THE AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY
DEPARTMENT OF ALASKA - 27th ANNUAL CONVENTION
.... Saturday-Sunday-Monday-Tuasflay-Wednesday ....
PREAMBLE TO THE
CONSTITUTION OF
THE AMERICAN LEGION
For God and Country, we asso
cia'e ourselves together for the
following purposes: to uphold and
defend the Constitution of The
United States of America; to main
tain law and order; to foster and
perpetuate a one hundred percent
Americanism; to preserve the mem
ories and incidents of our associa
tions in the Great Wars; to incul
cate a sense of individual obliga
tion to the community, state and
nation; to combat the autocracy
of both the classes and the masses;
to make right the master of might;
to promote peace and good will on
earth; to safegpard and transmit
to posterity the principle of justice,
freedom and democracy; to conse
crate and sanctify our comradeship
by our devotion to mutual helpful
ness. ^
MESSAGE FROM
EXECUTIVE OF BOY
SCOUTS, AMERICA
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is a pleasure to be able to
report to you several instances of
unusual support by the American
Legion for the Boy Scouts of Am
erica program in Alaska. Along
with such commendation, we wish
to point out the opportunity for
further participation in the char
acter building and Americanism
program of the Boy Scouts, feeling
certain that the American Legion
is keenly interested.
Item 1—We commend the Aleu
tian Islands Post No. 9 for their
sponsorship during 1949 of Cub
Pack 351 and Boy Scout Troop 651.
This action on their part made
availablel the Cub Scout and Boy
Scout programs at Adak during the
period 1948-1950.
Item 2—We commend to the at
tention of the Department Conven
tion the long-time sponsorship by
the Jack Henry Post No. 1 of Boy
Scout Troop 616 at Anchorage. Par
ticularly noteworthy are the ef
forts of this troop to reach out the
provide a Boy Scout program for
certain boys at Anchorage who ap
pear to be most in need of such
help. Further, we wish to give
public acknowledgment and appre
ciation to the Jack Henry Post for
their provision during the past sev
eral years of space for the Alaska
Council Field Office at Anchorage.
This generous aid has contributed
materially to the expansion of our
program in that area.
Item 3—We commend the Amer
ican Legion Post No. 5 for their
sponsorship of a new Boy Scout
troop at Seward and for the leader
ship which they are giving the
Boy Scout program in that city.
Through their efforts 11 boys not
formerly members of a troop are
being given this opportunity.
Item 4—We commend the Am
erican Legion Post No. 3 at Ket
chikan for their sponsorship and
enthusiastic leadership of Air
Scout Squadron 733. This group
has 14 of the leading young men
of Ketchikan in its membership,
six of whom are currently making
application for the Air Scout Ace
award, highest and most coveted
rank in Air Scouting. This Squad
ron has done the most outstand
ing work in this field in Alaska.
Item 5—We commend the Juneau
Post No. 4 for the outstanding and
aggressive leadership which they
have demonstrated during the past
(Continued on Page Five)
AMERICANISM SURE
FOUNDATION OF OUR
NATIONAL EXISTENCE
With Americanism, its study and
its presentation to the public, a
cardinal principle of The American
Legion and The American Legion
Auxiliary, Mrs. Charles J. Davis,
Chairman of the Department of
Alaska Americanism Committee,'
holds that true loyalty and patriot
ism can best be fostered through
the youth of America.
It is just as important to main
tain the ideals of nations as it is
to buttress the ideals of the indi
vidual.
Vigilance, the price of liberty, is
a characteristic that needs to be
fostered and developed through Ed
ucation, and the greatness of the
Auxiliary as an organization will
1 be in proportion to the effective
: ness with which the true ideals ot
' Americanism are upheld.
Observance of our national
events, and an understanding ot
American history are factors in the
advancement of that program.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—A new air
1 power brochure entitled "The Fif
ties—A Decade of Air Decision,”
has been mailed by the National
Security Division to the 58 depart
ments and 17,515 posts of The Am
erican Legion. It also went to more
than 13,000 Auxiliary units. Addi
tional copies are available at no
charge upon request.
The office of "Red, White and
Blue,” The American Legion’s all
veteran musical extravaganza, has
announced a correction of a prev
ious announcement. Only Saturday
matinees will take place during its
premiere engagement at Los Angel
es, Calif., October 7 to 25, instead
of the previously announced matin
ees for Sundays, Wednesdays and
Saturdays. The show will play ev
ery evening during this period.
ETHEL TONSETH
President
American Legion
Auxiliary
Department of Alaska
Auxiliary Program
Shows Leadership
And Gets Results
Ethel Tonseth, Department Pres
ident of The American Legion
Auxiliary, is bringing to a close one
of the best and most smoothly run
administrations the Department
Auxiliary has enjoyed for some
time.
The accomplishments of the year
now reaching its end have paved
the way to higher acievements in
the years to come, according to
Ethel Lindley, Department Adju
tant.
The retiring president will pass
on to the office of National Exec
utive Committeewoman. and in the
performance of duties associated
with that office, President Tonseth
is assured of the full support of
the entire department membership
and full support in the attainment
of still higher service to the organ
ization.
Reminding Unit officers ana
members through the Territory of
the continued need of the Walla
Walla hospital, poppy day efforts
are urged. Attention is called to
the need of a guest house there,
and its appeal to people of Alaska
'hould meet with generous response,
since it is to that institution that
tubercular cases from Alaska are
sent.
These efforts along with the child
welfare program, serve to make The
American Legion Auxiliary a fac
tor in bringing hope and cheer to
hospitalized veterans.
With the nationwide program
placing emphasis on attention to
such activities, the organization is
recognized as making a lasting con
tribution to society.
OFFICERS JUNEAU AUXILIARY UNIT NO. 4
President .Sandra Zenger
First Vice-President .Leona Lincoln
Second Vice-President .Betty Harris
Secretary-Treasurer .Dorothy Manthey
Historian .Margaret Waldemar
Chaplain .Mary Jean Perkins
Sergeant-at-Arms .*.Marilyn Dapcevich
j Executive Committeewomen .Anna Bodding, Anna Day, Silva Zenger
THIRTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION
of the
American Legion
Department of Alaska
DEPARTMENT OFFICERS
Commander .Perry McLain
First Vice-Commander A- Rasmus
Second Vice-Commander John Carlburg
Judge Advocate . George McNabb
Historian. P™1* Cooper
Chaplain . ®
Sergeant-at-Arms John VanHoin
Adjutant and Finance Officer Ethel B. Lindley
National Executive Commiteeman Walter B. King
Alternate National Executive Committeeman Frank Nash
Dept. Executive Committeeman-at-Large Peter Melseth
PAST DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS
: “George A. Getchell Douglas
John P. Walker ...,..Juneau
Harold F. Dawes Petersburg
G. A. Richards .. Ketchikan
“John C. Gotwals ..i..Juneau
■A. C. Fisher. Chitina
“Eiler Hansen Sitka
Warren A. Taylor ...•'••• Cordova
Frederick Nelson Petersburg
David Adler Fairbanks
Dr. S. C. Shurick Ketchikan
Maurice L. Sharp . Anchorage
John A. Talbot . Ketchikan
Ralph R. Reeser .,. Fairbanks
Clyde R. Ellis..i-~.Cordova
Dwight A. Chase ..1.Ketchikan
Leonard Hopkins Seward
Anthony E. Karnes .Juneau
Sidney C. Raynor ... Anchorage
Stanley J. Nichols..Valdez
‘Ernest M. Polley .Juneau .
Don M. Adler . Fairbanks
Walter B. King . Ketchikan
J. C. Morris .Anchorage
Walter Mickens .Kodiak
Russell L. Clithero . Sitka
W. E. Hendrickson ..-.Juneau
Hugh Savage .Anchorage
Harry Levy . Ketchikan
Frank Nash . Fairbanks
Homer Nordling . Juneau
'Deceased
TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
of the
American Legion Auxiliary
Department of Alaska
☆
DEPARTMENT AUXILIARY OFFICERS
President . Ethel Tronseth
First Vice-President Delia Saarf
Second Vice-President . Ethel Davis
Secretary-Treasurer .Thelma McKinney
Historian . Virginia Noonan
Chaplain .Betty Lee Van Horn
Sergeant-at-Arms Sandra Zenger
Department Executive Committeewomen Maud Hartman, Flora Mickens
National Committeewoman .Nema Ellis
PAST DEPARTMENT PRESIDENTS
Marie Skuse Juneau
May Campbell .Wrangell
Anna M. Cook . Anchorage i
Elaine Talbot . .—. Ketchikan j
Belle Simpson .—.-.Juneau
•Mary Peterson Fairbanks
“Mary B. Ela . Ketchikan
Ruth Beran . Anchorage
Laura Johnson . Petersburg
Edith Sheelor Harkey . ./Juneau
Edna M. Polley . Juneau
Naima Saari . Cordova
Florence Thornton . Ketchikan
Theo. McKanna .Fairbanks
Mildred Culver .Anchorage
Ruth Chase .Ketchikan
Eleanor Marsch ..—.Anchorage
Elizabeth Nordling . Juneau
Florence O’Neill . Cordova
Ruth P. Morgan .Ketchikan
Myra Rank . Fairbanks
Lillian L. King .Ketchikan
Edna Raynor. Anchorage
Hattie Peterman ... Juneau
Ethyl West .Ketchikan
Elizabeth Stillwell .Seward
Nema Ellis .Anchorage
•Deceased
...
I ___-_
ETHYL WEST
National Chaplain
American Legion
Auxiliary
LEADERSHIP OF THE
NATIONAL CHAPLAIN
IS DISTINGUISHED
{
In recognition of her service to j
The American Legion Auxiliary in
the Ketchikan Unit No. 3. of her
accomplishments for the Depart
ment of Alaska units which she
ably served as National Executive I
Ccmmitfeewoman, and for her fid
el.ty to the principles upon which
the organization was founded, Ethel
West was chosen for the high oflice
of National Chaplain September
1, 1949 at the 31st national con- j
vention held in Philadelphia.
That this confidence was not
misplaced has been demonstrated
in the added service and leadership
which has come to national, de
partment, and local uni's through
her guidance and counsel.
When her term expires at the
National Auxiliary Convention in
Los Angeles in October her respon
sibilities will pass on to anoMier,
and the opinion has been expressed
that the Department of Alaska will
become enriched as the result of
the broader ouTook and wider in
fluence in national affairs through
her having administered an office
on the national level.
Auxiliary and Legion members
will have the opportunity of hear
ing the National Chaplain a‘ dif
ferent times as the 1950 convention
progresses.
The Chaplain arrived for the
Capital City sessions via Pan Am
erican Clipper yesterday afternoon.
The Michigan State College at
East Lansing has suspended the pub
lication of its student-edited weekly
newspaper for the summer months
because the campus sheet attacked
The American Legion’s Wolverine
Boys’ State as “fascistic and mili- ;
taristic.”
GLASGOW CHILDREN
THANK AMERICA FOR
THE "TIDEOf TOYS"
The cripple and homeless child
ren of Scotland have asked Na
tional Comander George N. Craig
to convey their thanks to all Leg
ionnaires and to the children of
America who contributed to The
American Legion’s “Tide of Toys”
program.
The request was made in the fol
lowing letter to’ the Legion Chief
from Miss P. Ligertwood. matron of
the East-Park Home for Infirm
Children, Glasgow, Scotland:
”I should be glad if you would
accept and convey to tha members
of your organization and all the
children who contributed, my very
sincere thanks for the generosity
you have shown to the homeless
and sick children in Scotland. The
children in this home deeply appre
ciate the kindness of their friends
in Mmerica and I know they intend
to write expressing their thanks to
the individual donors. They are
thrilled with the lovely toys and
will pass many happy hours playing
with them.”.
NEMA ELLIS
National Executive
Conunitteewonian
Department of Alaska
Twice President of
Auxiliary
Richard W, Kemler, attorney of
Marshalltown, Iowa, and a member
of Frank Lewis Glick Post No. 46,
The American Legion of that city,
has been elected as President of the
National Junior Chamber of Com
merce.
Sam Reynolds of Omaha Post 1
for many years chairman of the
National Finance Commission of
The American Legion, has recently
been named to the board of directors
of the Chicago and Northwestern
Railroad.
☆
OFFICERS JUNEAU POST NO. 4
Commander .Robert N. Druxman
First Vice-Commander. .John Tanaka
Second Vice-Commander Vernon P. Harris
Adjutant-Finance Officer.'.Saxon H. Snow
Chaplain .Eric Newbould
Sergeant-at-Arms ..Harold Zenger
Service Officer .A. L. Zenger, Sr., P. C.
Historian .E. L. Keithahn, P. C.
Executive Committee
Bert Lybeck, P. C.; T. J. Smith, L. A. Sturm, P. C. and
W. W. Smith, P. C.
Kate! Executive
Committeewoman to
Ate Convention
Af'-er completing the unexpired
term of Mrs. Elizabeth Stillwell,
who was obliged to resign when
illness obliged her to leave Alaska,
Mrs. Nema Ellis, of Anchorage Unit
j No. 1, was elected at the Sitka con
; vention in 1943, to succeed herself
| and serve a full term as President
of The American Legion Auxiliary,
j Department of Alaska.
; Thus, after nearly two years cl
I service to the department, she be
i came National Executive Commit
j teewoman at the 1S49 convention
j in McKinley National Park, to rep •
| resent the department in national
; alfairfe.' - •’ ■
Mrs. Ellis has given of her
j strength, time and abilities with
I out reservation 'and ha6 beeh an
able advocate at national head
quarters. Unit members and offic
ers at the Juneau convention will
have an opportunity of hearing her
report on present trends in the
national organization.
Mrs. Elhs served as chairman of
j the Department Americanism Com
, mittee during the year-which ended
with the Anchorage convention of
194G and her report to that gather
: ing will be remembered.
It was Mrs. Ellis who placed the
name oi E'hel West in nomination
for the office of National Chaplain.
Mrs. Ellis will be presented at the
Department Americanism luncheon
on September 6th.
BATTLE BANNERS
OF OLD MEXICO
ORDERED SOUTH
The President has signed The
American Legion-sponsored Senate
Joint Resolution 133 autiittfizlrig the
return to Mexico of some 66 battle
flags captured by United States
forces in the War of 1845.
The action grew out of a resolu
tion adopted by the National Execu
tive Committee of The American
Legion at its meeting in Indianap
olis, May 6, 1949. It originated with
the Department of Mexico of The
American Legion. In urging its ad
option, Past National Commander
Warren H. Atherton of Stockton,
Calif., declared that "AMIGO not
ALAMO" was the slogan of Legion
naires in seeking to make hand
clasps stronger in the Western Hem
isphere. He said the return to Mex
ico of the captured 1845 battlefiags
would be a demonstration of the
friendship that exists today between
the two nations. Most of the captur
ed Mexican battlefiags are now in a
museum at the U. S. Military Acad
emy at West Point.
Senate Joint Resolutton 133 signed
by the President stated:
"RESOLVED by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Con
gress assembled, that the President
is authorized to cause to be deliv
ered to the Government of the Re
public of Mexico, with such escort
and such appropriate ceremony as he
shall deem proper, the flags, stand
ards, colors and emblems qf that
country which were captured by the
military forces of the United States
in the Mexican War of 1846-48 and
are now in the custody of the Na
tional Military Establishment.
“Such sums as are necessary to
carry out the purposes of this joint
resolution are hereby authorized
to be appropriated.”
The resolution was introduced by
Senator Tom Connally.
WELCOME - THE AMERICAN LEGION AND AUXILIARY
Don Able
Alaska Coastal Airlines
Alaska Credit Bureau
Alaska Electric L. & P. Co.
Alaska Federal Savings & Loan
Alaska Hellebore Producers
Alaska Laundry
Alaska Music Supply
Alaska Radio Supply, Inc.
Alaska Steamship Co.
Alaska Transfer
Alaskan Hotel
Alaskan Liquor Store
American Shoe Shop
Baranof Hotel
Baranof Liquor Store
B. M. Behrends Bank
Bert’s Food Center
Brownie’s Liquor Store
J. B. Burford Co.
Burrows Welding
Butler-Mauro Drug Co.
California Grocery
Case Lot Grocery
Caslers
Caro Transfer
Carter’s Mortuary
City Cafe
Columbia Lumber Co.
R. W. Cowling Co.
Commercial Liquor Store
Connors Motor Co.
Country Club
Trevor Davis
Devlin’s
Dunking With Druxman
C. J. Ehrendreich
Lu-Eks
E. E. Engstrom
Jack Fargher
1 emmer’s Transfer
WaHed D. Field
f irst National Bank
(.urnick’s Grocery
Gus George
Joe George
H. S. Graves
Stan Gruinmett
Harbor Market
Harri Machine Shop
Hayes Shop
Fred Henning
Heinke’s Machine Shop
Home Grocery
Hotel Juneau