Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 April 1920 — AMERICAN LEGION NOTES. [ARTICLE]

AMERICAN LEGION NOTES.

ln<U':.*Hi*l>Ur*te almost phenomenal growth of the -s-ffsks officials but is affording a wholesome moral aid to the State War Momoriafc charged, wWh bringing about a special session of the Legislature to act on. a buihiing which would memorialize the sons and daughters of Indiana who served in the world iwar. The committee, which is made up of । representative citizens, from every district it the state, ;feels-that it has the support of practically every Legionnaire because one of the essential features of the proposed memorial will be headquarters fb't the national offices Of the, American Legion. The Indiana members of the Le-j gion won the national headquarters after a fight in Minneapolis and they are now fighting to keep them here against the growing demands of other state. Naturally, the members assert, they are anxious to retain the headquarters and; they? feel that the surest way to safegurad their retention is for the state to take some adequate Utt ion. L. • Russell Newgen, state adjutant, has announced that a membership drive, will be inaugurated throughout Indiana beginning;,April J 2, to continue until May 28. The representation at the Vincennes con. ventioh on yune 28, will be based o the paid-up memberships reported to the state officials on May 28; and Mr. Newgent believes that between 25,000 . and 30,000 enrollments .will be obtained ,by that time. He.is making., plans for at least 1,000 delegates at the convention. .' o . • ’ The department now has 30,000 paid up members with 278 fully organized posts. More than fifty posts are in the process of formation and charters, are constantly being issued from national head* quarters,, Thelatest charter has been issued to the Oliver. Marquis post of ToseyvHle, winch has started with 150 members. Some idea of the growth Of the Indiana department may be' Obtained from the fact that since January 1, the state turned over a weekly average of #1,200 m dues to the national organization. This represents #1 for each member, although h portion of 'the money came from old members paying their annual- fees 4he first of the ‘yeas, v'. c ... i Mr. Newgent said. W thus far charters have been issued to fifteen auxiliaries and that. Jnquirire W been made by practically every post relative to organizing the women relatives of the members.. The adjutant believes that within a short, time the membership of the department will be more than trebled through the enrollment drive and the of the auxiliaries, j