New Blood

The blue-clad commander, spotlighted on the huge stage of Hollywood's Legion Hall, intoned: "The sergeant at arms will ascertain if there are any veterans of the world wars seeking admission to the American Legion."

The sergeant at arms, paunchy and greying, saluted, about-faced, marched to the back of the hall with all the military bearing he could muster. He peeked outside the door. Having thus ascertained what everybody in the hall already knew, he returned to the stage.

"Comrade Commander," said he, "I find waiting outside 101 veterans of World War II who are qualified for membership in the American Legion and who are seeking initiation therein."

"Comrade Sergeant at Arms," said the commander, "you shall escort the candidates and place them before the flag."

In tweeds and business suits, gabardines and sports jackets, the men shuffled in. They stood with bowed heads as the chaplain prayed, listened to copybook homilies on justice, freedom, democracy. With each installment they received a memento: with justice, a red poppy and a copy of the U.S. Constitution; with freedom, a tiny flag; with democracy, the bronze Legion emblem. They raised their right arms--all except the veteran who had left his on Guadalcanal--to take the Legion oath. The commander spread his arms in a clerical gesture, intoned again: "Comrades, I welcome you."

Thus last week Hollywood's Post No. 43, which observes the Legion lodge ritual down to the last wave of the flag, sponsored a new Legion post (No. 591) composed entirely of World War II veterans.* Post 43, the country's richest (famed members: Adolphe Menjou, Conrad Nagel) footed all bills, gave Post 591 the use of its building. The Legion, outdistanced at the start by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in the drive for World War II members (TIME, Oct. 4), had now begun to sign them up in earnest.

Some charter members of Post 591: an 18-year-old sailor wounded by shrapnel (South Pacific); a young private with punctured ear drums (North Africa); a paratrooper who injured his back in a practice jump; an ex-National Guardsman suffering from shock and war neurosis; a 45-year-old World War I veteran who was drafted again for World War II and served in a medical battalion until discharged.

Said the sailor with the shrapnel wounds, echoing the thoughts of the others: "Sure I wanted to join. The officer who discharged me said, 'If you're smart you'll join the Legion. They can do things for you.' "

* Two other such posts, in Virginia and San Francisco, were started with no fanfare.

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