The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, September 3, 1940, Page 13

{ THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 3, 1940. 5 FRENCH JOKE IS Of all the droll little jokes which our comrades and brothers-in-arms PERPETUATED IN LEGION 40 AND 8 By S. C. RAYNOR Grand Historien of the Grand Voiture of Alaska in sense of humor, the Americans took the joks in good spirits. This was not always easy. The horses were inclined to rub it in. When eight of them, comfortably bedded down in a box car, would pass a car loaded with 40 cramped, smoth- | ered men, they would poke their noses through the windows and give vent to the well known equine chortle, HISTORIAN Good Joke But, nevertheless, it was a good Jjcke—in fact one of the war's clas- sic pieces of ironic humor. As such it deserved to be preserved for pos- the French played on the soldat| lerity and the American veterans Americain to enliven his stay in|had not been back home very their sunny land, the quaint little long belfore they organized La So- box cars were the best. These cars|ciete des 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux, were each carefully marked “40| “the Society of 40 Men and 8 Hommes—8 Chevaux” which meant Horses" familiarly known as the that if Monsieur was unfortunate Yorty and Eight enough, to be one of those cheap —Founded on this jolly bit of and expendable pieces of military French fun, the Forty and Eight ¢quipment. known as man, 40 of was of course dedicated to fun- him must ride in one of those lit- making. It was created as the S, C. Zaynor of Anchorage is tle cars, but if he were a preci- ous and useful creature known as playground of The American ‘Le- Grande Correspendante, Commis- gion, the place where lusty Legion- saire Intendante, Historian of the @ horse the car would be re- naires could relax and let off those i served for the exclusive use of rollicking spirits which must be Granl Yoitsfe oL, AR IV a:ml himself and seven of his fellows. ' suppressed so much of the time 3 s Well as Past Department Le- NoL to be outdone by the French in this serious business of life. The gion Commander. e D R W Sy T P S s g CAPTAIN JAMES V. DAV!S Democratic Candidate for Territorial § HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES § | | { ; ; ! | | | { ; 30 Years a Resident of the First Division Your Interests Are My Inferests GENERAL ELECTION SEPT. 10, 1940 e T PSS § Welcome Legionnaires DON'T MISS THE BIGGEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE - - BEST AT MIKE’S PLACE OPEN ALL NIGHT B et Forty and Eight has filled rrrrrrrr ey Paul Bloedhorn 72 % g “GIFTS THAT LAST” Juneau's Jewelry and Curio Shoppe GENUINE ALASKA CURIOS | Nugget Jewelry and Carved Ivory a Specialty Visitors Always Welcome z Cvvvvrvvrrrrrrrrrrrrreesd - DANCE AND DRINK TO THE IN DOUGLAS Phone Dou_glas 602 Coca-Cola is recognized and wel- comed everywhere. People like its clean taste and the refreshed feeling that fol- lows. When you buy your home sup- plies always include a six-bottle carton of Coca-Cola and be prepared for refreshment at home, - BOTTLED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THE COCA-COLA CO. BY JUNEAU COLD STORAGE CO. 2y & very important contribution to this place in The American Legion with PASSE a high degree of success, and it| has done more. It has also made the serious work of theeAmerican Legion. Voyageurs The French name for the human freight which their railroads hauled during the war was “Voyageur . Militaire,” or military travelers, “Voyageur Militaire” has become a title of honor and distinction among the Forty and Eighters, It means first of all that the bearer is a good Legionnaire. It means that he has worked in his Legion Post and has been singled out by y | his comrades as a man who de- serves the fun and comradeship of the Forty and Eight. It means that he is a member of the -Le- gion’s picked battalion of “Shock Iroops,” and is marching in the lirst wave of the Legion advance. | To-gain entrance to the ranks |of the Forty and Eight, and the right to be known as a “Voyageur Militaire,” a candidate must ful- fill just one all-important qualifi- cation. He must be a good Legion- naire. If he can prove that he is a good Legionnaire by some accom- plishment for the Legion and Yy a year of active service in his Le- gion Post the doors of La Societe are open to him Four Voitures local organization Clyde Ellis of Cordova is Grand Chef de Gares Passe of the Grand Voiture of Alaska, 40 and 8, and Past Department Commander of the Legion. Forty and Eight is the Locale,” or local box car, of whicl Voiture Locale to be organized i Alaska was at Cordova, The the known as Voiture Locale 818, of w—m-m“m l" angle Cocktail Bar s MIXED DRINKS BeenTflTaWTap W. K. BURFORD WELCOME... ... Legionnaires { ENJOY JUNEAU DURING YOUR 21ST ANNUAL DEPARTMENT OF ALASKA American Legion Convention HARRI MACHINE SHOP "ELECTROL" — of course! HEATING PLUMBING LEGIONNAIRES— WELCOME TO JUNEAU CITY CAFE 430 So. Franklin St. Phone 377 Noodles and Chop Suey Our Specialty CHEERIO — LEGIONNAIRES! MAY YOUR CONVENTION BE THE BEST EVER! Liquors - Wines - Beer BARANOF LIQUOR STORE PHONE 50 BARANOF HOTEL WeWelcome The Legion GEO. M. SIMPKINS (0. . STATIONERY — PRINTING OFFICE SUPPLIES — BINDERY 4 P. 0. BOX 2076 JUNEAU -2 22 § ALASKA “Voitur there are four in Alaska. The first Alaska, e ety llssl The next Voiture Locale to b | | organized was 1098, at Anchoruge Alaska, which was followed by Vi ture Locale 1126, of Juneau, Al aska. Voiture Locale 1159, of Fair- banks, Alaska, is the last Voituce that has been organized at the present time. | Each year delegates are elected |to attend what is termed the | “Grand Promenade” of the Grand | Voiture of Alaska, which will be | held here in Juneau, the 4th of | September, during the Department | Convention of The American Le- | gion, this being the Ninth Grand | Promenade of the Grand Voiture |of Alaska. } The sole purpose of the Grand | Promenade is to add some fun to the Department Convention, as well as to support the action of the Department Convention of The American Legion, assembled here in Juneau on the 5th, 6th and Tth of this month, i * To Elect Officers Election of the Grand Voiture of- ficers will be one of the many orders of business coming before the Grand Promenade which will also include a Grand Wreck, of “Poor Goofs,” who await entrance e| into La Societe. h| This year's officers of the Grand Voiture of Alaska are headed by 0| Grand Chef de Gare, A, E. Karnes, of this city. Other officers of the Grand Voiture of Alaska are: Grand | Chef de Train, Walt Mickens, of | Kodiak, Alaska; Grand Conducteur, Bill Growden of Fairbanks, Alaska; Grand Garde de La Porte, Joe Freeman of Anchorage; Grand Cor- respondante, Commissaire ,Inten- dante, Historien, S. C. Raynor of Anchorage; Grand Lampiste, Clyde | R. Ellis, Anchorage; Grand Aumon- | ter, William Chaput, of Seward. | Grand Cheminots of the Grand in e 1wns for 40 men or eight horses. Poor horses; if they were as crowd- with eight of them in the cars as the 40 men were, then there should have been only four horses. To the average person ‘on the side lines” it may appear that the 40 and 8 is an organization of Le- gionnaires which has as its pur- pose the playing of pranks, acting foolish and doing anything which is not in keeping with the actions of dignified individuals. This con- The 40 and 8 is an organization ception is no doubt due to the faet of Legionnaires, and its chief aim | that forty and eighters are seen in is to help the American Legion to| action only in parades, or parading promote its program of activities. their initiates (poor goofs) on the The name comes from the famous streets in strange or questionahble railway car in which many of us attire, or making them perform un- rode on the French railroads, the| ysual stunts in public, cars being marked “40 hommes, 8 Serious Purpose chevauxs,” meaning that the car| mnic should not be the basis for judging any organization. Take the are Clarence| prankishness of the Shriners in Hahn, of Cortlova; Frank Mapleton. thejr initiatory antics! They ecan of Fairbanks; Ernest Polley of Ju-| pyy the forty and eighters to shame neau; Leonard Hopkins of Anchor- in comic parades and initiations, age and Bill Johnson of Juneau. Yet everyone should know by this The Grand Chef de Gares Passe, time of the immense amount of of the Grand Voiture of Alaska are| good they do. So should everyone 40 AND 8 HAS SERIOUS SIDE, AIDING LEGION By ANTHONY E. KARNES Grand Chef de Gare Grand Voiture of Alaska Voiture of Alas as follows: know that the forty and eighters 1931—Dalton Bnrr‘ 816, Cordova, a1s0 do good through the American Alaska. Legion. 1932—Clyde R. Ellis, 816, Cordova, In order to get into the 40 and Alaska. 8, a veteran must have performed 1933—J. J. Delaney, 1098, Anchor-|gone guistanding service for the age, Alaska. American Legion. As in other or- 1934—E. M. Polley, 1126, Juneau, oo.izations no doubt some get in Alagks. who have done very little. And 1935—S. C. Raynor, 1008, Anchor- .o .., a5 in other organizations, in age, Alaska. some communities the organization is strong; in some it is weak. In general, however, the organization through its members strives to help the American Legion in its every 1936—Stanley J. Nichols, 1098, An- chorage, Alaska. 1937—Werner Ohls, 1098, Anchor- age, Alaska. 1938—J. T. Petrich, 1126, Juneau, activity. ; Alaska. ¥ .| This does' not mean that all 1939—Don M. Adler, 1159, Falrbanks, | o004 1 egionnaires belong to the Alaska. 40 and 8; there are many excel- 1\740—‘3“&“ Karnes, 1126, Juneau, \o.¢ workers in the American Le- glon who are not members of the - 140 and 8. Many do not choose (o 3 21st Annual Krafft’s e WELCOME LEGIONNAIRES to SECOND and FRANKLIN belong. There are four local voitures of the 40 and 8 which make up the Grand Voiture of Alaska. They are located at Anchorage, Cordova, Fairbanks and Juneau. It has been a noticeable fact, that wherever the 40 and 8 is strong and active, the local American Legion Post in that area is also strong in membership, as well as in activities in behalf of the community. When you see the 40 and 8 on parade here in Juneau at the com- ing convention, or see them tortur- ing some poor initiate, just put it down that they are having a little fun, and that behind the scenes in the convention proper of the American Legion, they are hard at work. working “For God and Country.” Convention Mig. Co. PHONE 62 | WELCOME — LEGIONNAIBES i , 432 So. Franklin St. SWANSON BROS. GROCERIES and FISHERMEN'S SUPPLIES We Extend SINCERE GREETINGS to the LEGION and its | AUXILIARY PHONE 217 | ¢ DURING ITS STAY LEGIONNAIRES WELCOME!' | IN JUNEAU! | [ ] | Chas.G. Warner Co. i e | ENGINEERS and MACHINISTS ki o | | ‘ MARINE HARDWARE SHIP CHANDLERY THIBODEAU'S ‘ MACHINE SHOP Casll and Can'y | Qi oy g GROCERY 406 South Franklin Street PHONE 473 J. A. THIBODEAU | BRSBTS R Proprjetor — ——| PHONE 688 i GREETINGS to the 21st Annual Convention | of the AMERICAN LEGION and LEGION AUXILIARY GOLDSTEIN Complete Outfitter for the Fisherman 251 So. Franklin St. 3 Best of Luck to the LEGION Sigrid's Beauty Phone Black 381 WELCOME LEGION! | JUNEAU DRUG (O.