MAINE.-James L. Boyle, 184 Water St., Augusta. MISSOURI.—Ed. J. Cahill, Service Commission, Jefferson City. MONTANA.-Ben W. Barnett, Helena. NEBRASKA-Allan A. Tukey, 1st National Bank Bldg., Omaha. NEVADA.-J. D. Salter, Winnimucca. NEW HAMPSHIRE.-Frank J. Abbott, Manchester. NEW JERSEY.-George W. C. McCarter, 765 Broad St., Newark. NEW MEXICO.-Harry Howard Dorman, Santa Fé. NEW YORK.-Wade H. Hayes, 140 Nassau St. NORTH CAROLINA.-Charles N. Hulvey, A. & E. College, Raleigh. NORTH DAKOTA.-Ed. E. Gearey, Fargo. OHIO.-Chalmers R. Wilson, Adj. Gen. Office, State House, Columbus. OKLAHOMA.-F. W. Fisher, Oklahoma City. OREGON.-Dow V. Walker, care Multnomah Club, Portland. PENNSYLVANIA.-George F. Tyler, 121 S. 5th St., Philadelphia. RHODE ISLAND.-James E. Cummiskey, Crompton. SOUTH CAROLINA.-Ben. D. Fulton, 32 West Evans St., Florence. SOUTH DAKOTA.-J. C. Denison, Vermillion. TENNESSEE.-W. R. Craig, Nat. Life and Accident Co., Nashville. TEXAS.-J. A. Belzer, Austin. UTAH. Baldwin Robertson, 409 Ten Boston Bldg., Salt Lake City. VERMONT.-Joseph H. Fountain, 138 Colchester Ave., Burlington. VIRGINIA.-R. G. M. Ross, 508 First National Bank Bldg., Newport News. WASHINGTON.-George R. Drever, care Adj. Gen. Office, Armory, Seattle. WEST VIRGINIA.-Chas. McCamic, 904 National Bank of West WISCONSIN.-R. N. Gibson, Grand Rapids. WHAT THE PUBLIC PRESS THINKS IT is interesting to know what the press of the United States thinks of the American Legion. Practically every newspaper in the country honored the Legion with comment. In almost every instance it was favorable. Selection has been made of some of this comment-as much as is feasible to give here. It is of two kinds: first, what the press thought of the idea of the Legion, and second, what opinion it had of the Legion after it was launched at St. Louis. The first type of comment was made prior to the caucus in this country and the second, afterwards. Comment on both types was generally favorable. Lest insincerity be charged let it be said here that there was some unfavorable comment. One New England paper was surprised that soldiers, sailors and marines were not clever enough to know that the American people would perceive their attempt, through this organization, to "drive a six mule team through the Treasury" and get pension and pay grabs. One Southern paper pictured Colonel Roosevelt returning from the St. Louis caucus, a defeated candidate for the chairmanship, with all hope of the future blasted, while one in Ohio said with equal accuracy and solemnity that “there is no need of such an organization at this time, now that the country is entering the era of peace. But here is the comment. It comes from north, east, south, and west, and it is typical: It is a pleasure to New York Times, April 10, 1919.— know that Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, the worthy inheritor of a beloved American name, has called a meeting of soldiers and sailors at St. Louis. Lieutenant Colonel Bennett Clark, son of Mr. Champ Clark, is an associate of Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, in the plan for an organization of all our soldiers and sailors as the American Legion. These two gentlemen, associated in a patriotic movement, indicate by their names its common national purpose, apart from politics and partisanship. “A nonpartisan and non-political association is to be formed,' says Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, "an association which will keep alive the principles of justice, freedom, and democracy for which these veterans fought. Justice, freedom, and democracy, without partisanship! The idea is noble. It should prevail. Leavenworth (Kansas) Post, April 30, 1919.—. The character of the men of the American Army who are promoting it [the Legion] and the high ideals which it professes and proposes to maintain are a guaranty that it will be a power for helpful service in the common family of the nation. The plan of organization sprang from the desire of serious and able men in the American Army to maintain the high ideals for which all of them have fought, to preserve the soldier comradeship and carry it over into civilian life as an element of broad helpfulness while keeping the record of the army free from the taintof selfish aims. It was also wisely intended to forestall by the creation of one big genuinely representative, nonpartisan and democratic body, the formation of numerous smaller organizations in various places by men intent on exploiting the soldier sentiment and the soldier vote for other than patriotic purposes. New York Sun, April 11, 1919.—. The American Legion will do an indispensable service. We, who have lived up to the past few years in an agitation of protest against the pension grab must now make our minds over sufficiently to realize that in the new situation we run immediately into danger not of overpensioning the veterans of to-day but of neglecting them. The new organization must of course be nonpartisan and nonpolitical. Precedent enough exists in the career of the Grand Army to make that clear. It should include and enjoy the guidance of the most influential military men. Politicians it will have at its service so long as it is well run and organized from within. Despite its proper political limitations, it should serve as the most salutary means to influence returned soldiers to cling to plain old Americanism, shed their martial acquirements and return to plain, praiseworthy citizenship. The American Washington Star, April 10, 1919.—. Legion is to be welcomed as an agency for the promotion of the best in our national life. It will represent, with other things, the majesty of numbers. A great many men will be eligible to membership; and they will be young, and full of hope and purpose. And when they act together in matters within the scope of their organization they will represent a force to be reckoned with in the formulating of public policies. Brooklyn Eagle, April 11, 1919.—Organization of “The American Legion" is going on rapidily in every State in the Union. Vast as was the mass of eligibles on which the Grand Army of the Republic could draw after the Civil War, it did not compare with the Legion's bulk of raw material. There will be a formal caucus on May 8th, at St. Louis, of a real representative character, in which it is said the enlisted men of the army and navy will have a majority. Lieutenant Colonel Henry L. Stimson, once Secretary of War, outlines the plan. He believes that this country's future hereafter is in the hands of the men below thirty years of age who fought this war. He trusts that the lesson in practical democracy afforded by military experience and the ideals of democracy emphasized by military enthusiasm may be kept permanently alive. That this is the main hope of the more active organizers we have no doubt. Men like Major General O'Ryan, General Charles I. Debevoise, and Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and Colonel Robert Bacon would never think of making such a body a lever for pen sion legislation or an agency of politics. Yet the temptation to a divergence from the higher ideals is strong, and the rank and file may not be inclined to resist it. Such St. Louis Globe-Democrat, April 11, 1919.—. societies, it has been proved, are never partisan. They are invariably exponents of broad-gauge patriotism. That they have great political influence in a high national sense is true, but they have never misused it nor ever viewed their mission in a narrow spirit. They preserve the touch of the elbow throughout life, but only as thorough Americans, devoted first, last, and always to our common country. St. Louis is proud to be selected as the place for the inauguration of this admirable and undoubtedly perpetual society. All wars are represented by societies formed by their veterans, and all alike have been truly and broadly patriotic. It will be the same with the new order, whose membership will, on the strength of numbers called to the colors, far exceed any former parallel. This event will be a datemark in our patriotic annals and in the progress of the nation. Syracuse (N. Y.) Herald, April 13, 1919.—It has been earnestly stated, as might have been expected, that the American Legion will be strictly nonpartisan. That much might be inferred from the circumstance that one of the leading associates of Roosevelt in organizing the Legion is Lieutenant Colonel Bennett Clark, son of the late Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives. Colonel Roosevelt is sufficient authority for the assurance that the movement is neither partisan nor political. He calls it "an association which will keep alive the principles of justice, freedom and democracy for which these veterans fought." Viewed in that sentimental, ethical and patriotic light, it is a commendable undertaking. The American people will wish it well, and be glad to see it flourish. Norfolk (Va.) Dispatch, April 9, 1919.-If the American Legion now in process of organization by young Colonel Roosevelt and his associates, clings to the principles of foundation and holds by the purposes proclaimed by its founders, it may become a mighty force for good in the land. It will be composed of several millions of comparatively youthful Americans, a large percentage of whom will be voters, while virtually all will have demonstrated their readiness to fight their country's battles with weapons far deadlier |