This spirit is highly significant.  It will be one of the Legion’s greatest powers.  It was and is due to the fact that these new Americans are not cursed with fixed ideas.  They have seen too much, lived through too much in their comparatively short lives to be narrow-minded.  Over in the A.E.F. the former hod-carrier often turned out to be too good as a construction manager for any officer to despise his opinions.  One noticeable characteristic of the American Legion delegate was the respect which he had for the other man’s views and his willingness to admit outright that he was wrong in a thing or to go at least halfway with the opponent of his particular ideas.  This was the saving grace of the caucus and this will be the saving grace of the Legion for the spirit which was manifested there is the spirit which will prevail at Minneapolis, and for always, because the American sailor and soldier will not change.

It was interesting to see these modern American soldiers side by side with the veterans of the Civil War.  The Grand Army of the Republic Post, the local Bivouac of the United Confederate Veterans, and the Spanish War Veterans gave a joint reception for the delegates at the Missouri Athletic Club which included a smoker and a vaudeville entertainment furnished by the War Camp Community Service.

CHAPTER VI

THE LEGION AND THE BOLSHEVIKI

The second session of the caucus began at half past two o’clock Friday afternoon.  Like its predecessor it started with a bang.  Nominations were made for the third vice-chairman who was to be selected from the marine corps.  The first nomination was a wounded man, at the time in the Walter Reed Hospital at Washington and who had won the Distinguished Service Cross at Chateau-Thierry.  Then came the name of Sergeant Woolley of Utah, quickly followed by the name of P.C.  Calhoun of Connecticut, put up by Mr. Black of Louisiana; the name of Major Leonard of the District of Columbia also was put in nomination and then the slate was closed.

True to the spirit of the previous meeting the caucus was soon in an uproar of applause for each of the four candidates, three of whom were marched to the stage.  Calhoun was elected, with the result that his ardent brother delegates from Connecticut treated him like a football hero by placing him on their shoulders and performing a snake dance.  Marines are no more garrulous than sailor men, for Calhoun’s speech of acceptance was just about as long as Humphrey’s.  While Calhoun was being bombed by flashlight cameras Mr. Smoot of Utah moved that a vote of thanks should be tendered to Colonel Roosevelt and other Legion members who had been active in the preliminary work which insured the success of the caucus and this was seconded by Major Wickersham of New York.  One of the most rousing ayes of the entire caucus carried the motion.

Cries of “speech” brought Colonel Roosevelt before the footlights.  His remarks were just about as long as Humphrey’s and Calhoun’s.  To be specific he said:  “Gentlemen, it is going to be a short speech because I think we have got a lot of business to do.  Thank you.”