AMERICAN LEGION, an organization of World War veterans who served honourably in the armed forces of the United States or who, as American citizens, entered the armed forces of a government associated with the United States in the war. Organ ization was effected and a national charter was granted by Con gress in 1919.
The membership, which stood at 759,799 in 1921, decreased to 609,407 in 1925, but rose to 719,873 in 1927, and early in 1928 reached the largest total for that time of the year in the legion's history. The legion maintains a national headquarters at Indian apolis, Ind., and publishes The American Legion Monthly, its official organ. Its activities have been directed effectively toward the passage of the National Defence Act (1920), the creation of the United States Veterans' bureau (1921), the appropriation of Government funds for the care of disabled veterans and the pass age of bonus bills both by the Federal and State Governments in favour of those who served in the World War. A programme f or the aid of war orphans was devised in 1923 ; and in 1925, with the aid of the public, a fund of about $5,000,000 was raised to endow permanently the legion's child welfare and rehabilitation work. In 1927 community service was made the major objective for the year. More than 200 different kinds of activities were engaged in by the Io,000 posts. Among these activities were the erection of community centre buildings, athletic fields and airports, the fostering of educational projects, sponsoring boys' activities, giv ing emergency relief to flood sufferers and promoting various civic enterprises. An outstanding accomplishment was the Paris Con vention of 1927, undertaken primarily to promote international friendliness. Twenty thousand legionnaires went to France. The Legion has maintained an active lobby in Washington supporting the bonus and other measures for the benefit of its members. Early in 1936, largely as a result of Legion activity, the Bonus Bill, checked in 1934 and 1935, was passed, over Roosevelt's veto.
BIBLIOGRAPHY.--See Annual Reports to Congress; M. James, A Bibliography.--See Annual Reports to Congress; M. James, A History of the American Legion (1923) ; E. Putnam, The American Legion--A Brief Outline of Its History and Accomplishments (1923) and "The American Legion," in Annual Report of the American Historical Association, vol. ii., ibid., vol. i., p. 199 seq. See also Farland W. Powell, Service for God and Country (1924) , a handbook on Americanism ; and Dictionary of Facts of the American Legion (1925).