(9) Some years before the great world war, Arthur Hoffman, editor of Adventure, organized a traveller's club which he called an "American Legion". That was long before the fateful day of August, 1914, when the news of impending war flashed around the globe, and long before four and a half million young Americans donned the khaki and blue and went forth to fight for their country. Little did that editor then realize that he was to coin a name for a great organization of world war veterans; an organization which was destined to become one of the largest and most powerful societies in America; an organization that was to play an important part in the history of a great nation.

     For really and truly these four and a half million stalwart sons of the great western Democracy were an American Legion. So it must have seemed to those discouraged peoples of Europe who for four long years had been holding back the enemy to preserve their civilization. What a thrill it must have given those weary comrades of our Allies when they saw the never-ending stream (10) of khaki begin to pour out of the great liners and make its way to the battlefields! How it must have recalled to their minds the centuries long past when Roman legions swept through Europe! But these former legions had come with selfish ambitions and with the lust of power driving them forward; here came a legion urged on only by the high ideals of a great democratic nation, desiring to preserve civilization rather than destroy it. What better name could the American world war veterans have selected for their organization than "The American Legion"?

     And thus when a group of officers met at the Allied Officers' Club, Rue Faubourg St. Honore, Paris, France, on the evening of February 16, 1919, a name was ready for the society which they were to form. These soldiers had gathered at the French capital to discuss ways and means for bettering conditions of the army in France, at the direction of Great Headquarters at Chaumont. After the discussion of the problem before them, the conversation turned to the possibilities of organizing a veterans' society. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Colonel Franklin D'Olier, Colonel Eric Fisher Wood, Colonel Bennett C. Clarke and others began to turn the matter in their minds and to visualize the great need for and possibilities of such an organization. They realized that very soon the millions of fighters would be demobilized and would return to the various stations of civil life from whence they had come. For a short time, perhaps, these war-weary (11) fighters would want to forget their military experiences, to close their eyes upon those long months that had oftentimes seared their very souls. But it would not be for long. Something was born in those dark days of hardship and privation that they could not forget--something that would increase as the years went by. This mysterious force would stir within them and take back to the old days of war service just as it had taken the veterans of the Civil War. They would want to gather around the old camp fires again and recount the experiences of the past. The spirit of comradeship would be the mysterious force that would stir within them and draw them together again. Many of these fighters might not  realize, perhaps, for many months what this comradeship was to mean to them, or how much pride they would come to take in their military service, but they would eventually. Would not history repeat itself and world war veterans follow in the footsteps of those noble patriots of the great Grand Army of the Republic? And if they did, would not they want to be members of a veterans' organization that would offer them the opportunity to renew old friendships and dwell in reminiscences?

     What a splendid thing it would be to have a great organization composed of young men from all walks of life, men of all religious creeds, men from all parts of the United States, standing together in peace as they had stood together in war! What a splendid thing it would be for these (12) young fighters to go back to the pursuits of peace determined to perpetuate the fine comradeship and ideals which they had found in their tour of war duty! And what a splendid and noble thing it would be for these service men to stand together and work toward the end of making America a better place in which to live as well as the ideal nation for all the world to follow and admire!

     Since there were representatives of about twenty divisions of the American Expeditionary Forces present at the Paris meeting, it was possible to get a frank though somewhat general opinion of the best way to go about the organization of a veteran body. It was thought advisable by most of those present to formulate temporary plans and arrange for a meeting that would be open to all who might care to take part. Several more meetings of this particular group were held and the matter thoroughly discussed. It was soon felt, however, that this group was by no means representative of the entire army and navy, and that it would be necessary to have two great caucuses--one to bring together representatives of the veterans of the A. E. F., and the other to assemble representatives of the men in the camps at home.

     Here the founders of the American Legion made a wise and just decision that was to play a most important part in the ultimate success of the organization. Many soldiers and sailors, through no fault or desire of their own, had been (13) held in American camps and had not been able to reach foreign shores. Many men had just arrived in Europe from America when the war ended, leaving them no opportunity to see service at the front. Many others had been held in the rear in the Service of Supplies to carry on in that thankless phase of war work. Had the war lasted another year or so, the vast majority of the men who were at home in the camps would have been sent overseas; perchance, had the struggle ceased a few months sooner, many of those in France never would have reached European shores.

     Who, then, was to be given membership in the American Legion?

     It was finally decided that for an organization to live and accomplish great things, it must be founded on principles that were just and fair to all service men; that the only sensible thing to do was to make it possible for all men with honorable records in the military service, either at home or abroad, to become members.

     The next step in the process of organization was the appointment of a temporary committee to carry out the plans formulated at the initial meeting. This committee must be representative of the various units of the A. E. F., and it must conduct itself in such manner as not to give the false impression that it was a small group of picked men merely contriving to serve some ulterior or selfish end. This called for a personnel of the very best quality. When a canvas was made, it was unanimously decided that (14) Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, of the 1st Division, should be temporary Chairman, Bennett C. Clark temporary Vice-Chairman, and Eric Fisher Wood temporary Secretary.

     Several sub-committees were formed, the duty of one of which would be to collect the names of individuals serving with the various units of the A. E. F., and of units at home, and arrange for two caucuses--one to be held in Paris and the other in the United States. The work of this committee was extremely difficult. While it was possible to get the names of soldiers and sailors in every branch of the service, it would not be so easy to get them to attend the caucuses. Many units which had served in France were now on their way home, while the others were in Germany and in isolated districts many hours from the French Capital.

     At this point another quite formidable obstacle came in the way. How was it possible for representatives from units of the A. E. F., especially enlisted men, to attend without proper authority from G. H. Q.? And would it be possible to get enlisted men to discuss these matters with officers of high rank? And who was to bear the expense of those representatives, most of whom would have to travel a considerable distance?

     These were vital problems that meant much to the success of the meeting and must be solved before further work could be done. The temporary committee charged with this duty fully realized that if a veterans' organization was to be (15) great and strong and undivided in its aims and purposes, it must number among its members the majority of enlisted men, for of the four and a half million, nearly four millions were soldiers and sailors who had done their bit in the ranks. Leaders from this great group must be urged to attend the caucuses. By devious means, the committee was finally able to get a number of enlisted men selected as delegates; and the big Paris meeting was scheduled for March 15, 16 and 17, 1919.

     The first delegates to the A. E. F. caucus, many of them arriving several days in advance, brought amusing stories of methods they had used to slip into the French capital and avoid the rigid rules of the American Provost Marshall as well as overcoming personal financial handicaps. Some of the enlisted delegates came as orderlies for commissioned delegates; others entered the city without passes concealed in army trucks. One delegate came to Paris to obtain "rat poison" for his company cook, so the story went, while another enterprising and healthy individual came for special medical treatment. It is said that one buck private purported to carry important documents which really consisted of nothing but well-folded newspapers! By one way and another the rigid rules of the A. P. M. and his army of military police were evaded and a goodly number of noncommissioned officers, buck privates, wagoners and farriers were among the delegates present. Although a few of these warriors did not have (16) authority to come, that did not make a great deal of difference so far as the particular job ahead of them was concerned.

     The Paris meeting was held in the American Club, near the Place de la Concorde. Colonel Roosevelt had already left France to organize that part of the army and navy which did not get overseas, so Colonel Bennett C. Clark of the 88th Division was selected Chairman. Upon the first roll call it was found that almost one thousand delegates were present, embracing representatives from nearly every unit of the great A. E. F. The meeting had been in session only a short time when a motion was made and unanimously adopted which provided, while in meeting assembled, there would be no observance of rank. It is interesting to note that this rule has been followed ever since in all meetings of the American Legion.

     Considerable important work was accomplished by this Paris meeting and much of the groundwork for the organization was laid. Of course, no well-planned course of action had been prepared and the majority of delegates had given the matter in hand but very little study. Nevertheless, it is not amiss to say that these veterans had had such an idea in the back of their heads for some time and that here the American Legion was born. Some of the action taken did not work out successfully and the constitution adopted was to be later greatly improved and strengthened. But the seed was planted and a great veterans' organization was gotten under way.

     (17) Among the more noteworthy things accomplished was the appointment of an executive committee made up of two members from each A. E. F. unit represented and eight members at large to be selected by the committee itself; the drafting of a tentative constitution that would set forth in some detail the purpose and object of the organization. Here follows the preamble of this first constitution:

     "We the members of the Military and Naval Service of the United States of America in the great war, desiring to perpetuate the principles of Justice, Freedom and Democracy for which we have fought, to inculcate the duty and obligation of the citizen to the state; to preserve the history and incidents of our participation in the war; and to cement the ties of comradeship formed in service, do propose to found and establish an association for the furtherance of the foregoing purposes."

     One of the committees of the caucus was charged with the selection of a name for the organization. It was reported by a member of this committee that many titles were suggested and considerable discussion took place. It is interesting in passing to repeat some of those names submitted:

        Of course, it is needless to say which name was chosen. It is interesting, however, to note how the word "legion" crept into the best titles. It is also needless to comment on the wisdom of the committee in making its final selection.

     The outstanding features of the Paris caucus were three in number: First, the desire to get an organization of veterans under way; secondly, to forget rank and personal prejudices and give the soldier and sailor who did not get overseas an equal opportunity of membership; thirdly, to defer action of a permanent nature until a great joint convention could be held in America where all branches of the service could assemble and determine the destiny of their organization.

     At any rate, the first caucus laid the foundation for a great national society that was to outstrip all others of its kind. It planted the seed that later was to be brought to fruition and give us an organization with local units in every part of the world, uniting all men and women who had answered their country's call to active duty in the world war.

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