Chapter 59. To incorporate the American Legion
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CHAP. 59.— An Act To incorporate the American Legion. September 16, 1919. [[H. R. 6808](/us/bill/66/hr/6808).] [[Public, No. 47](/us/pl/66/47).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,* That the following persons, to The American Legion incorporated.Incorporators.wit: William S. Beam, of North Carolina; Charles H. Brent, of New York; William H. Brown, of Connecticut; G. Edward Buxton, junior, of Rhode Island;
Bennett C. Clark, of Missouri; Richard Derby, of New York; L. H. Evridge, of Texas; Milton J. Foreman, of Illinois; Ruby D. Garrett, of Missouri; Fred J. Griffith, of Oklahoma; Roy C. Haines, of Maine; John F. J. Herbert, of Massachusetts; Roy Hoffman, of Oklahoma; Fred B. Humphreys, of New Mexico; John W. Inzer, of Alabama; Stuart S. Janney, of Maryland; Luke Lea, of Tennessee; Henry Leonard, of Colorado; Henry D. Lindsley, of Texas; Ogden L. Mills, of New York; Thomas W. Miller, of Delaware;
Edward Myers, of Pennsylvania; Franklin D’Olier, of Pennsylvania; W. G. Price, junior, of Pennsylvania; S. A. Ritchie, of New York; Theodore Roosevelt, junior, of New York; Albert A. Sprague, of Illinois; John J. Sullivan, of Washington; Dale Shaw, of Iowa; Daniel G. Stivers, of Montana; H. J. Turney, of Ohio; George A. White, of Oregon; Eric Fisher Wood, of Pennsylvania; George H. Wood, of Ohio; Mathew H. Murphy, of Alabama; Andrew P. Martin, of Arizona; J. J. Harrison, of Arkansas;
Henry G. Mathewson, of California; H. A. Saidy, of Colorado; Alfred M. Phillips, junior, of Connecticut; George N. Davis, of Delaware; A. H. Blanding, of Florida; Walter Harris, of Georgia; E. C. Boom, of Idaho; George G. Seaman, of Illinois; Raymond S. Springer, of Indiana; Mathew A. Tinley, of Iowa; W. A. Phares, of Kansas; Henry De Haven Moorman, of Kentucky; T. Semmes Walmsley, of Louisiana; A. L. Robinson, of Maine; James A. Gary, junior, of Maryland; George C. Waldo, of Michigan;
Harrison Fuller, of Minnesota; Alexander Fitzhugh, of Mississippi; H. C. Clark, of Missouri; Charles E. Pew, of Montana; John G. Maher, of Nebraska; J. G. Scrugham, of Nevada; Frank Knox, of New Hampshire; Hobart Brown, of New Jersey; Charles M. De Bremon, of New Mexico; C. K. Burgess, of North Carolina; Julius Baker, of North Dakota; F. C. Galbraith, of Ohio; Ross N. Lillard, of Oklahoma; E. J. Eivers, of Oregon; George F. Tyler, of Pennsylvania; Alexander H. Johnson, of Rhose Island;
Julius H. Walker, of South Carolina; M. L. Shade, of South Dakota; Roane Waring, of Tennessee; Claude V. Birkhead, of Texas; Wesley E. King, of Utah; Charles Francis Cocke, of Virginia; H. Nelson Jackson, of Vermont; Harvey I. Moss, of Washington; Jackson Arnold, of West Virginia; John C. Davis, of Wisconsin; A. H. Beach, of Wyoming; E. Lester Jones, of the District of Columbia; Lawrence Judd, of Hawaii; Robert R. Landon, of the Philippine Islands; and such persons as may be chosen who are members of the “American Legion,” an unincorporated patriotic society of the soldiers, sailors, and marines of the Great War, 1917-1918, known as the “American Legion,” and their successors, are hereby created and declared to be a body corporate.
The name of this corporation shall be “The American Legion.” Organization. Sec. 2. That said persons named in section 1 and such other persons as may be selected from among the membership of the American Legion, an unincorporated society of the soldiers, sailors, and marines of the Great War of 1917-1918, are hereby authorized to meet to complete the organization of said corporation by the selection of officers, the adoption of a constitution and by-laws, and to do all other Qualifications of delegates.things necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this Act, at which meeting any person duly accredited as a delegate from any local or State organization of the existing unincorporated organization known as the “American Legion” shall be permitted to participate in the proceedings thereof. 285 Sec. 3.
That the purpose of this corporation shall be: To promote Purposes.peace and good will among the peoples of the United States and all the nations of the earth; to preserve the memories and incidents of the Great War of 1917-1918; to cement the ties of love and comradeship born of service; and to consecrate the efforts of its members to mutual helpfulness and service to their country. Sec. 4. That the corporation created by this act shall have the Corporate powers.following powers:
To have perpetual succession with power to sue and be sued in courts of law and equity; to receive, hold, own, use, and dispose of such real estate and personal property as shall be necessary for its corporate purposes; to adopt a corporate seal and alter the same at pleasure; to adopt a constitution, by-laws, and regulations to carry out its purposes, not inconsistent with the laws of the United States or of any State; to use in carrying out the purposes of the corporation such emblems and badges as it may adopt; to establish and maintain offices for the conduct of its business; to establish State and Territorial organizations and local chapter or post organizations; to publish a magazine or other publications, and generally to do any and all such acts and things as may be necessary and proper in carrying into effect the purposes of the corporation.
Sec. 5. That no person shall be a member of this corporation unless Membership qualifications.he served in the naval or military service of the United States at some time during the period between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918, both dates inclusive, or who, being citizens of the United States at the time of enlistment, served in the military or naval services of any of the Governments associated with the United States during the Great War. Sec. 6. That the organization shall be nonpolitical and, as an organization, Nonpolitical character.shall not promote the candidacy of any person seeking public office.
Sec. 7. That said corporation may acquire any or all the assets of Acquisition of assets of existing body.the existing unincorporated national organization known as the “American Legion” upon discharging or satisfactorily providing for the payment and discharge of all its liabilities. Sec. 8. That said corporation and its State and local subdivisions Exclusive right to name.shall have the sole and exclusive right to have and to use in carrying out its purposes the name “The American Legion.
” Sec. 9. That the said corporation shall, on or before the 1st day of Annual reports to Congress.January in each year, make and transmit to the Congress a report of its proceedings for the preceding calendar year, including a full and complete report of its receipts and expenditures: *Provided, however,* *Proviso.*Printing restriction.That said report shall not be printed as public documents. Sec. 9½. That as a condition precedent to the exercise of any power State agents.or privilege herein granted or conferred the American Legion shall file in the office of the secretary of state of each State the name and post-office address of an authorized agent in such State upon whom legal process or demands against the American Legion may be served.
Sec. 10. That the right to repeal, alter, or amend this act at any Amendment.time is hereby expressly reserved. Approved, September 16, 1919.