RED CLOUD, NEBRASKA, CHIEF
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AMERICAN
LEGION
(Copv for Thla Department Supplied by
" American Lor Ion News Service )
3
CONGRESSMEN FORM BODY
By JOHN F. THORNTON, JR.
(From the American Doy, Detroit).
1M:mi:.UM:K distinctly tho porting
words of my old schoolmaster that
Juno morning my class graduated.
"Wliut nro you fellows going
to do now''' he nskod. "I suppose
every one here has several Ideas
of what he would like to he Hut
torlng nrouud In his head. lt'rf
pretty hard to decide between them
on a day like this when the llsh
nre biting up In 'Old Sandy.'
".My advice to each one of you
Is to get your ilshlng pole and
entry tlie question along with you. Near the shores
of 'Old Sandy' you will Had schools of polllwogs.
Learn a lesson from them.
"These pollluogs nre on their way to froghood.
You fellows nre on your way to manhood, ltut the
jiolllwogs arc not In any particular hurry. 1 don't
think you'll Mud them trying to leap around mid lift
their voices like frogs. As n matter of fact they
fe going to assume several different bhnpos he
fore they settle down into froghood. For tlio
present-, however, they nre content to go right on
feeing polllwogs.
"You fellows are In the polllwog stage. Your
powers and nullities nre only half revealed. Look
around before you decide what you want to ho or
lo. In a few years you may become aware of qual
ities In your mnkeup whose existence you never
suspected. At the same time, abilities that you
think you now possess may fade uway. Take your
time, lou may save yourself from the fate of n
.xulsllt. You've heard of them the doctors nre un
Iinppy because they nre not lawyers, thechemlsts
who would be of more service to the world as
newspaper men." ,
I have passed on these wise words to mnny boys.
An1 J pass them on now with n new application
to the sniull-town boy who dreams of achiev
ing success In the city.
Ills jnlnd Is crammed with Ilorntlo Alger, Jr.,
etuff. lie bns read the picturesque life stories
of some of our big men who left the farm for the
city. The whistles of a locomotive among the hills
makes him yearn for the city, bristling with op
portunities. He looks upon the glistening rails
as the one nvenuo to his opportunity.
Ho Is short-sighted.
A few years ago, a big city was tlio plnco for
u up-and-coming young mnn. It needed him, nnd
It was prepared to reward him with money and po
sition. Today, however, the story Is reversed.
"America has grown too fast," say our deep think
ing economists nnd publicists. "She has spread
lierself thinly over, a lnrge nren. The futuro of
the country He3 In Its undeveloped small cities
4ind towns."
Are you looking for opportunity? Examine thnt
JIttle old "one-boss" town of yours, before you
tlilnl; of buying n one-wny ticket from it. There
nre many ambitious, nnd very wise, young men
who nre deliberately leaving the larger cities and
moving Into towns such as yours.
A few months ngo I visited a country store In a
typical small town of the West. The owner Is n
3'oung man. Ten years ag tie left the town and
went to Chlcngo for a "real Job." But he had not
worked long before he realized that It would bo
manyyears before he could get tho kind of Job
I10 wanted. There were opportunities for fore
men, managers, superintendents and other
"bosses." Hut they vere purely administrative
Jobs, lie wanted to create and build up a busi
ness of his own
Tho death of his father called him home to care
(or ids mother, nnd lie got n Job in a general store
of the town. It wns n terrible grind. The work
Itself wns wot back breaking. But the dally round
of little things to do the same dull routine, hour
ofter hour, day nfter day, week nttcr week, got
on lus nerves. Weighing out a bngful of this,
wrapping up n handful of that it wns hard work
simply because it was not interesting.
Did tills young fellow settle down nnd wenr him
self deeper nnd deeper Into the rut? Ho did not.
Ile-simply begnn to look around to see if he could
liven things up.
He suggested to the owner thnt he advertise.
"Advertlsel" snorted the owner. "What for7
Why p'tu I--cveryono 'round here knows we'ro
Iiere. And open for business nil tho time., P'tu I
'And'cnrrylng almost anything In stock thnt they'll
'ever wnnt. Advertlsel What for?
Ho suggested specializing. "Why not throw out
some of these slow-moving articles and put in
goods thnt sell more quickly?"
"No," snld tho merchant. "Wo depend on tho
farmers for tho bulk of our trade, nnd we've got
to carry a general line a little bit of everything.
INo p'tu I we'll go right on with our lino of
staples."
The next year the young mnn bought out tho
old mnn and. started In to be n business-builder.
His first reform was to get rid of half tho stock.
Yon know what a collection of Junk the average
'country general store Is, with Us haunting odor
of harness grease, calico, soda crackers, horse
liniment nnd cheese.
He had observed thnt tho women did most of the
buying. So ho molded his store's service to meet
their needs. He Investigated their buying hnblts.
He learned thnt those who could afford to buy
finery patronized tho largo city stores, or sent
away to tho mall order houses.
Tho young mnn visited the Jobbers and manu
facturers In the city, no brought back a large
consignment of lints, suits, dresses nnd other
etyllsh things thnt women wear. Then ho fitted
op a special department In the spaco from which
be had thrown the gun oil and ten-penny nails
nnd skunk traps nnd a lot of Other odds nnd ends.
The other merchants of the town predicted ruin
for the youngster. So did the banker of the com
munity. "He'll never be able to compete with the city
stores," he said.
hut the young merchant surprised them. He
pent letters to a list of prospective customers.
The women's wear was sold in two weeks.
I'rom that time on he gradually turned the old
general store Into a women's and children's store.
Ho did not specialize on clothing. But lie limited
ills stock to those things in which a woman Is
naturally Interested clothing and house furnish
ings and groceries.
And he advertises. That is one of the main rea
sons for his success. The town alone could not
support his store. One new business Idea he uses
Is very effective, lie has appointed "agents" In
the surrounding small towns. Their work is to
report to him weekly, on printed forms, any In
formation thnt will put him In touch with new
customers. If a girl becomes engaged, or a couplo
Is man-led, he knows ubout It, and Is ufter tho
business that usually results from such events.
Ho knows also whenever u new house Is built,
or an old liouse Is remodeled, or u new family
moves into his territory.
In seven years this young mnn has built up a
business that Is known for miles around. Seventy-live
per cent of his business Is done with
farmers and their families, who drive or motor
In from points fifty miles away. Thnt Is the ren
sou why, during the pnst year, he lins been uble
to do a business of more than $780,000 In a town
whose population does not run much over 2,000.
Hundreds of small towns hold similar oppor
tunities for young men. If ever there were "goldeu
opportunities," small-town merchandising holds
them today. For American farming Is fast becom
ing a mighty fine paying business. Wealth Is ac
tually Increasing fnster In the rural districts than
in the cities. And the American farmer nnd his
family nre no longer satisfied to exist on the very
barest necessities of life. They nre buying lux
uries and conveniences In large quantities. The
introduction of electricity alone Into farming com
munities is creating a tremendous demand for
electric churns, washers, Irons, fans and vacuum
cleaners. Water system, porcelain sinks, wall
paper, paint and varnish, better house furnish
ings these are only a few of the things that are
selling heavily In the rural districts.
An expert has figured that the American farm
mnrket lias n weultli of SSO.000,000,000. Part of
that market is nrouud you. The chain stores nro
spreading out from the cities. The mall order
houses have secured quite n hold on the farmer's
trade. But if you decide to build up n business
in your community you need not worry over their
competition. The mull order houses give no bet
ter values than it Is possible for n local merchant
to give. And a man or womnn always prefers to
trade with a friend whenever that Is possible. Tho
young man with a capacity for friendship and a
goodly share of brains nnd energy has every as
surance of success In small town merchandising.
But merchandising Is only one of several fields
In which the Email town offers excellent oppor
tunities. The president of ono of our big Pacific const
banks devotes nn unusual amount of time to the
development of his employees. One day he called
'two clerks into his private office.
"I believe," he snld, "that you two young, men
are going to make good nt banking. But you need
n little broader experience with banking problems
than your work here affords you. In a big plnco
like tills, you know, you are liable to lose your
senso of perspective.
"I have mnde nrrangements with two of our cor
respondents. There is a Job nwntting ench of
you in n country bnnk. On these Jobs you will
be called upon 'to do a little of everything. You
will become banking factotums. When your edu
cation Is completed there Is an executive position
here for each of you. You have a week to think
It over."
The young men thought well of tho proposi
tion, and dlsuppenred into the "bushes." But tho
president's plans went awry. Neither man re
turned to him. . One wrote bltn a long letter In
which ho listed some of the advantages of a
small-town 'Job over a city Job the cheaper living
cost, the more healthful surroundings, and the
chance to make more Intimate friends. The other
man, In n telegram, quoted Cuesnr, according to
Longfellow: "Better Jjo first In a little Iberian
village than second In Borne."
Tliere are something like thirty thousand banks
In the United Stntcs. More than three-fourths of
theso are situated In towns of less than ten thou
sand population. It Is In these' small-town banks
that mnny of our future banking leaders nre being
formed, for hero a new Idea in bnnklng Is being
developed.
As ono banker hns said, It has been found good
business to take interest In people as well as from
them. In other words, tho bankers of the country
nro going out of their ways to help their clients
to grow richer.
I could mention many Instnnccs of the rise of
young men in the bnnklng world becnuso of their
ability In this direction. But space permits of only
one.
In n certain Eastern farming community thcro
were, n few years ngo, two banks. They were
very strong competitors. A young man In ono of
the banks said to the cashier:
"There Is Just so much money In this community.
Both banks here nre falling over ench other, try.
Ing to lnduco"fnrmcrs to bring their business to
them. Wo hnve a great, mnny good accounts al
ready. Why not roll up our sleeves aud help our
tl .V. ?, '!CC0I,le rIcllcr7 If noiwlcposltowL
In t. f ,JP '? ,t,,,s ,ht'y ,mvu tUti ' argument
in t he world for hrlnglng their accounts to us."
erv Tn.S ,,C,ramf ,1,e co,"'"Itr Here hard work
Wllhn r ,n,Icn,w,V "" tin.; had no leader.
?onI m W,.l,or,,h,,)- II opSnlol 11 "Fanners'
J' 0l,.l,,e hnn' reeomnien-iatlon the farm.
Br?,,, le Mn " .?M w"nT." thoroughly
far r ,',,ll0,t",(,ry nnd practice of scientific
ovr ,.' ?,,?1ft,,l,'rI fiovernn.e.if paid half tho
trlvluu J ,,lIS "M" ,1,,ctor-" t "' tlmb
traveling from farm to farm, niaTVng soli tests
1.11 . "f tIle f"r,,1L'rs roKardUij the product
J mrt 1U'1 t0 ,llL'lr ncrcs' The ,mHk Purchased
d,f VurvhTva cattle, selects by gov
ernment dairy expert. These were' sold to tho
runners at cost.
,?l'u l . wns u'reo-ycnrs Ko. Today, that com
Ui!li. . "? f the most nrosPerouH rgrlcultural
districts In the country. There in only ono bank.
Juo business of the competing bank has been
taken over by the "live" bank.
TbO YOU II IT tniin In tirnaliliui n !. 1 1
onnK. no hns been offered a vice presidency In
a largo city bnnk, with a salary doublo Uint which
he now receives. He prefera to remnln In the
bushes." He, too, would "rather bo first in a
little Iberinu village than second In Row."
On a trip Inst year through one of the richest
agricultural sections of the Middle West, I was
continually hearing the name of ono man. I call
him Jim Ingalls because that Is not his name.
Five yenrs ago he was nn overworked reporter on
n big city dally. His work did not seem to bo
getting him anywhere. There were half a dozen
men ahead of him In the line for promotion, and
the best that ho could hope for wus an assistant
editorship In about ten years.
When ids two-weeks vacation period rolled
around, he made a trip through tho rural districts
of his state. He did not return to the city. For
In a little town he-found the subject of muny day
dreams a run-down country newspaper for sale.
And Into it he put every cent thnt ho had mnnnged
to scrape together on Ills city Job.
Not a very promising "baby," you Kay. But
Jim Ingnlls had n vision of possibilities. The
town wns In the henrt of n prosperous funning
region that was well populated. Most of the
farmers had n big city dally delivered at their
gntes. There wns a growing community spirit
among the county dwellers. Jim saw the need
for u real community newspaper.
The first thing thut lie did wns to Improve the
appearance of the paper. Then he toured the
county, und created a chnin of correspondents.
Itullroud ngents, school teachers, doctors, lodge
secretaries, Justices of the peace everyone In n
positlou to gather news was supplied with sta
tionery, and given free subscriptions. There were
few who did not consider It a privilege to send
In news Items.
lie gave up foreign news entirely, lenvlng this
to the city dallies. Ills news policy hns always
been one of intensive reporting of the affairs of
town nnd county. Ills correspondents pour In to
him every week n steady stream of the gossip and
vuiicnni 01 every namiet and crossronds village.
If Farmer Porter's wife holds u pie social, she
knows where she will find a full account of it,
and her guests know where they can find their
nnmes In ull the glory of print. Farmer Lnwler
nnd his neighbors are Interested In the liny, grain
and forage reports from up state. They look In
Jim's paper for them. Ho keeps close tnbs on the
developments nt tho couuty experimental fnrni,
nnd nothing gets by him nt the meetings of the
county agricultural societies.
Tlio paper's circulation Is now nearly four times
what It wns when he took It over, nnd it Is recog
nlzed ns n valuable advertising medium. Jim no
longer hns to worry over his Income. But ho has
made more of his paper than n mere chatterbox
of the county's gossip. He realizes that, In ills
llttio newspaper, lie has u powerful tool. And
ho uses It to encourage the dwellers of the county
to carry out the Improvements which will add to
tho comfort of nil, und make every town a better
placo in which to live and bring up children.
There tire openings for n great many more "Jim
Ingnlls'." In tho United -States there nro nbout
ten thousand centers of population whero news
papers nre 'published. There nro nbout twenty
flvo hundred dally newspapers, und nearly six
times as mnny country weeklies.
Our smnller communities are beginning to
awaken. There Is Increased political nctlvlty with
in their boundaries. And they need fearless, In
dependent local papers.
Which brings us to tho question of the small
town boy and politics.
Tho young man who plans to follow a political
career enn do no better than to begin nt tho bot
tom In his own village, township or county. 'By
mixing In local nilnlrs ho will lenrn how to handle
human nature. And ho will lenrn to bo practi
cal. ' Let not the young man think thnt participation
In smnll-town affairs will stunt his growth. If ho
Is destined for larger things, a few years will find
him, as a matter of course, functioning on a larger
scale. And a record of things done tliat new
school for Benver nollow, the park nt Four
Corners, tho new municipal lighting plnnt, or the
new railroad branch all will servo as recommen
dations when he goes before the voters.
Vetorans' Association Is Launched by
Men Who Served In Va-
rloug Wars.
The old spirit of the A. 13. F. ond of
America's wnr-tlmo nrniy, navy nnd
marine corps broke out In the hnlls
of the nation's congress In Washing-
um me ouier day, when veterans of
the World war who tire members of
congress, Joined by members who
served in the Civil nnd Spanlsh-Amer-Ican
wars, held a big meeting and a
regular feed at the University club
and formed "Tho Veterans' nwn.
tlon of the Sixty-seventh Congress."
Two members of the United States
sennte and IV members of tlio houso
of representatives attended the dinner
gathering which resulted In the orgun
izntlon of tho congressional veterans
Into a body. Twenty-six of the mem
bers of the house of representatives In
attendance were veterans of the World
war and members of the American Le
gion. Representative Henry Z. Os
borne of the Tenth California district.
a veteran of tho Civil war, acted ns
toastmaster. Ho felicitated tho coun
try uiMM the formntlon of flic Ameri
can Legion, saying thnt ttm "vdts of
'01" were wllllnjr and nrotid to turn
tho rein of patriotic endenvor over to
tho "boys of '17."
In addition to choosing Congress
man Boy O. Fitzgerald of Ohio, pres
ident of tlio association, and Congress
man John H. Rnnkin of Mississippi as
secretary, nnd getting nwny with an
elaborate course dinner billed In tho
still fnmlllar doughboy French of
"over there," the congressional vet
erans listened to a careful explanation
of the legislative nrocrnm of tho Amor-
Icnn Legion la congress mado by John
Thomas Taylor, vice chnlnnnn of the
national legislative committee of the
Legion, who was a special guest of
honor nnd the only person present not
a member of congress. Mr. Tnylor
went Into detailed advocacy of tho
consolidation, vocational training, hos
pitalization nnd emergency officer re
tirement bills proposed by the Legion.
WAR ON LEGION BACHELORS
Women's Auxiliary of 8unflower State
Issues Ultimatum to Unmarried
Ex.Servlce Fellows.
War on bachelors hns been decinred
In Kansas. Women of the Sunflower
State contend
that unattached
men can't get
along without
them.
In furtherance
of the fight, Miss
McCoy of Topekn,
Department sec
rotnry of the
Women's Auxil
iary of the
American Legion
Is spreading
bron dcast tho
battle cry: "No bachelor posts In
Kansas." Every group of Leglonnnlres
Is to have on Auxiliary, according to
Auxiliary officials.
"Who else can give you line homo
cooking (with your banquets? Who
else can straighten up the club liouse
and give It a homelike appearance?
Who knows more about service than
the women?" tho propaganda rends.
Legion prisoners captured In the Cam
paign nro being treated to fried
chicken, pies, cakes nnd darnings and
patchings.
Miss McCoy entered tho business
world ns nn assistant In a Kansas
bnnk. During the wnr sho Btepped
Into a position vacated by a soldier,
held It throughout hostilities and gnve
It bnck to the doughboy when he came
home.
RAPID RISE FOR LEGION MAN
Colonel 8haughnesss Careor Haa
Been on the Upgrade Since H
Was a Boy.
When he wns In tho army, Cblonel
Edward 11. Shaughnessy's carcr was
on the uncrade.
Now that he has
relumed to civil
life and Joined
Fidelity post of
tho American
Legion In New
York city, he hns
voluntarily de
moted himself
from a $25,000
Jolt to one which
pays $r,000 a
year.
Colonel Shnugh
ncssy wns Induced by Postmaster Gen
oral Will Hnys to aaerlfle hie posi
tion ns nsslstiint director of the Amer
ican Petroleum lnrnitaat, New Yoric
city, to heconio second assistant post
master general.
"I understand yen've taken a ?5,000
n year Job," snld a correspondent who
Interviewed him.
"Does It nnv Mint?" ha nakw1 HIM
forgotten to ask nbout tho salnry."
The salnry is n minor consideration
now, but It would hnve been different
In the dnys when Colonel Shnughnossy
worked ns a messenger boy In Chi
cago. When ho wns 15 yenrs old he
became ticket ngent nnd n yenr inter
telegraph operator for the Chlcngo &
Northwestern railroad. Successively
he was chief operator, nsslstnnt train
dispatcher, assistant trnlninnstcr nnd
trainmaster. When tho superintend
ent of the rond wns 111 ho took charge.
Colonel Shnughnessy Joined the
Thirteenth engineers ns first lleutcnnnt
when the wnr br&ke out. Ho studied
French until ho spoko It fluently, nnd
worked up a book of rules ndnptln
American methods to French practice.
He wns promoted fast Pralso cam
to him from Brig. Gen. George Van
Horn Moseley, nsslstant chief of staff,
for his work as superintendent of the
transportation corps In the Chateau
Thierry region, nnd ns general nuper
Intcndent nt Is-sur-Tllle during tho St.
Mlhlel and Mouse-Argonne offensive
and as general manager In the zone
of advance.
General Pershing gave him tho Dis
tinguished Service mednl "for cxcep
tlonnlly meritorious nnd distinguished
services."
LEGION FLAG ADDS HISTORY
Ex-Servlc Men's Emblem Now Proud
ly Floats Where Five o'thera
Held Sway. '
Tho American Legion flag will fly
In n part of New Orleans that has
been under flvo flags, for tlio city
administration has turned, over a
building in tlie heart of the ofd French
quarter to posts of tho Legion for
four years.
Not far from tho Legion building Is
tho Spanish Cablldo where the Spanish
colors flew In the breezes from tlie
Gulf of Mexco until they were re
placed by tho French. Tho Louisiana
Purchase In 1804 resulted In tho np
pearunco of tho Sturs nnd Stripes on
tho ramparts. In 1S12, tho British
flag flow also In thnt vicinity for n few
days. During the Civil war the Con
federate colors waved proudly over
tho southern city. When tho wounds
of civil strlfo were healed the Stars
and Stripes again reappeared.
Tho Legion building will hnve an
auditorium, offices nnd clubrooms. It
will also house Louisiana department
headquarters, the Legion employment
and scrvlco bureau, local posts, the
Women's Auxiliary headquarters and
the Pellcannlre, official organ of tho
Louisiana department.
MADE LEGION DRIVE SUCCESS
Dare Devil Louisiana Man Put Real
Thrills Into Campaign for
New Members.
When Anthony Kelley was dis
charged from the navy in New Or-
leans, Ln., he found the life of a land
lubber terribly devoid of thrill and
peril. He had been going to sea since
tho ago of fifteen and ho missed tho
excitement of stormy nights In the
dizzy heights of the crow's nest nnd
hair-raising trips on tho ropes far
above tho deck.
With the start of a membership
campaign of Hollln post of the Ameri
can Legion In New Orleans, Kelley
blossomed out ns a professional dare
devil to assist his fellow Legionnaires
In attracting attention. He climbed a
flag polo atop the city hall, several
hundred feet ubovo the pavement and
rocked back and forth trying to break
the pole. A net stretched below was
all thnt was between the dnrlug Lo
glonnnlro and Borne exceedingly hard
terrain.
Kelley was unable to break the flag
pole, however. So ho sculcd nu eighteen-story
building nnd hung from the
coping by his toes. Film companies
rushed camera men to take motlod
pictures of tho feat and the Legion
membership drive was a success.
"None of it was as thrilling as tho
four years and four months I wns In
the war zone."v Kolley declares. He
r ....... . , j yr
Kelley Atop City Hall Fla Pole.
wns plying between American and
European ports when war was de
clared, no entered the nfy as as
ensign nnd was discharged te April,
101O. Ho continued ln service as an
officer of tho Merchant Marine util
December, 1020.
Do Not Have to Pay Poll Tax.
Backed by tho American Legion, a
law providing for the registration of
all ex-scrvlce men of all wars In the
Btato of Montana was passed by the
legislature. Tho new act exempts all
ex-service men from payment of the
poll tax and requires each county as
sessor to keep a record of the name
and organizations of all veterans with
in his county. It Is expected that oth
er states will take similar action aooa.
