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This "double-take" of the American
establishment and grounds at the
at dusk. (Statesman photos)"
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Latest
Home of
Sports French
By on Dill
guff Writer. The Statesman
Oregon legionnaires will assenW
ble Oor many of their functions
during the current state conven
tion $iere in one of the" most lux
urious and pleasant American Le
gion halls to be found in the north
west' Capital post 9's hall cn
South Commercial street.
The huge.i rambling structure
fashioned, after French type archi
tecture will be the scene of many
Veterans Found Salem
Fine Host in Past Meets
By Conrad G. Prange . j
i Start Writer, the Statesman j !
The. thrills, spills and distinctive characteristics of an American
Legion state convention, such as will be held here August 3 to 6, are
not new to Salem. ) J ! .
Many local Legionnaires and non-veterans alike recall vividly
.the busy, noisy state gatherings here oi 1839 arid 1929. Legion con
ventions have a flavor all their own, I ! . ,
Judging from, past performances here the annual sessions of the
Legion seem to combine the atmosphere of a three-ring circus, busi
ness convention, sightseers tour
Not that all is fun and frolic
- ben when they take ovtr a city once a year.
Berious Purpose Underneath
Underneath the carefree spirit, fun parades
us "get-togethers," the official delegates cirry out the aims and pur
poses of the American Legion in hard-working business sessions, j
Business usually centers around the Legion's main projectsi
These include welfare work, aid to disabled veterans and tneir de
pendents, child welfare, care of widows Jand Orphanis ef veterans,
community service, Americanism and adequate naticnal sdefense.
Conventions held in Salem have been distinct' from others in
that they are staged in the state capitol building. When the 11th an
nual conclave was herd here in 1929, Douglas McKay, how governor,
was commander of the host post. Capital , and welcomed the dele
gates to" the capitol. 1
Governor Mcay will do so again Ihis year -p. only from a rathe
elevated position. ; : j '. ' -
Airport Dedicated in Z9 ; i
Several thousand Legionnaries and their families only a -scant,
decade removed fron World War 1. converged xn Salem in 1929.
In addftion- to business sessions the schedule for that convention in
cluded fireworks, a drum corps contest (Portland Won), visits to
-places o interest, dedication of the new Salem municipal airport, an
ir circus and a barbecue. ' "I '
3aker sent a two-ton grahite'Yock . arid two1 "hard rock miners"
to put on an exhibition. The convention hared headlines with the
Graf Zeppelin and New York tong wars, i
Ten years later, in- 1939, nearly 5,090 Lejjion members and their
families brought an unforgettahle convention to Salem. Who can
fotget the ''Streets 'of Paris" and the "Dugout" on South Liberty street
'that year?' j ' : '. '
"National defense" was the convention theme.
The outstanding -feature watfs one of the biggest parades ever seen
at a Legion convention in Oregon. About 6,000 participated, between
fin non nd 75 000 sDectators saw the marchers. Nearly two hours
were Tequired for the parade 1o file past the reviewing stand. Once i
1 ; n Mif morrh wot HicrtintMi K nt f it triM-ks riashinff to a firSe. t
m v- -'
French Cab Here in "39 I
. A battered old French; taxi showed up in the 40 et 8 parade. It
was re'ported to be one jof the last remaining vehicles of the historic
"taxicab" army which advanced on the Mame tq repulse the Germans
and save Paris. ;
Brazier Small was commander of Capital post in 1939. Bert
Victor was chairman of the 40 et 8 convention and B. E. (Kelly)
Owens, now department commander, was parade chairman.
Despite a blistering 9 degrees the ait circus, barbecue, golf and
"pistol tournaments, dances and business sessions were! well attended.
Salem's 1949 Edition of
I ' . --. i '.---
1 v X V v
T(T VKRXCR DOCCLAS McKAJ'
I -Qujire, Convention Speak
Look of Large
f -
-. :..
Lerion hail on South Commercial street shows an serial view cf the
top contrasted with the night lighting effects ef the formes restaurant
" , !
Manor9 Still Boasts Good Cuisine
reunions between buddies of both
wars from all over the state, and
the club's many facilities will pro
vide relief for the legionnaires fol
lowing the parades, convention
meetings and special events.
Let ion Post Move ;
The beautiful hall was acquired
by post 9 In'-March 1848. Capitol
and carnival
with thousands of Legion mem
pranks and numer-
r- -
j - '! j
STEPHEN F. CHAD WICK
Past National . Legion
. I ."Commander .
1
Estate from Air
apital Post 9
Architecture
post had its first meetings in the
armory, then post activities were
transferred to a hall over Miller s
store, which since has become girt
of the business. ;
Meetings next were held in the
Fraternal temple on Center street,
now the Labor temple. The first
hall owned by the post was bought
in 1940 from the Unitarian churcn,
located at Chemekata and North
Cottage streets.. -.
As USO Center i " . j .
During the past war this hall
wa used as USO center for er
vicemen, providing many of the
men stationed at Camp Adair with
lounging, toilet and recreational
facilities during their brief passes
in Salem. c ,
Following the war hundreds of
new veterans joining Capital post
swelled the membership to such
proportions that the hall- was no
longer adequate and the present
building was bought. The old hall
was sold to the First Church of
Christ. - -
History of the present clubhouse
dates back to 1339 when Viesko
and Hannaman. contractors, built
the building as a mprtoa'ry for c
stock company led by Dale J. Tay
lo'r who operated the mortuary for
a time. Taylor was succeeded ly
i nomas w. Ladd who was in
Charge of the establishment until
it was closed early in the 1940's. 'i
The building remained unused un- i
til late in the war when Michae) t
Flax completely remodeled and
Irebuilt sections of the building and I
opened, a night spot called ti-e! less high-jinks will be lelimmat
Normafidy manor. The manor was j ed, but the joint police -force has
popular durip? the more lush day. a task all its own.
of 1948 and 947. i jt ai(1s legionnaires in various
Many Renovations i ! w?ys during the sessions. The
Since that! time more than $35.-! police direct strangers regulate
uuu nas Deen spent renovating ire
building and converting it to Le
gion use. At present there is a
large main dining room which con
verts Jnto a meeting hall, several
smaller private dining - rooms;
lounge, bar and game rooms.
A complete, modern kitchen is
operated daily providing some of
the finest food in Salem, causing
tne club to become a favorite place
for legionnaires and their families
to go for special events.
Seven Seas Post
rr s
1 6 Torm Auxiliary
.PORTLAND Seven Seas Post
144. American r Legion, is busy
formmg the most necessary aid to
it happiness; an Auxiliary unit.
Much time has: been devoted by
Commander Jim Scarlett. Bill Per-
rato and Larry Reid in having the
post s unit in operation' by fall.
ilie State Legion Convention Boasts
FRANK N. BELGRANO
Past National Commander;
Convention Speaker ,
r ' w " '
i nousanas
Local
Bt Robert E. Ganrre
City Editor. The Statesman .
Oregon's 31st annual American
Legion coavention is of f loi a rous
ing start, with the capital city cf
Salem primed for the parti of nost.
Legionnaires were, registering
by the Jiunjdreds as earlyas Tues
day and Salem hotels arid auto
courts began hanging out! no-va-;tem
cancy sign. All indications point-
ed to an overall attendance of
many thousands for the state con - i
vention which opens today
nrf
v..k.Uy - K-v-T-" '".itures recreational events, regis-
Elurday JSK" ' 1 40 6t 8 d
isaturaay nigni. ( , numerous state committee ses-
Salem streets and stores are -be- ! sions.
decked with wfcome signs and f ;
bunting to mark the occasion ofi
this city's first state Legion con- j
vention in 10 years. . j
Greetings Extended
Greetings have been extended
by Salem Mayor R. L Elfstrom,
who issued a statement welcoming
all Leeionnaires and laudine the
local Legion posts for their hard
Two 'Dugouts'
Established! for
Legionnaires
An old standby of American Le
gion conventions are the tradi
tional - "dugouts" where; le?io.i-
i naires can get together ajnd rai?e
I their glasses in a rerhiniscent
toast to the experiences they shar
1 ed through two world wars.
Every battle from -Chateaii-
Thierry to Iwo Jima will be re
! fousht this week and. like he
smoke-filled rooms of j political
! conventions, the dugouts mav help
j man campaign strategy during hjs
i convention, j
j Veteran leeionnaires recall the
': 'Street of Paris." as the dug-
out were named at the lat con
vention in Salem in 1939. j
Admission to this year's dug
outs will be cained by presena-.
tion of the official legion rndtje cr
payment 'of a 10-cent aroisiorr
charpe. Although some ejntertajn
ment is planned, the duwuts will
function mainly to dispense re
freshments to thirsty convention
delegates.
There will be two dujjouts this
year.( one near the corner of Com
mercial and Court' street, next to
the Ouisenberry pharmacy, and
the other acroy from te armory
nerr the corner of Liberty und
Ferry . streets. j
: -1
Le pi foil's Of'i
To Help Police
At Convention I
This American Legiori conven-!
tion in Salem this weelt will be j
well, policed. j j
Although police committee '
chairmen, Jack Cutler and Frank
Grimm said just prior to the con- j
vention that all details for the ;
committee had not been worked j
out. it was known thatj a group j
of legionnaires would wfork with
citv police during the convention
Of course, the atmosphere will
not be so simon pure that harm-
traffic . durine the parades and.
other activities, police streets,
meeting halls and entertainment
centers. ; . ,
During any convention police
keep a wary eye open for oftend-ers't-who
are not legionnaires.
These range all the way from
unauthorized novelty salesmen .o
pickpockets and other IcriminalsT
Salem Police Chief Clyde A.
Warren said hi force would not
be augmented during the conven
tion. However, if ""parades and
other night-time activities war
rant it. some police may work
double shifts on certain days.
A number of legionnaire police
work in cooperation with the city's
regular police force. At the 1939
convention in Salem the police
committee was praised for set
ting up "almost perfect police pro
tection." No arrests were made
and no "discourtesies' were re
ported.
V
MRS. HUBERT A. . GOODE
National Legion Auxiliary
: President
: r v-.-.
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- i V
of Delegates Pack
Sector; Series
Courtesy Car System to Provide Free, Transportation
work in preparing an elaborate
eonvention for the. guests. The le
gion
convention commission ' has
worked; out a courtesy car sys-
to mark cars of Legionnaires
and those of .-Satem. Clti2ens wno
are offering conventioners rides
' w- "? "". pia.-w.
Tiv'. n..;nn r
Legion Meetings at these Salem Locations
ron toJ
t) SUMMER.
WINTER. ST.
COTTAGE ST.
hMario$q
COMMERCIAL
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""" ! -U0Uie ! -j E I si nor c I
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M H H nki I '.g
LIBERTY ST. ' T
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Public Invited to Legion
The general public will be per
mitted to share in a large mea
sure in the American Legion state
convention here next week.
"In addition to providing fun
and business for official Legion
delegates and other Legion mem
bers; this convention also is de
signed, to be a benefit to the pub
lic," a convention official said.
Anyone, whether a member of
the American Legion or not, nay
register lor the convention. When
he plunks down his $3 he receives
a convention u containing a
badge, program) and other litera
ture. i
The badge entities him to a
number of services and perform
ances free during the convention.
This includes a noon lunch Thurs
day at the Legion club on South
X :
. ,:-
1L E. tKEIXT) OWENS
Oregon Department Commanded
of Dances to Start Tonight
Dance at Armory -
The first of four nightly pub-
' lie dances under official conven-
tion auspices will be at 91 o'cltvk
tonight in the downtown armory.
Women's activity will center in.
k r tv, .ct t
niarv u.hi.h c,Jn,.
,'"y coiiveuiiun wnicn suns
with a ritualistic contest at 8 o' -
clock tonight Jin the . Willamette
university gymnasium and a dis -
trict presidents' breakfast at 7 a.
CAPITOL ST.
II
WHIsoh
PARK
ST.
Non-Legionnaires
Commercial street. At other func
tions the registered ! one is en
titled to admission - on payment
of the federal admission tax only.
But. badge or no badge, a nmf
bercf events during the conven
tion aXe open -to the public whe
ther registered or not.
These include the parades
through Salem streets, ; the busi
ness sessions, of the convention at
the capitol tauilding, the grand
ball ThursdaV and ; subsequent
official Legion dances during the
convention and the free air (show
at the airport Friday at 3 p. fm.
Salem chapter 6, Disabled: Am-
Long List of
MRS. MITCHELL j THORN
Oregon Legion : Auxiliary j
President. 1
Chamber " I I I
Commerce Die t U.,-
I I i i I
I f':r:r Hr: ill
sC. ' ! j: s.A . - j (m
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I
Accommodations in
m. Thursday. "in the Senator hotel.
' Principal sessions of the " con-
vention proper will be n the stitei
capitol building, with other events
- scattered throughout Salem.
First mass event of the Legion
convention will be Thursday mur-
ning reveme at at me Marion
im i n t v fHnrthniici in thA' ronlor
o Saiqm's downtown district, llie
! 2nd infantry band will play .hre
jas flag rabing ceremonies precede
'a memorial service to be conduct-
'to Airport ' "' MifiitM ft;
Uh
Leo i o
io A i r fjOf t vii
All men o.
Golf Club
i 0tHi St.
Meet Events
Can Register, for $3
erican ' Veterans, will j condK t
children's contests, with prizes,
on the courthouse lawn Friday
morning at 10 a.m. The child
ren's, parade will begin at 1:30 r.
m. that day with children a net
their! pets and in theiri favori'e !
tiostumes participating.
Tickets also are available to the
public for the Friday night vaude
ville "familyrtype" show at me
fairgrounds. It is to include acts,
animals and a circus. .
Legion guides will coriduct the
public on hourly tours of I the state
capitol building dome during the
convention days
field
Distinguished Notables
BRIG. GEN. IL G. MAISON
Grand Parade Marshal; Oregon
Superintendent i of Stat Police
ed in the Elsirore theatre jointly
by Legion. auxiMary and 40 t 8.
Opening Session . i
Following the memorial service
will be the official onventiop op
ening version in the sajme. theatre.
arriearar, of pm
; ers. . .f
Among the- many! dUniiark-s
sharing honors in convention du
ties and appev.ra-ers; are S-tlcrs's
own B. E. (Kelly) 0yens, Oregon
department commander; Port
lands Mrs. Hubert Goode. tjhe. na
tional Legion auxiliary president;
two past national Legion com
manders. Frank X., Belgraoo f
Portland ana Stephen' Chad wick
of Seattle: Mrs. Mitchell Thoi-n,
the state auxiliary -president;;' Ore
gon Gov. Douglas McKay, himsiif
long an active Les'onraire; Port
land's woman mayor. Drtrothy
McCullough . Lee. active in the
auxiliary program.
Kerrick Chairman
John C.. Kerrick is general
convention chaii man. with: Carl
Gabrielson as vfee chairman. On
as S. Ol'on is executive secre
tar' lor convention headquarters.
Commanders of the hast posts of
Salem are Charles Muggins, pnt
9; Kenneth Potts, post 138, and
Mrs. Harriet Belcher, post 149. '
! Bif. parades, always convention
highlights, will be featured dur
ing the convention here, with the
40 et 8 parade scheduled for S :0
p. m. today, the junior Legtbkana
parade at 1:30 p. m. Friday md
the grand convention paraiie at 7.
p. m. Friday.
Salem Mayor
Extends Hand
To Delegates
Mayor Robert L. Elfstrom rf
Sa'em greeted the American Le
gion convention in Salem t,ii
week with thi$ statement: :,
"Ten years have pased ince
the Citv of Salem h3s been pri i
leged to play host to the state
American Lepibn 'convention.
"Many cities rorall the enthu
siastic, energetic, fun toying 'Le
gionnaire' who enjoyed the hos
pitfllitv of our citv jn 1939.7 Many
will recall also the messages snd
forecast I that thoe 'Legionnaires'
'eft with its! after many lonif
hoiired sessions of serious: woi k.
"Welcome back to Salem, Le
gionnaires. - i'Since that meeting ten years
ago, a war has been fought nd
won. and some of those youthful'
spectator of the par.ides and fro
lics of that earlier time, are now
veterans and have joined your
ranks. They will he coming to a
Salem American Legion convi
tion for the first time and u ll
play .n imnortant part irt your
future. To these young men 'rid
women and to the veterans of fhe
first World War. Salem extends
a most gracious hand:
"Sslem is proud of your" local
'host' Legion organizations who
have; prepared a worth while and
entertaining program of the dele.
gates representing your more th:m
! 30.000 Oregon- Department ! mem
j bers. Posts 9. PS and 14$ havo.
; worked hard ard well. "'
j "Billed as the host with tho
i most." Salem has' put an her par-.
' 1y dress Our street and buildings
are gaily decorated, our acrpmmo-
dations for lodgnj are prepared
: and our eating establishments ate
in readiness to serve you. Every
j one is cooperating- to make youri
: visit complete, comfortable nd
! convenient.
"As a representative of the cit-
izcns'of Salem. I welcome you srnd
enjoin you to share our beauti
ful city with us.
Daton Post Led
.
By Ernest Beichel
DAYTON .Dayton American
Legion post 69 delegates to th
state conv ention in Salem will be
Louis Schultz, Arthur Dresselhaus
and Ernest Beichel. Alternate de
legates are Torn Huffman, Harold
Litchenthaler and Carl Francis. c
Auxiliary delegates include
Mrs. Tom Huffman,. Mrs. Louis
Schultz and Mrs. Edgar Thornton,
Alternates are Mrs. Arthur Dres
selhaus, Mrs. Blanche Ruffener
and Mrs. Agnes .Merrill. ,, ,
Ernest Beichel, jr., is command
er of the Dayton post. '
JOHN C. KERRICK I
)j General Convention Chairman
M ' f