Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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HIE Mwm LEGION (Copy for TWi Department Supplied by the America* Lesion News Service.) LEGIONNAIRES TO TOUR PHILIPPINES For the first time In the history of the American Legion a considerable party of Legionnaires will go by spe cial tour to an annual convention of a department outside the limits of con tinental United States. Plans have been approved and final arrangements completed for an American Legion tour to the Philippines In time to at tend the convention to be held at Manila from February 11 to 14. Urgent invitations to Legionnaires in the United States to attend this convention and to visit their fellows in the Orient wore extended during the past summer. Gov. Gen. Leonard Wood cabled that he hoped "you will send a strong delegation of the Amer ican Legion to the American Legion convention In February, 102f>." The proposal for th? cruise was submitted to the national convention of the Lo gi(>n tit St. Paul and received the un qualified indorsement of that body. Arrangements for the trip, as worked out in conjunction with the travel department of the American Express company, call for departure from San Francisco on January 15 on the steamer Tulyo Maru. This Is a ship of 22,000 tons, Is the second largest passenger-carrying liner In the Pacific trade and Is considered the finest In that service. The party Is scheduled to arrive at Honolulu, Hawaii, on January 21. They will drive by automobile through Moanalua Gardens and will visit the Pall, Fort Ituger, the naval station, the museum, Walklkl beach and other sights of the Islands. On January 31 they will arrive at Yokohama, Japan. A comprehensive sight-seeing program has been arranged for the Flowery Kingdom, including visits to Kama kura, Tokyo, Kobe and Kyoto. From Kobe they will go by steamer through the Japanese Inland sea of Nagasaki, one of the most picturesque trips In the world. Leaving Nagasaki on February 0, the party will arrlvo at Shanghai, China, on the 8th. Here they will visit the International settlements and the native city, with luncheon at the Hotel Astor. The group will arrive at Manila on February 11, In time for the conven tion. Three and one-half days have been set aside for the convention and visit to the sights of the capital of the Philippines. A wonderful pro gram Is being arranged for the Le gionnaires. It is certain that Legion naires In the Philippines will leave nothing undone to make the visit of their comrades from home a pleasant and a memorable one. One of the most Interesting thlhgs about the trip will be the opportunity to observe con ditions In these Far Eastern islands and to see. the progress being mi^e there. On the 10th the slght-seerB will be at Hongkong, with auto antf ricksha rides to points of Interest. On the 19th they will be at Shanghai. Here there will be opportunity to take an optional tour to Peking, then Into Manchuria, Korea and through Japan to Yokohama. The main party will arrive at Nagasaki on February 21, with opportunity to take a Japan op tional tour. Kobe and Yokohama will be visited. The party will leave Yoko hama on the 25th. On March 0 they will be back in Honolulu, leaving there on the 7th and arriving In San Fran cisco on March 18. Legion in Minnesota Gain* Favorable Law The American Legion's Influence In the department of Minnesota Is Indi cated by an Impressive list of Legion sponsored legislation passed since the Inception o'f th* Legion In 1010. Some of the Important legislative acts originating with the Legion or spon sored by that body are: Abatement of penalties ? penalties, Interests and costs on taxes upon lands owned by persons who served during the World war abated. Uonus, state ? a bonus of $15 for each month served In World war. Development of agricultural re sources ? an act to develop the agri cultural resources of the state by land colonisation and providing for certain privileges to soldier settlers. Hos pitals ? Tenth district neuropsychiatry hospital and funds for tubercular hos pital. State soldiers' welfare fund ? moneys provided for general welfare of soldiers. Itural credits bureau bureaus where service men may ob tain loans undor prescribed condition#. And so forth. "The^e are Just * few of the many sets passed beneficial to ex-servlcfl * men of this state," said Stafford King, department adjutant, who compiled the list. "In the face of such evidence of the Legion's power to accomplish, the membership Of this department should be tripled." City Aidm Pont An Unsolicited appropriation of $4. 000 to aid \V. A. Hudgens post of th< American Legion In the completion o a Memorial athletic field was mad# recently by the city council of Ander ton, 8. C. The field, when completed will be one of the finest athletic fleldi In the state. YOUNGEST MAN TO HEAD DEPARTMENT For L. Hugo Keller of Wisconsin nis friends claim the distinction of be ing the youngest department Com mander In tbe American Legion. Kel ler Is Just thirty yearn old. s Born In Appleton, Wis., Keller spent two yeurs at the high school there and then put In four years at Campion col lege In preparation for a law course at Marquette university, Milwaukee. He received the degree of Bachelor of Laws In June, 1917, and was admitted to the bar two months later. One month before his graduation, Keller volunteered his services for his country. Jn November, 1917, he was called to Fort Sheridan and commis sioned a second lieutenant. He was at once sent overseas and was as signed to the One Hundred and Fifti eth machine gun battalion In Feb ruary, 1918. He served with that out fit throughout the war and also In the army of occupation. In May, 1919, he returned home with the Rainbow di vision and was discharged. Kver sinro the organization of the American Legion, Commander Keller has been active In Its work. He was * L. Hugo Keller. for four years ndjutnnt of the post at Appleton. He %vus then successively executive committeeman for the Ninth district, post commander and director of membership In the department or ganization. He held the latter posi tion during the past year und was largely Instrumental In bringing about a decided Increase In the membership of the Wisconsin department, which now ranks seventh in membership among the departments. He Is very effective us a speaker on Legion sub jects. MODERN CRUSADERS REV. E. J. EVANS, addressing American Legionnaires at Belolt, \V1b., recently declared? "American Legionnaires are the modern crusaders for the right. It Is wicked for a Christian na tion to be neutral between right* and wrong. Do these prattlers of 'peuce-nt-nny-prlce' know or have they forgotten tlmt the Christian religion Itself would have been exterminated by the Mohammedans who Invaded Eu rope had It not been for tho military genius of Charles Car tel and the sword of Sobleskl? Your national commander. James A. Drain, advocutes a principle of preparedness which Is sound, sensible and Just. He urges tho enactment of a universal draft law which would place on all citizens an equal obligation In time of war ? man power to light, man power to work, factory pow er to produce and money power to finance. This Is the best peace measure and the most practical preparedness measure over suggested, nnd every loyal American will continue to advo vate It until congress adopts It. I for one rejoice that Legion naires know how to defend lib erty and how to use It." Must Use Married Name When Signing Pay Roll Rehabilitation officers of the Ameri can Legion who have assisted t ho wIvob of disabled veteran* to obtain positions in the United States vcter nns' bureau, Washington, stuto that such women will he compelled to use their married names wjien they Rlgn the pay roll, or give up their Jobs. Many married women of the thousands employed by the bureau have been carried on the pay roll under their maiden name*. In maklriK the ruling, Director Frank T. (lines of the vet erans' bureau pointed out that the law presumes that the name of a woman In changed, on contracting the mar riage relation, to that of her husband, which thereafter becomes her only le gal name. Urged to Join Legion Members of Washington labor or ganizations who saw service In the World war were recently urged to Join | the American I/eglon In a letter sent to the Hecretary of each union by Wil liam Short, president of the Washing ton State Federation of Labor. The letter from Mr. Short followed nn nouncemont of plans for a member ship drive to be conducted by Itnlnlor I Noble post of the legion, the lament I ar*nnlftntlon of veterans In the statu. a Of New Orleans J an. 8, 1 815 ?Aiyhtzfv jA&sjojrr fy-xxnt Ay far/ JACKSON Why "Old. HicK.ory V Victory Was a "7)eci>fi*Je Hattle v of the World" y By JOHN DICKINSON SHERMAN ANL'AKY S, lSl.r>, one hundred and ten years a^o. Americans under Gen. An drew Jackson defeated British under General I'akenham at the Buttle of New Orleans. It was om of the most extra ordinary victories In all military his tory. From one viewpoint It was a "De clsive Flattie" for America ? and for all the world. "Old Hickory" 80 regarded It. "If the British had won ? " Is one of the fascinating "Ifs" of our history. Following Is n chronology of events having a more or less direct bearing on the Hattlo of New Orleans: 1759 ? Victory of Wolfe over Montcalm at Quo bec done:* century struggle between French and British for possession of America. , 1762 ? France bilks Britain by secretly ceding to Spain Loulnluna west of Mississippi River and Is land of New' Orleans. 1763 ? Treaty of Paris, giving French America to Britain. 1763 ? George III bilks American Colonies by Quebec Act, making Alleghanlea-MIsslsslppl coun try crown lands. 1775 ? Fighting begins In Revolution. 1778 ? George Rogers Clark captures Illinois Country and Virginia takes possession. 1783 ? Treaty of Versailles, making the Missis sippi Western boundary of now- nation. 1789 ? Constitution takes effect, United States Is born, Washington inaugurated first President. 1800 ? Treaty of St. Ildefonso; Spain cedes Louisi ana to France. 1803 ? Louisiana Purchase by America from France. . 1804 ? American Flag replaces Spanish and French flags and Clark Expedition to Pacific. 1812 ? War against Britain; Louisiana admitted to Union. 1814, Dec. 24 ? Peace Treaty of Ghent. 1815, Jan. 8 ? Battle of New Orleans. Comment on chronology: At the end of the Prunco-Hrltish struggle for America Spain was stronger than France, so Louis XV secretly ceded the territory west of the Mississippi to his ully. In 1800 Spain wns decadent and France was the France of Napoleon, who^opparently had the world at his feet. Moreover. Napoleon was planning a new French empire alt-ng the Mississippi to take the place of the one lost on the IMalns of Abra ham. So Napoleon took back from Spain the ter rltory ceded In 1702. The United States found I lie month of the Mississippi closed to Its ship l>lng by French-Spanish Interests. Thereupon Jef ferson sent Livingston r.nd Monroe to Napoleon with $2,000,000 with which to buy the mouth. Na poleon kept them twiddling their thumbs while he went on with his preparations. Confronted In 1 so:', with the necessity of choosing between col onizing and lighting Britain, he chose to light. He then literally fori ed upon the American cm n.vu the Loulslnnn Purchase for $1 fi.000.000, Jefferson was aghast. The Fast stormed In protest. There was but about $2.">.000.000 in circulation in the wIioIm country. But the West was pleased. Congress ratified the purchase. In the War of 1812, while the pence negotiations which led up to the Treaty of Ghent were under way, the secret expedition ngalnst New Orleans was' crossing tlie Atlantic. The Treaty <>f Ohenl wns signed December 24. 18H. both parties being uninformed of course as to the surecss or failure of the expedition against New Orleans. The treaty contained a provision for the restoration of all ter rltory taken by either nation during the war. Pre sumably the Americans assumed that this pro vision covered the possible taking of New Orleuns. What had the British in mind? Representntlve James O'Connor of the first con gresslonal district of Louisiana, In which lies the battlefield, rend Into the Congressional Record January 8, 1023, an excerpt from the writings of William Allen (1800-70), representative and sen ator from Ohio and later governor of Ohio. In It Allen tells of a conversation with President Jack son In the White limine, shortly i after the admls sion in ISJ16 of Arkansas, the Second of the 1H states to be made In whole or Louisiana Purchnse. The first th a drink. The toast proposed by .] new s'ar In our Flag ? Arkansas." Thereupon Jackson snld to Allen: "Do you know. JUr. Allen, th?ik this new stnte which has Just become a part of] our vast Repub lic Is une of the first substantially large fruits of my victory at New Orleans?" > n part from the ng of course was ackson was "The Allen was surprised and said so, remarking t Imi the Treufy i?f Ghent was signed 1.r> days before the battle was fought and udding : "General, I am familiar with that treaty and It provided for the restoration of all territory, places and possession taken by either nntlon during the war, with certain unimportant exceptions." Following are the high points of the ensuing con versation, Jackson doing most of the talking: 'Technically you are quite correct," replied Gen eral Jackson, and his amllo was more triumphant and proud than before. "But,' my dear Allen," said the old hero, "thoH4 very words would have been used to defeat the purpose of the American commissioners at Ghent, because the Battle of New Orleans was fought after the war; 10 days after the war technically ceased by treaty. "If General Pakenham with his 10,000 veterans could have annihilated my little army and cap tured New -Orleans and all the contiguous terri tory, technically after the war. Great Britain would have held that territory, abrogated that treaty, and utterly Ignored Thomas Jefferuon'a great deal In real estate with Napoleon. Moreover." he contin ued, "Great Britain had other cards up her sleeve. "Here are the transcripts from the Department of State concerning the famous treaty of Ghent. Here are the minutes of the conference which were kept by Mr. Gallatin, who records; "'The Hrltlsli commissioners emphatically de clared: "Wo do not admit Bonaparte's construction of the laws of the nations. We cannot accept It in roUt.on to any matter before us." ' "At that moment not one of our American com missioners comprehended the awfully deep signifi cance of those few words. But every one of tho commissioners of Great Urllaln knew that General Pakenham was on the way to New Orleans with upward of 10,000 veteran soldiers. In their judg ment ? and It was a wise Judgment, too ? IU.000 British soldiers should, and would, clean up and wipe out an army which America could muster, for the Pakenham Invasion was to be a triumphant military coup and surprise. "Now. I can tell you. Mr. Allen, that t did not know, and my boys behind thoso bales did not know, what a prixo tbe British were aftl-r nor what a service we were rendering our country. We were simply typical Amorlcan soldiers, lighting for our country as American soldiers always do, ready and willing to dare, do and die. "But since I have been President I have ascer tained front diplomatic sources of unquestionable authority that the British ministry <1 i <1 not intend to permit the treaty of Ghent to apply to tho Louisiana Purchase lit all. The whole body. I.ord Liverpool, the Duke of Portland. Greenville, Percl vnl and C."a st lerea gh. nil of them, utterly and em phatically denied the' rlv,ht of Napoleon to sell Louisiana. Therefore, their commissioners de clared. 'We cannot accept Napoleon's interpreta tions of lr ternatlomil law in relation to any mat ter before lit.' "Now. you see. M r. Allen,' said the proud old hero. the British ministry In London held most vehemently I hat this country had no right to that immense ierrltory--no right at nil They intended to hold that it was entirely extraneous to the term* of the treaty of Client And, If General Pakenham had been successful at New Orleans? as, under all of the ordinary rules of war ho ought to have been, with his t rcmendo'inly overwhelming force of veterans?If he had defeated my little, thin line of riflemen. If he had killed or captured inu, If he had won that battle as Great Mrltaln had every reason to expect of him, ho would have held his ground Moreover, he would have fortified his positions, and Great Britain would have sent other veterans enough to forever hold that great prlxe, the Louisi ana Purchase. "But. my dear sir, Mrltlsh diplomacy and Itrltlnh military power combined knew nothing of my Ten nessee and Kentucky riflemen. The will of the enemy was strong and intelligent; but the will of God was far above It all. Providence willed that this Nation should live, grow, and be the cradle of the liberty of the world" Then General Jackson <1 noted a well-known hymn: "God moves In a mysterious way, Ills wonders to perform. ' and con eluded his narration: "i'ho astute diplomats, the trained commissioners of Grent Britain, cheerfully found It easy to throw sand Into the eyes of our honest commissioners at Ghent; but, Allen, they could not ward off the cold lend which my rough and ready riflemen sprinkled Into the faces of their red-coated veterans at New Orleans. All of the tangled web that British diplo macy and IOngllsh cunning could weave about our inexperienced commissioners was torn to pieces and soaked In blood In half an hour by the nover-mls slng rltles of my s<|iitrrel->hootlng pioneers of the mountains as they carefully took their aim from behind those Invulnerable bales of notion." It Is not the purpoee of this J article to try to twist the Brit ish lion's tall. All this Is ancient ^ history. British statesmen nowuduys are publicly admit- } ting that Its course with It#.' American colonies was a mis take. The two nations are now probably closer together than ever before. Possibly on th? ? cohesion of the Kngllsh-spenk- * Ing peoples depends the safety of the world. Nevertheless, this "If* 1? In tensely Interesting. Was Jack son ii:ht In his Interpretation? And if he was rli:ht and If h? had been defeated, would Brit ain have held on to New Or leans ? or let no? Figure out the answer for yourself. In any event the Battle of New Orleans was an extraor dinary affair. Word of the British expedition reached Washington early in December of 15U-I. President Madison or dered the milita of Kentucky and Tennessee to Join Jack son at New Orleans. Jackson arrived there December 12. He organized a force of about 3. <xm composed of about 1,000 regulars, lovnl volunteers, free men of color and "P.aratnrla Pirates" under Jean Lailtte. The Hrltisli entered Lake Borgne. nine miles from New Orleans, December 'j:?. They were 10. 000 strong, largely made up of veterans of Euro pean wars anil were considered invincible. Preliminary skirm ishes took place. JacksoDg kllllnc time in anxious waltliw for the Kentucky and Teni^fl set? riflemen. They arrlvjj^J|jj$ ADffZRAZ I3AJsX7r/fAPT' ft JeA. fAoft) the last moment, Jackson then t ntwi" *ieJ on the Plains of Chalmette, about four miles south of the city, using cotton hnles for breastworks. Jonuary fi the British veterans marched in solid ranks directly upon the breastworks, scorning the few little cannon that burked at them. At 200 yards they were still marching as if on dress parade. Then the Kentucky and Tennessee rifle men opened up. They stood three deep. The first line fired and moved back to give place to the sec ond rank. By the time the third line had fired the first line was ready. Always they fired ut the offi cers and file leaders. The veterans broke, re formed, came again und broke the second time. Ia less than half an hour the riflemen killed and wounded 2.0(M) British. Generul Pakenham was mortally wounded. General Glhbs, second In com mand, shored his fate. General Keane, upon whom conuhand devolved, wan shot down. Generol Lam bert then withdrew the British forces and soon sailed away to Mobile, where word of the signing of the peace treaty was received. The veterans went home to whip Nnpoleoa at Waterloo. The American loss was 8 killed and I .'J wounded. What a remarkable battle! And a feature of It is the contrast between the opposing forces. The British veterans, supposedly Invincible, supremely self-confident, disdaining tactics, marching In solid ranks In direct frontal attack upon the breastwork of cotton hales. Behind the breastwork a motley array ? French and Spanish Creoles (local white residents); free men of color; Lafitte and Ids pi rates; convicts ? and the Kentucky nnd Tennessee mountaineers who had come by river in flathonts. A second feature Is that It was the Kentucky rifle vs. Ihe British musket. Both sides withheld their lire until about 200 yards. At that distance "Brown Bess" ? the British smooth-bore musket, in the hand of a veteran, was usually able to put a bullet somewhere In the ranks of an opposing army. The American rltle In a frontiersman's bands would put Its bullet In the head of any speci fied Individual In the front ranks of the enemy. I-'uropenn soldiers fired by volleys In the general direction <if the enemy. American riflemen plcke ! their target and inade every shot count. Looking : 1 1 the engagement now, the British were simply led tip to slaughter. And there was Lafitte and his pirates! At war with th-? constituted authorities, they were yet Americans when It came to resistance against art Invader. Captain Lockyer of the I'.rltlsl'i navy, of fered Lafitte a pardon, :i captain's commission and S.'iO.OOO to Join the British expedition. And as to the American lender? surely no more picturesque figure ever enlivened the pages of American history than "Old Hickory." As to the pictures; The portrait of Jackson represents him ' In later life as a civilian; as ? fighting man l*i uniform he was a different figure altogether The statue Is the famous "Hocking Horse Statue." which In replica stands In Wash ington and New Orleans. President C'jolldge I* shown placing a wreath nn the Washington statue. The New Orleans statue stands In Jackson square,, where Jhckson drilled his troops. Facing the park Is the1 famous old Cnblldo (17f)">) In which the Louisiana Purchase was consummated. In the other picture Is shown Admiral Sir Wil liam Christopher Pakenham of the British navy placing a wreath on the grave In New Orleans of (Son. Sir Kdward Michael Pnkcnham. killed In the Brittle of New Orleans Admiral Pakenham, re cently retired from command of the British fleet In North Atlantic and West Indian waters. He If* a grand n phew of General Pakenham The Plains of Chalmette today are beautiful with great live oaks. Bills have been Introduced In congress to make the New Orleans battlefield the center of a national park.