1 1 the speaker of the evening was A J gibbons who spoke as follows on NATIONAL DEFENSE the subject of national defense la Is very broad indeed and many of the brilliant men of the world have presented very good arguments both for and against the proposition that nations should be prepared for war tonight I 1 am before I 1 you to attempt to explain the subject and to embody in my talk the attitude attl tuda of the american legion as an organize organization regarding this important subject not being a mart man of national importance and not a student ot of world affairs you must bear in mind that my statements are merely expressions of my own personal opinion intended only as a summary of information that Is available to any american citizen war can be defined as a conflict be continued on page five american legion auxiliary initiates continued from page one tween nations it is the popular opinion that civilized nations should never debase themselves by conflict and that with the degree of civilization that now exists there should never be any need lor for war that educated christian people can settle differences without blood shed and the destruction of property but war Is a conflict not between people but between t w een nations the most civilized nations a are re more tearful fearful of each other than ever before and each of the great peoples re garas every other great people as treacherous and cruel nations really do wish to destroy each other by every means within their power between people themselves there Is no fundamental ance no natural hostility an american visiting a foreign nation Is treated with cordiality a foreigner visiting america Is given every privilege in this civilized world why Is there any reason that nations should be always prepared for war we know that we people here tonight do not want war we detest war and we do not make war war Is declared without consulting us at all war is for a purpose and when the necessity arises to accomplish that purpose and that purpose Is for the good of the nation the conflict begins from the beginning of the world man abts struggled and fought lor for supremacy as time went on oil men banded together in 0 order to create power through united et ef foit felt the weak were vanquished and disappeared the strong survived continually gaining strength by conquest tile the victors soon reached a position which was not to be attacked by any one of lesser strength the unapproachable position of tile the conquerors remained so as long as 88 a strong defense was maintained but as soon as a flaw occurred in that defense the weak were quick to take advantage and united in greater numbers they soon occupied the position of strength the history of the world has beon a story of survival of the fittest succession to power by conquest these principles are inbred in nations it is doubtful it nations will ever lose the spirit of conquest we as individuals will never lose this same spirit as we live from day to day doing our utmost to outdo one another tri in our schools athletic teams composed ot of the young men and women of today strain nerve and muscle to conquer the teams of rival schools matrons matrona of today exhaust themselves trying to be better hostesses than their friends men work hard all day and stay awake halt half the night trying to work out some plan by which they may become superior to their fellow men we are living in a world of competition a world ot of design tor for profit e a world of succession by conquest this has always been the situation it Is now and it is very reasonable to believe that it will continue the human race has teen been developed by wars races perish to in peace the stimulus given by wars has remarkably advanced the sciences the arts and engineering medicine and surgery would hardly have started with without ut this stimulus talus for aai all these reasons which I 1 have given you I 1 really believe that thal war Is inevitable now it if war Is inevitable then every nat nation tolferd must us t be always prepared to properly defend itself those who con advocate national defense do not mean to prepare the nation to be the aggressor but to have the nation maintain defenses fit at a strength sufficient to guarantee the security of the country from war until such EL a time as war Is definitely eliminated as a fact in the world and this thia Is one of the principles upon which the american legion was rounded founded the american legion Is neither militaristic nor pacifistic it advocates a military preparedness adequate to the world situation as it Is it works tor for peace among nations defense la 13 gothi ing more than insurance against possible e danger 1 this united states Is the most powerful nation in the world other nations ire jealous of this power and would attack atack us it if could profit by their action our nation Is not warlike and Is most honorable but even in a peaceful nation like ours there Is a long record ot of wars la in the last years scars tile the united states has landed troops on foreign soil on more than occasions which Is an average ot of one occasion in every 14 months this nation has engaged in 48 wars or warlike ope operations rat 0 during the period of 0 1775 to 1 1927 ln in other words in years this nation has been engaged at the late ot of 0 one ne nations war every three years I 1 the american legion Is composed of men who served la in the greatest war of 0 all history men who faced conditions as they actually are and men who know from experience the value of being prepared america won that war but little do people realize just how that victory was earned very little Is ever said about I 1 tha needless loss ot of life the millions ot of dollars needlessly spent and the need 1 less destruction ol of property all caused because america was not prepared the men it 0 the legion in advocating prel pre l 1 pa redness realize these facts and only ask this country to prepare itself so that it if such an emergency ever presents itself again those boys who are sent to the front will have the proper training and the proper equipment to meet the conditions as they find them men and women who are parents must sense lully fully this necessity it your our son s should h 0 u id be called to the colors and he certainly would be called and he had the proper ro p er technical physical and mental training coupled with adequate equipment and he was prepared tor for his work a little better than his opponents you would ot of course be sorrowful at his leave i taking but would you not also have just ft a little confidence in that he be would be able to take proper care ot of himself imagine it if he was taken from your home and immediately sent to an army camp and after e z montil month or so sent to 0 the front from with no training insufficient food and clothing obsolete equipment sent to face a toe foe who had made a science of militarism you would be more than sorrowful you would know from the voice of your own heart that his leave taking was his 1 last a st goodbye to you W when h e n these men of 0 the legion men who were fortunate to have escaped the awful slaughter men who have met the conditions face ace to tace face men who bad to work under the terrible handicaps when these men advocate national defense then I 1 believe that it must be a necessity in our nation these men are giving us expert advice prompted by years of actual experience and the desire to give our youths every advantage I 1 it Is hoped that this nation will see the necessity ot of preparing to meet these unseen emergencies and that in future years secure from invasion america will prosper in religion education and science and that the other nations of the world realizing the idealistic a attitude ot of these united states and anat its beope will endeavor to forever be at peace with us when these purposes are accomplished the united states will be looked upon as a father to all nations and that beautiful flag of the stars and stripes emblematic ble matic matle ot of the blood of patriots the purity of purpose and the triumph of justice will be a symbol of honor hono r and respect throughout the civilized world |