HThe JlmericcirL LEGIONM Q N T H L Y J\dy compliments on your very good taste, sir 0>r the goodt/iings smoidung can give you Chesterfield Copyright 1937, Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co A Legion Dream Comes True U-LmaA- IK. Oloetv, <K. ^I National Historian, The American Legion spoke out to many of us engaged in Legion FREDERICK THE GREAT Important records of actively of the depths of his experience when he work, the thought has over and over the nation are at last come said that an army travels on its stom- again that those despised records have in finding a home in the ach the rolling kitchens of the World many instances been a most important factor — dignified and impressive War bore eloquent testimony to the fact that National Archives Build- in securing justice for those of our comrades after a century and a half the great Cap- for whom the war will never be over, as well ing at Washington. The tain's most famous saying was as true as as for the families of the men who did not American Legion is when he uttered it. A soldier can go only come back. proud to have had a just so long without food and drink. The records of the A. E. F. and of the rest part in preserving these But back of the front line soldier, back of of the component parts of the nation's fighting essential materials of supporting elements that provided him forces are in various places some of them in the America's history — with food and drink, ammunition and medical the War Department's bureaus, particularly care, was a great organization of men in uni- the Veterans Administration. Those records form, the Services of Supply, which formed the connecting link which next year, or a thousand years from now, may be needed between the nation as a whole, eagerly organized for victory, by historians to evaluate the part of the United States in winning and the front. From the War Department to Pershing's G. H. Q. the war, are in the fine new National Archives Building, which and out to and through the units of the Army, flowed that great stands near the apex of the triangle lying between Seventh and mass of material we came to know as Army Paper Work—orders, Fifteenth Streets and between Pennsylvania and Constitution requisitions, whatnot. Avenues in Washington. 8 How we cussed it in 191 —these evidences of the fact that there In 1810, when Napoleon's star was still in the ascendant, be- was always someone checking up on us. We even had a song fore his disastrous expedition to Moscow, the first effort to pro- about it—next to "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here" probably— vide permanent safe storage for important records of the United the most noted of the 1918 gems. You may remember it "All States Government began, when a committee of Congress, we do is sign the payroll." headed by Josiah Quincy of Massachusetts, was named "to in- But while in 1918 that paper work became a major nuisance, quire into the State of the ancient records {Continued on page 48) MARCH, 1937 1 ; CforQod and country , we associate ourselves together/or thefollowing purposes: Oo uphold and defend the Constitution, ^softhe UnitedStates ofAmerica; to maintain law and order; tofosterandperpetuate a one hundredpercent (Americanism topreserve the memories and incidents ofour association in the QreatlMzr; to inculcate a sense ofindividual obligation to the com- munity.state andnation; to combat the autocracy ofboth the classes andthe masses; to make right the master ofmight; topromote peace andgood willon earth ;to safeguardand transmit to posterity the principles ofjusiice.Jreedom and democracy ; to conse- crate andsanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfdness.— Preamble to the Constitution ofThe American Legion. w- Hie American March, 1937 Vol. aa, No. 3 LegionMONTHLY Published Monthly by The American Legion, 4$$ West zid Street, Chicago, Illinois KXECUTIVB AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES BDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICES Indianapolis, Indiana 521 Fifth Avenue, New York HATS off, men, and a courtly CONTENTS THE old-timers whose photographs sweeping bow the kind of appear on pages 16 and con- — IN THE SUGAR BUSH Cover 17, bow we used to associate Bv Emile Gruppe cerning whom our caption writer is with fine old Spanish grandees be- A LEGION DREAM COMES TRUE 1 trying to make such a big mystery fore the fine old Spanish grandees By Thomas M. Owen, Jr. (probably to save himself a little FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT 4 got to fooling around with high ex- work), are: Top row, left to right: By Robert B. Greenough, M. D. plosive. Hats off, as we remarked, to Decoration by John Rogers Francisco Villa, known to his bud- the National President of The Amer- ONE PERMANENT SILVER dies as Pancho, the Big Bad Wolf of 7 ican Legion Auxiliary, concerning LINING the Border; Czar Nicholas II, most Bv L. A. Downs whom you will read in this issue powerful and weakest of earthly LADY LUCK'S PRODIGAL 8 under the title "'Nebraska Presents." By Hugh Wiley rulers in his time (which wasn't Illustrations Frederic by Anderson long) ; Alexander Kerensky, who 12 know this American Legion OUR COMMUTING CRIMINALS thought he could start an avalanche YOU By Richard Hartshorne Auxiliary possibilities. then say to it; triple-ex has Oh, Cartoon by Harry Townsend and whoa yes, we know it's already the largest THE ARMY THAT TOOK TO Kaiser Wilhelm II (II seems to have women's organization in the world, WATER 14 been kind of an unlucky number) of Robert close to half a million strong. But By Ginsburgh the German Empire, which ain't no MARCH, 1917: THE DECISIVE the Auxiliary can keep right on grow- more; bottom Rasputin, MONTH 16 row, who ing. The potential membership of By Frederick Palmer put the Indian sign on the Czar The American Legion reached its TELL ME WHAT YOU EAT 18 (somehow you get the idea that it By Arthur Van Vlissingen, Jr. maximum on November 11, 1918, would be a lot more fun to pal Cartoons by John Cassel several months before the Legion it- around with Pancho Villa than with ALL IN A YEAR'S WORK 20 self was born. Since then there has By Neil R. Fitch Greg Rasputin) ; German Foreign been a decline—a decline that day HOT DOG—WITH MUSTARD 22 Minister Zimmermann, who wanted after day has taken on an increasing By R. G. Kirk to give Arizona, New Mexico and Illustration by Forrest C. Crooks velocity (remember, we're talking Texas back to Mexico and thus pre- ONE UP ON THE DLPLOMATS 24 about potential membership). There By Bernhard Ragner vent the Texas Centennial of 1936 is no time limit in the Auxiliary. HE'S IN AGAIN 26 Zim, as we got to calling him here The Auxiliary hasn't attained its By Wallgren in the office, looks so much like the highest potential membership even EDITORIAL: All Around the Town 27 German ambassador to the United NEBRASKA PRESENTS 28 yet. It's well within the cards that States, Count von Bernstorff, that we By John J. Noll the Auxiliary will one day attain a AND THE BOX OFFICE thought somebody had pulled a higher actual membership than the ROCKED 30 bloomer. A check-up, however, Legion itself will ever reach. It's get- By John R. Tunis proved that the photograph shown is ting close to the half-way mark al- COMMUNITY SERVICE PLUS 32 unquestionably Zim. The best way to By Boyd B. Stutler ready, and going bigger all the while. tell the pair apart is that Count von BEYOND NO MAN'S LAND 36 FRONT AND CENTER 40 Bernstorff has no dueling scar on his MAY we also suggest a perusal of BURSTS AND DUDS 42 left cheek. The Count apparently Neil R. Fitch's exposition of Conducted by Dan Sowers didn't have to take it. the truth that a Department Com- Please report change address to Indian- mander's year is not an idle one. of YOU'RE a member of The apolis office, including OLD and NEW ad- IF (Why have the popular song writers American Legion you're a member dresses. Allow five weeks for change to been missing such a bet as "Idling in become operative. An issue already mailed of Fidac. In reading Bernhard Rag- Idaho With Yew-Hoo"?) Idaho is to OLD address will not be forwarded by post ner's account of the practical work unless subscriber the sort of State in which The Amer- office sends extra postage for peace which Fidac has been to post office. Notifying this magazine well ican Legion can mean nothing or doing, you can therefore take pride in advance of impending address change everything. Read Fitch and see which. will obviate this expense. in the fact that it's your outfit. The American Legion Monthly is the official publication of The American Legion, and is owned exclusively by The American Legion. Copyright 1937 by The American Legion. Entered as second class matter Sept. 26, 1931, at the Post Office at Chicago, III., under th? act of March 3, 1879. Harry W. Colmery, Indianapolis, Ind., National Commander, Chairman of the Legion Pub- lishing and Publicity Commission; Members of Commission: John D. Ewing, Shreveport, La.; Philip L. Sullivan, Chicago, 111.; William H. Doyle, Maiden, Mass.; Jean R. Kinder, Lincoln, Neb.; Phil Conley, Charleston, W. Va.; Frank N. Belgrano, Jr., San Francisco. Cal.; Raymond Fields, Cuthrie, Okla.; Frank L.