1951_02 The Daily Collegian February 1951

              ;PtJ9-   1
-The Fresno State College Collegian -
EDITORIAL
COMMENTS
r gleefully reproduces it h
snows a trend ... a trend against 110% Americanism
we might add, the healthiest trend to hit newsprint sit
McCarthy first exhaled his venomous breath before ai
The Time article follows:
* In the smokey, second-floor room in Eastern, Pa., Post Com i
mander George Lacey told the sprawled Legionnaire* of
Brown and Lynch Post: "Fellows, there's nothing to discus
kere. The national convention opposes the Hoover veteran'
recommendations. That's an e-dict. If we don't go along, w
lose our charter." The Legionnaire* docilely chorused agree
But one Legionnaire was shocked. Martin Merson, a 44
> car-old lawyer and navy veteran, who is still gaunt from
malaria contracted on Guadalcanal, began checking around
He found that most ot" the post members had not the slightest
idea of what they were voting on. He "found that out of 650
members, only a handful ever atltjnded meetings, and thi
handful ran the post to suit themselves.
Merson got madder and madder. With such a setup, whati
right had national Legion commanders to tell C-S. congressmen that they represented the Irishes of nearly 3,000 fi00\
Last week, goaded by Merson, the Easton Post agreed t<
debate the Hoover report again. National headquarters sen
a special representative and the district commander to intra
duce him. -
After the lighting of cigars and swearing to the Legion'
pledge of "100% Americanism," debate began. The national
command had one defense ("Veterans are a selected group"'
and one tacit assumption: any change in the Veterans Ad
ministration would loosen the Legion's traditional grip on
VA matters. Merson's forces argued only that the Hoover
proposals would be more efficient.
Cried Merson: "Shall we be rubber stamps of the Logic
Hierarchy — or shall we be free men, following each the
dictates of his own conscience? Let us stand up and be c
e got thicker, the talk angrier, and the pos
bell rang more frantically. "Didn't the national Legion decide all this? What are we discussing it for?'
demanded a fuddled Legionnaire.
"We can't do anything contrary to the e-dict of the na
tional Legion," bawled one World War I. veteran. "Edict!'
roared grizzled old Herman Wolff. "I never would have joined
the damned organization if I knew I was subject to edict
One hundred per cent Americanism! Bah!"
In the confusion, Merson's men introduced the same re
olution the poet had paased last year — approving the Hooi
er report but opposing its veterans' provisions. The oldtimers|
were sure that anything Merson was for they were against
Before they knew what was happening, they had voted the
"Morion defeated,"
triumph, ringing his bell. Then his secretary "whispered in
his ear. I-acey's face felL "Comrades," he shouted in horror
'See have just gone against the national e-dict."
It was a small beginning, but not an easy one. "I'll lose
clients for what I did tonight," admitted one young lawyer
"but what the hell — it's worth it." Said Merson: "It will take
more than a Tide of Toys to bring the American Legion
to life."
This is probably the first time in history The Collegian
has reproduced the entire text of such an article. But because
of it. eloquence, we felt the item reprinted here'would
be si service to FSCs students.
Ie. outlines very effectively the manner in which the Legii
i. It clearly defines the fear of I
"represents" so many i
the "'oldtimers" of the
denunciation of the high-handed tl
by 110%
We si
hen Time Maga
zine, which has grown in many persons' favor in recen
months, has the courage to stand up against the Legion, there
is yet hope for America.
t too far removed from|
o Post No. Four, how|
Xfs regularly? Has Post Four ever dan
t number (approaching several thousand,
believe) of veterans it do
•S^eit," they might a
Note: Italic* Out*.
Office 109» or Ph. Ext. 1
TED AND IRENE
Wish the Students ond
Faculty at Fresno Stat.
Cinderella
Zrountain
14J7 RJLTOv.
FROM THE
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TO'THE COLLEGE STUDENTS.
DONT FORGET IF YOU WANT
A GOOD SANDWICH—STOP AT THE
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23*3 BLACKSTONE
n here. Use
correct s|z« bulbs In proper
forture, far your study ond
ww*. Keep your bulbs clean
end you'll be surprised how
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