58 State Papers and Addresses

get a clear understanding of the motives of patriotism and service to country
that promoted the formation of this great organization that now numbers
within its ranks more than 11, 000 separate Posts. "For God and Country, " to
quote in part from this Preamble, "we associate ourselves together for the
following purposes: to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States
of America; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to
inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the Community, State and Nation;
to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and
democracy. "

How well the Legion is doing the work it has, set apart for itself, perhaps
not many of us fully realize. Interested as we are in our own Posts, we take
a lively interest in the particular objectives set up by our own Post officers, and
we try to the best of our ability to spread the gospel of true Americanism,
and of resistance to disloyal preachments and activities. Sometimes we may
not fully realize how important this individual striving of ours may be: some-
times it may seem relatively unimportant to us that we have been able to
undo, in someone's mind, the damaging seed planted there by Communistic or
other adverse propaganda. Sometimes it may even seem like trying to hold
back the waves of the ocean with a tiny barrier of sand, when we strive, by
our efforts with the younger generation, to build them up into good citizens,
and to render their minds less fertile soil for the disloyal doctrines that a~sail
them on many sides.

If ever we are tempted to underrate the achievements of the American
Legion on behalf of God and Country, because we can see only our own efforts,
we have only to remember that we are but a tiny part of the Legion—that
anything we are able to accomplish that in any way furthers the interests and
insures the continued security of our Country, is multiplied more than 11, 000
times in the activities of all the Posts of the Legion, and even the smallest
results can assume gigantic proportions when enlarged 11, 000 times.

Again we may be tempted at times to underestimate the importance of the
Legion's influence against the "Isms" and dangers of today, because what the
Legion is doing, today and every day, throughout the length and breadth of
the land, is no longer strictly 'News'—the Country is more or less accustomed
to it, and the only way it can break into print in a big way, and command
attention, is on the few occasions throughout the year when we attempt some-
thing spectacular, as in a National Convention, or as we did in Maryland with
our recent "Stand By America" Day.

The doings of the various radical groups, however, IS "News, " and the
newspapers give them space, and by reason of their accounts of these radical
doings, ofttimes, I am afraid, center upon disloyal activities the attention of
persons -who otherwise might never come in contact with any of the disloyal
elements working among us. In this respect we may be at a little disadvantage.
Sober reflection, however, will convince us that we are a. fortunate Nation,
however, because such activities as those of the American Legion are NOT
'News'—that rather they are everyday activities, a part of the regular life
of the Nation, and are thus quietly, but none the less effectively, leaving their
definite imprint upon the life and thinking of the rank and file of American
citizens.

What I like possibly more than any other one thing about the American
Legion is that it is truly American, in the broadest sense of the word. It is