New Britain Herald Newspaper, January 13, 1922, Page 15

FRANK S. BUTTERWORTH WRITES TO EXPLAIIV THE STATE FUND MATTER Preamble of Legion Constitution and (eneral History Given in American Treasurer’s Review—Ma- lone and Bulkley Apptrove Letter. When we came back from the oth- er side, or were discharged from the se e here, some of us devoted our- gelves to the organization of the Amerlcan Legion, projected several months before at a meeting in France, It was a hard task for it is not a mu- tual benefit assoclation but an organi- zatlon created to earry on the high purposes and duties of soldiers and citizens, a continuation of the service which soldiers and many citizens had learned to be their duty to their God and country Soldiers who had al- ready come back from the other side or from duty here were gathered to- gether from different parts of 'the state in temporary organization and finally representatives were sent to the caucus to be held at St. Louis in June, 1919, In order that our representa- tives might not be limited to those who had mon some of us raised or advanced funds for comrades who would have been unable otherwise to make the trip. At that St. Louis cau- cus the principles and aims of the American Leglon were enunciated and a constitution adopted with the fol- lewing preamble: The Preamble, “To uphold and defend the Consti- tution of the United States of Amer- ica; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred per cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incndents of ou s0ci- ation in the Great War; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community ate and nation; to com- bat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses ;to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity principles of justice, freedom and democrac, consecrate and sanctify our com- radeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness. And those great aims and principles were some months later ratified and amplified at a greater convention held after most of our comrades had re- turned to our country. They are the creed of our organization. Legion Organization. The T.egion in Connecticut grew against many obstacles. Almost all soldiers were poor, poorer indeed than when they left this country, and many felt unable or unwilling to join or to pay even the small dues of such an organization. They were inclined to believe that there was a debt owing them which was not being paid, in which mood they would not listen kindly to the suggestion of serving their country further and of paying for the privilege. Everyone remeémbers the difficul- ties of readjustment to the old life. Indeed, it was not wholly that prob- lem that confronted us There was in- volved an adjustment to a new life, one of different activities. Economy and frugality had, for the moment, disappeared and there were all around us high wages, huge profits and ex- travagant expenditures and also a growing reaction from the spirit of | service which had inspired the coun- try. It wasn’t the old life those in service had left on their way to camp and trench and even the grave but another one which even now is still undetermined and unresoived. The G. A. R. Example It wasn't strange, therefore, that an organization with our principles should have its difficulties; they say that the G. A. R. went through simi- lar ones. One man after another gave as much time as he could to its organization and then handed the torch on to someone else to carry forward; but it steadily did go for- ward until we had about some thirty- or forty American Legion Posts about the state. All this time there was constant talk of the much promised aid from the government or state or citizens to the soldiers and bitter criticism of the terrible neglect of the disabled, sick and stricken. The government, spurred by the American Legion, did make some effort but were so bound up with red tape and general inefficiency that nothing seemed to issue from it except count- less letters, serial numbers, references and dclays. Some of the states were passing acts giving a bonus to sol- diers and other states projected simi- lar action, involving in every instance many millions of dollars. The State of Connecticut, however, had passed two acts, including the one in which we are particularly interested, which B*"%%n. 63 years ago Gail Borden made -a food just for babies. “This food is— 'EAGLE BRAND | Condensed Milk | provided for a fund of two and one- half million dollars to be invested in government honds, the interest upon which should be devoted to soldiers, saflors and marines and be disbursed through an organization of soldiers, sailors and marines which should be approved by the hoard of control. This interest, amounting to about $106,000 annually, was to he used for the provision of food, clothing, medi- cal ald, ete, and for care and rellef, The wording of the act authorized a wide latitude of activities but the funds involved,.of course, were very small and inadequate as there were some §8,000 in service from Connec- tieut who wonld come under the act with whom it was at once evident that $106,000 might go but a very short ways. Board of Control Request. When, therefore, in 1919 the Board of Control asked the American Leglon of this state if it would, administer this fund, it was at once plain that unless the fund were administered with most unusual frugality, there might be very little indeed for sol- diers, The American Leglon would not shirk duty but had no financial resources and was not able to under- take a responsibility which involved an uncertaln financial obligation and so stated to the Board of Control. To this the Board of Control replied that proper expensges of the adminis- tration of the fund were payable out of this fund, that they had absolute confidence in us, that if we would formulate by-laws as to the method of administration which would meet their approval, they were ready to have us go ahead. Then, we, re- membering the preamble of the American Legion, of service to our country and our comrades, decided to accept the responsibility, conceived and present to the Board of Control a plan by which the expenditures should be the smallest possible be- cause the work would be done by comrades of those in need. The plan presented was that each Post in the state should from a committee whose duty it would be to investigate, re- port and recommend in regard to each case, these reports to come. to a central office where they would he analyzed, passed upon, further infor- mation secured, if necessary, and ap- propriate action taken then and thereafter. Ry this move the Ameri- can Legion of Connecticut placed it- self at the service of the state and its stricken comrades. The writer and his two associates, Judge William J. Malone, who had been the first ad- jutant of the American Legion, Con- necticut Department, and Morgan G. Bulkley, Jr., had been made a com- mittee upon this matter by the state executive committee of the American Legion, and that committee approved the plan and the Board of Control after examining it approved it and directed us to ‘‘carry on.” Big Task Ahcad. Spme.#f us understood the big task ahead of us and some dreaded it for they knew the opportunity for criti- cism and abuse that lay in it. They understood the condition of mind of many soldiers, bitter toward the gov- ernment and state and toward their fellow citizens for their failure to do what had been promised upon their | 18 the NEW “Jim, The Puddler” Davis, secretary of labor President Harding's his autoblography He areived in America at eight and worked in the fron fields of Penn sylvania Booth Tarkington has characterized Davis' story as a great account of the rise of a typleal Am erican, BRITAIN James G flrst cabinet (o of write return from service. There jus grounds for such complaint and there was much complaint without grounds, Many a soldier needing medical care could not get it, many another who | could get it did not take it because it | would leave his family without sup- | port; and maybe another had to 11':|\'ri the hospital because his family negd- ed him to work even though he were in advanced stages of tuberculosis. It | would seem that these conditions | could not exist without arousing wide indignation and a feeling of shame, yet there were many people whu! would not look or believe. They | heard only the soldiers calling for a | bonus; they constantly saw a few ex- | soldiers who declined to work and others who assumed the attitude that hecause they once wore the khaki| that the government owed them a liv- | ing for the rest of their lives. They eay soldiers who would take a job and then leave it without notice or reason and seeing all this they con- founded the worthless or misgnided | with the many good and forgot they were any obligations resulting from | the war. It created a grave situation | to handle and many a man shook his | head at us for attempting “the ims possible.” We Must Make Good. But, we saw a great opportunity in | this legislation which seemed most intelligent soldier passed by any state and we felt that | it was up to us to make good. Where other states had given or proposed to give a sum outright to each of their | soldiers-—~$100 or §200 or more apiece the | legislation | Safe Nilk Forlnfants,Invalidsand Growing Children The Original Food-Drink For All Ages DALLY Sooner I forty or firty | our HERALD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 1929, i e — would have miliions which in Connecticut meant cight or xteen money which was quickly gon appropriation was small but perpet wal and devoted only to those in need or later it might and be the little help that carrics the hardest places, that or cures the maimed or preserves the home, Much can be with,a it tle if the will and good will are there at the right time. We believe that if we could keep job hunters and poli- ties ont of the administration and it to what it is, a dnty that we could accomplish infinitely more for our comrades and the state than otherwise; and we belicve that if we did not adopt this conrse that thousand dollars of the total would be expend and slow administration by the political faithful or soldiers with selfish ambitions, and that the aid which finally reach our comrad would, most of the time, be too late The very essence of aid is prompt we have purposed to have every casc an individual ecasge and to try in time to make all of our comrades fecl that they are not serial numbers but un- forgotten huddies, And helieve that soldiers would do it well for they at once sympathetic and erit wpathetic that aid should come critical comr another needs more, comrades being creasing numbers a law. Could we he ? Outside Enemies, We had to fight those onr would one over life saves doite aise acred some we but takes what And there were stricken 1 there lest one outside the INFANTS and INVM.IDS the Original Avoid Imitations and Substitutes Richmilk, malted grain extract in Powder No Cooking — Nourishing — Digestibla ARE OFFERED IN OUR 37th ANNUAL SALE HART, SCHAFFNER AND MARX SUITS AND OVERCOATS When You Buy Our Clothing At Reduced Prices You Krow What You Are Getting Annual Sale of Sweaters $4.00 Now $3.00 $7.00 Now $5.50 $7.50 Now $6.00 $5.00 Now $4.00 TO CLOSE OUT $6.00 Now $4.50 $8.00 Now $6.50 SMOKING JACKETS ‘Were Up To $12.00 — Now $4.95 WE WILL HOLD A SALE OF BOYS SUITS Were $12 and $15—Now $5.00. One Lot Were $25.00—Now $10.00 $20.60 And | the slaried norant [ ala od in a red tape | of | | | | It must go record will he such that the s never rupt this method of niry Pine men rallied to this work, priest doughboy wholeheartedly them on and they difficultios that sometimes were great And never single tentional gard of a call for aid, that T know of, Some ought to have abusive and intent Ignorance; ately misled and it took time and patience to establish the idea that on aecount of the limited amount of money the disabled, the sick, the women and the ehildren, and the aged the poor lad with- out dependenes who Is homeless and hungry and in need, Bt the idea did | and that difficulty grew in agreement with a first to the weakest, right—were unjust | others | and had to fight who saw in many 1tish and And that that our e will commercinlism handling this for their on who misrepresented ed us; and 0 inside the Leglon Pund ehiefly a chane have gh or INTERFERE WITH BUSINESS ‘ jobs or who are and casily misled but 1 hope must come before let polities or P E—— S(op them witl, L GRAYS SYRUI *~' REDSPRUCE GUM 3 Aijo?‘élblo Preparation thal {Bives quick resulls without +drugqing the system et Ménfreat to those who fought go hroadeast and for right loss, | less and policy of ald, Stavted in Small Way, We started in a small way, Since organization, I had been the treasurs er of the Ameriean Leglon, Connectl- cut Dept,, and as treasurer, 1 was to disburse this fund My own office had been devoted to this work and I continued to use it. Our first ald was glven in the last months of 1919, The | thought the —— - money as a legal (Continued Following minigter, lawyer and and officer, and worked Devotion spurred persevered against doctor, has there been need of a rebuke from iy office for in- injustice or callous disre- YD WATSON 2¢O N ex-soldiers the 'age) EVERYMAN’S BIBLE CLASS Undenominational At M. E. Church, 9:30 o’clock, SUNDAY MORNINGS. Leader, Rev. John L. Davis Series of talks on “Applied Psychology”. Subject For Sunday “THE DRIVING POWER OF THOUGHT” Sale of Fur Coats, Scarfs and Muffs We received today a manufacturer’s stock of FUR COATS, SCARFS and MUFS. These garments will be sold at 50c on the dollar, that means half of tlllle]reg:uhr wholesale price. Coats of Raccoon, Coney, Manmot and Bay Seal, all lengths. PRICED— $29.50 LT — 245.00 SCARFS and MUFFS 0Of Fox, Coney, Mink, Hudson Seal and Dog. Skunk, Opossum, Muffs priced from ... $2.95 to $9.95. Scarfs priced from ... $2.95 to $14.95. The prices on these garments are 50 low that we cannot afford to charge them, or send them C. Q. D., or on ap- proval or exchange them. See them on display in our South Window. 'SPECIALS FOR SATURDAY — FROM OUR — JANUARY CLEARANCE SALE MR NR VWOMEN’S and MISSES’ SUITS Made of Velour and Broadcloth Ifur trimmed-—snappy Values to $45.00. 54-in. ALL WOOL SKIRTINGS AND SUITINGS at $1 98 rard Values to $6.50 yard. CREPE DE CHINE, GEORGETTE, TAFFETA and SATIN at 98C yard Values to $2.50 y: GEORGETTE AND CREPE DE CHINE WAISTS in white, flesh, black and navy. Sizes 36 to o0 a pannr $1.98 Value to $ MEN’S WOOL FLANNEL SHIRTS Sizes 1414 to 17 $l 4 Values to”ml) MEN’'S AND BOYS' CAP at 50(: each rd. New Britain Clotii ting ani firy Goods Store Inc. 381-383 MAIN STREET A GOOD PLACE TO TRADE AND A STORE FULL OF BARGAINS