DIGESTS OF MINUTES National Executive Committee Meetings Milwaukee, Wisconsin September 14 and 18, 1941 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUNDAY AFTERNOON SESSION Report of Resolutions Subcommittee Wm. G. McKinley, Chairman September 14, 1941 Referred Resolutions 13 Call to Order 3 Naval Academy Award 14 Invocation 3 Alonzo Cudworth Post No. 23 Trophy 14 Rejected Resolution 15 Roll Call 3 Major General Robert Alexander 15 Appointment of Subcommittee 3 Thomas J. Bannigan 15 National Legislative Committee Charles Becht 15 I. A. Jennings, Chairman 3 Rev. Thomas R. Edgerton 15 John Thomas Taylor, Director 3 Cecil C. Harberson 15 National Finance Committee Theodore W. Kolbe 15 Sam W. Reynolds, Chairman 5 Anthony Mackey 15 National Americanism Commission Thomas Mason, Jr 16 Edw. H. Prell 16 James F. O’Neil, Chairman 5 Earl H. Smith 16 National Rehabilitation Committee M. G. Sullivan 16 Lynn U. Stambaugh, Chairman 6 Committee Appointment 16 T. O. Kraabel, Acting Director 6 Report on Repatriation of World War Veterans and Families. ... 16 Appointment to Directorship 7 Confirmation of Mail Votes 19 National Emblem Committee Cancellation of Post Charters ' 20 Roy L. Cook, Chairman 7 Cancellation of Squadron Charters 20 Legion Publications Commission Adjournment 20 Vilas H. Whaley, Vice-Chairman 8 National Aeronautics Commission THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION Borman M. Lyon, Chairman 8 National Convention Liaison Committee September 18, 1941 Leo J. Duster, Chairman 9 Call to Order 21 Veterans’ Employment Committee 9 Invocation 21 Law and Order Committee Roll Call 21 Richard Hartshorne, Chairman 9 Memorial Resolution, Fred W. Chambers 21 Special Subcommittee to Study Matter of Expenses of Repre- Affiliation of Aruba Esso Post No. 1 with Department of Panama 21 sentatives of Foreign and Insular Departments Appointment of National Officers 21 Jeremiah F. Cross, Chairman 10 Election of National Adjutant 21 National Defense Committee Selection of Dates 21 Warren H. Atherton, Chairman 11 Convention Dates 21 Report of National Chaplain on Resolution No. 14 12 Adjournment 22 DIGEST OF MINUTES National Executive Committee Meeting Milwaukee, Wisconsin September 14, 1941 SUNDAY AFTERNOON SESSION time, with reference to our legislative program, except we must keep in mind this one thing, that during the past year, and especially September 14, 1941 the last six months, the Legislative Director of The American Le- gion has been called upon constantly by the War Department for The pre-convention meeting of the National Executive aid and assistance of The American Legion in various measures the Committee, The American Legion, held in connection with War Department considered essential in the national defense pro- the Twenty-third Annual National Convention, in the Mil- gram. So that Jack Taylor has had plenty to do in that one phase waukee Auditorium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, convened at of the activity alone. There is one feature that I would like to discuss for just a mo- 2:10 p. m., Sunday, September 14, 1941, National Commander ment. At the May meeting of the Committee there was introduced Milo J. Warner, presiding as Chairman; National Adjutant from the Department of Washington a resolution advocating the Frank E. Samuel acting as Secretary. amendment of the National Insurance Act to provide total and Invocation by the National Chaplain, Lt. Col. William G-. permanent disability benefits for our new Army. As you remember, Gilks, Texas. under the old War Risk Insurance Act there were two features. There was the $10,000 policy which paid a death benefit and also a Roll call by the National Adjutant showed the following total and permanent disability benefit. present: Fourteen Past National Commanders; five National The National Insurance Act, which was passed some ten months Vice-Commanders; National Chaplain, and fifty-four Depart- ago, does not carry the total and permanent disability provisions ments represented. of the old War Risk Insurance policy, based primarily upon the fact that the standard insurance companies no longer write dis- Reading of the minutes of the preceding meeting was sus- ability insurance. pended, by motion duly adopted. That resolution came before the May meeting, and it was re- Chairman Warner briefly expressed his appreciation of the ferred to your Legislative Committee for a report and recom- co-operation of the National Executive Committee during the mendation to this meeting. That resolution has been considered by year. your Legislative Committee and, in first considering that, this ques- tion arose: How far should The American Legion go in attempt- ing to set up the benefits or security laws for the new Army? Is Appointment of Subcommittee it the function and business of The American Legion to advocate legislation controlling compensation insurance and other legislation, National Commander Warner announced the appointment to take care of the boys after the war is over? of the following to serve as members of the Resolutions Sub- Your Committee discussed that and are of the unanimous opinion committee : that it is the obligation of the Legion to sponsor and take an William G. McKinley, Chairman, New Jersey. interest in such legislation. Sam Brolund, Kansas. We have advocated a strong national defense for the past twenty Eli A. Jensen, Ohio. years. That is a part, as we consider it, of the national defense, what treatment they can receive at the hands of Congress after Edwin G. Hobbs, New Mexico. the war. If there had been a strong organization such as The Spence S. Eccles, Utah. American Legion, to aid and assist us in legislation in 1919 and ’20 and ’21, we wouldn’t have had a tough time in getting proper The next item on the agenda was “Disposal of Letters or legislation enacted and action obtained. Communications.” However, there were none. We also felt that, because of the fact that a great many of us have sons in the new Army, younger brothers, we also had a per- National Legislative Committee sonal interest in seeing that proper, adequate legislation was en- acted. The following report, presented by I. A. Jennings, Arizona, So our Committee recommends that this organization do take an Chairman of the National Legislative Committee, was duly active interest in the after-war legislation for the new Army. We accepted, with an expression of thanks to the National Legis- also believe, and recommend to the Executive Committee, who passes it on to the national convention, that we do sponsor legis- lative Committee by Chairman Warner: lation to amend the National Insurance Act, to provide disability Mr. Commander, Members of the Committee: Of course, as you benefits for the new Army. all know and realize, for the past twenty years our chief purpose The details, as I say, of legislative activity are included in the has been national defense, and we have been rather critical of the report. If you have any questions to ask, I am sure that Jack Tay- efforts made by the Army staff to keep the Army in condition. I lor will be more than glad to answer them. don’t think we ought to be too critical of that, for this reason, and I just cite one instance which, to my mind, proves that we, perhaps, In appearing before the Committee, John Thomas Taylor, have been a little bit too critical. Our National Commander, as National Legislative Director, briefly reviewed the program. you know, was an officer in the artillery during the World War. He had to do with new jackasses and how to handle them. This The following memorandum was submitted by Mr. Taylor, spring, when he made his official visit to Arizona, we put him on a for the records: wild jackass, and there was pretty nearly a catastrophe. Aid to Legionnaires in Foreign Countries: Your National Direc- Members of the Committee, the detail of the legislative report, tor was in frequent contact with the State Department with re- of course, is contained in the filed report at National Headquarters. gard to bringing back Americans to this country, and this has been There has been nothing occurred of primary importance since that largely accomplished. 4 DIGEST OF MINUTES NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING American Legion: Public Law No. 134, approved June 26, 1941, From July 1, 1940, to July 19, 1941, appropriations, contract authorizes one ship of Canadian Registry to travel from Cleveland, authorizations, and recommendations for national defense had Ohio, to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the National Convention. This reached a grand total of 852,926,603,590, including the lease-lend was enacted at the request of the National Legislative Committee funds and the two-ocean Navy. on behalf of Ohio Legionnaires. Full details on this immense program will be found in the re- Armistice Day—Thanksgiving Day: Our resolution requested that ports to this convention. However, since that report was written, Thanksgiving Day be observed on the traditional date rather than there was enacted the law extending the Selective Service training the third Thursday of November because the latter brought it too for eighteen months; this measure, in addition, providing for a 810 close to Armistice Day. Bills were introduced but the President an- monthly increase in pay for all men, except commissioned officers, nounced that commencing November, 1942, Thanksgiving Day will after the men had finished one year’s training. It also carried a be observed on the last Thursday of the month. provision allowing an additional 120 days within which men could Disabled: In addition to the Widows’ and Orphans’ bill, H. R. 4, apply for National Life Insurance. the House has passed H. R. 4845 to increase disability allowance There was approved by both branches, after conference, S. 1579, from ?30 to 840 monthly. This measure also includes a section which would authorize the President to take property and pay a which provides that a World War veteran sixty-five years of age or “fair and just compensation” when there is an immediate need older shall be eligible for disability allowance.