for The American Legion Weekly, up to the middle of May 1921 some form of bonus had been granted in 13 states, namely, Maine, Massa- chusetts. Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey. New York (later declared unconstitutional), North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. The payment provided varied. In several states a lump sum of $100 was awarded. In most cases the veteran received a fixed amount for each month of service (usually $10 or $15) up to a maximum (varying from $120 to $600). Bonus bills had been defeated in 1 1 states, namely, California, Colorado, Connecticut (relief fund provided, the interest of which is to be used for needy men), Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Okla- homa, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Nebraska (reliel fund provided, interest to be used for relief). No legislation was con- templated in 14 states, namely, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming. In the other states preparations were being made to act upon the question.
The American Legion. While the World War was still in progress there arose spontaneously among the American soldiers a wide-spread desire that with the coming of peace there should be created a permanent organization for perpetuating their feel- ing of comradeship and its ideals. Active steps toward this end were first taken at a caucus held by a number of service men in Paris March 15-17 1919. This was followed by another caucus held in St. Louis May 8-10 1919, when preliminary organization was effected and the name " The American Legion " adopted. Incorporation was secured by an Act of Congress Sept. 16 1919. The first annual convention was held at Minneapolis Nov. 1919. The purpose of the Legion, according to its constitution, is: " To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred per cent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our association in the Great War; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state, and nation; to combat autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the princi- ples of justice, freedom, and democracy; to consecrate and sanc- tify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness." The organization is non-sectarian and non-partisan. Any man or woman is eligible to membership who was in the military or naval service of the United States between the dates April 6 1917 and Nov. n 1918 inclusive; also " all persons who served in the military or naval services of any of the Governments associated with the United States during the World War, provided they were citizens at the time of their enlistment and are again citi- zens at the time of their application." Exception is made of per- sons dishonourably discharged from service, as well as persons who refused to perform military duty " on the ground of con- scientious or political obligation."
At the head of the Legion are a national commander and five national vice-commanders, elected by the national convention. The active director at headquarters is the national adjutant- general. Each state also is organized under a state commander and other officers. The local unit is called a post. On Sept. 30 1921 the number of posts was 10,795, located in every state of the Union and in the District of Columbia, the Philippines, Panama, Cuba and, many other countries, including Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and France. The total membership at the same date was about 785,000.
The Legion strongly endorsed the proposed Federal bonus for all ex-service men; and, especially through its National Legisla- tive Committee, was influential in giving publicity to the needs of disabled soldiers and in securing legislation in their behalf. To its efforts, in part at least, were due the enactment of the Sweet bill, providing for the Veterans' Bureau; the Veterans' Hospital bill, appropriating $18,600,000 for building or improving hos- pitals for ex-service men; the publication of lists of draft evaders in the Congressional Record; the bringing to the United States of the body of an " Unknown Soldier " for burial in Arlington National Cemetery; the bestowal of the Congressional Medal of Honor upon the British " Unknown Soldier " buried in West- minster Abbey, and upon the French " Unknown Soldier " buried under the Arc de Triomphe. The official publication is The American Legion Weekly. The Women's Auxiliary had a paid-up membership of 107,345 on Sept. i 1921. At the national convention of the Legion in 1921 distinct organization was effected, and separate officers and headquarters were chosen.
DE MORGAN, WILLIAM FREND (1839-1917), English
novelist (see 8.10), was born in London Nov. 16 1839 and educated at University College school and later at the college itself.
He became a student at the Royal Academy in 1859 and in 1864
began the study of stained glass. Six years later he turned to
ceramic work and soon became known in artistic circles as a
potter, the " De Morgan " tiles being made remarkable by his
rediscovery of the secret of some beautiful colours and glazes.
But later in life he became even better known to the literary
world through his novels, Joseph Vance (1906); Alice for Short
(1907); Somehow Good (1908); // Never Can Happen Again
(1909); An A fair of Dishonour (1910); A Likely Story (1912);
When Ghost meets Ghost (1914), in which the influence of Dickens
and of his own earlier family life were conspicuous. He died in
London Jan. 15 1917. In 1919 The Old Madhouse was pub-
lished posthumously. His last but unfinished novel, The Old
Man's Youth, was published, with additions by his widow (1921).
DENBY, EDWIN (1870- ), American public official, was born at Evansville, Ind., Feb. 18 1870. His father, Charles Denby (d. 1904), was minister to China 1885-98. He was educated in the Evansville schools, went to China with his father in 1885, and two years later entered the Chinese imperial maritime customs service. He returned to America in 1894, graduated from the Law school of the university of Michigan in 1896, was admitted to the bar and thereafter practised in Detroit. On the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898 he entered the navy, and as gunner's mate saw action at Santiago. Later he was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. From 1905 to 1911 he was a member of the National House of Representatives and was allied with the conservative Republicans. He served as chairman of the House Committee on Naval Affairs. When America entered the World War in 1917 he enlisted at the age of 47 as a private in the Marine Corps and was sent to the training station on Paris I., S.C. He was advanced to corporal and sergeant and was highly successful in training recruits. In Jan. 1918 he was commissioned second-lieutenant and passing through the various stages, before the end of the year had been promoted major. After the close of the war he was appointed probation officer of the Detroit Municipal Courts. In 1921 he was appointed Secretary of the Navy.
DENIKIN, ANTON (1872- ), Russian general, was of humble descent and held democratic views. After going through the usual military training and service he joined the Russian general staff, and in the earlier period of the World War he rose to the rank of lieutenant-general and to the command of a division on the Danube front. During the Russian revolution he followed Kornilov, and was for] some time chief of his staff. He was arrested with Kornilov and imprisoned in Bykova. They escaped together and fled to the Caucasian shore of the Black Sea. There he joined Alexeyev, who was forming a small army of volunteers, chiefly composed of officers. On Kornilov's death (March 31 1918) he became the military commander of the army, while Gen. Alexeyev held power as " Supreme Leader " of the Government and organized recruiting and supplies. They collected the army on the southern border of the Don region, at Metchetinskaya, and established cooperation with a Caucasian detachment, led by Erdeli, with the Don Cossacks under Krasnov, and some 2,000 men who had marched right through the southern steppes under Drozdovsky. By June the army counted some 12,000 men and was able to attempt the reconquest of the Kuban territory. Things had changed considerably since March, when Kornilov's invasion came to a standstill in front of Ekaterinodar. The Kuban Cossacks had had time to ascertain the true character of Bolshevik occupation, and the volunteers moved down the Rostov-Vladikavkaz line and the Black Sea line from Tikhoryetzkaya to Novorossisk The Reds, in spite of their numerical superiority, melted before this advance and one stanitsa (camp settlement) after the other joined the invaders. On Aug. 5 Gen. Alexeyev entered Ekaterinodar, the capital of the Kuban,