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WWI
World War Veterans Organization
McLean County, Illinois
(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

There was organized in Bloomington during the winter and spring of 1920 a local post of World War Veterans, an organization composed of service men as its name indicates. It was named the Hauptman, Morgan, Conley Post, from the names of three Bloomington men who had been slain in battle. These men were Joseph A. Hauptman, David Thomas Morgan, and Eugene Conley. The first list of officers for the post were these: Commander, W. F. Witty; senior vice commander, Robert Switzer; junior vice commander, E. P. Downey; chaplain, Lee Crosland; adjutant, William A. Sammon; quartermaster, Arthur Garbe. The board of trustees were: William J. Hull, J. P. Murray and Wade H. Fielder. The post holds monthly meetings. The principles on which the organization was founded are given in the following statement, the first clause of which stated that the members would not participate in a national convention prior to June 1, 1920: 2. We stand opposed to any form of compulsory military training in the United States of America. 3. We endorse the rights of collective bargaining by truly representative groups of all productive industry; we will not endorse any political parties. 4. We, the World War Veterans, individually and collectively, shall at all times of crisis, either local or national, encourage dignity, calmness, justice and peaceful settlements. In time of crisis, either local or national, the World War Veterans will extend the assistance of their organization to the whole peoples of the community, state or nation. 5. We demand for all the peoples the rights of free speech and peaceful assemblage as written into the constitution of the United States of America, except that such license must not be used by such person as would use such license to overthrow the United States government by violence or force. 6. We endorse the principles set forth in the woman suffrage bill as past by congress. 7. For the guidance of our elected representatives in the United States congress we endorse the fourteen points we fought for and upon which the armistice was agreed and signed. 8. Nationalization of all oil and coal lands and all oil wells and coal mines. We endorse public ownership of unavoidable monopolies. 9. We, the World War Veterans, oppose any declaration of war without first submitting the issue to the people of the United States of America, except in case of invasion by armed forces of the territory of the United States of Arnerica. 10. In event of war, all profits made by any individual or corporation, over and above such profit made by any such individual or corporation, in the year prior to such declaration of war, shall be paid to the United States government by any and all such individuals or corporations during the period of the said war and become the property of the United States government. 11. The constitution of the United States of America to be amended only by a direct vote of all the people. In case of national crisis the suffrage to be extended to all franchised citizens absent from their place of residence due to government duties. 12. The enforcement of the constitution of the United States of America as it is written. [McLean County, Illinois, in the World War, 1917-1918; by Edward E. Pierson & Jacob Louis Hasbrouck c 1921]

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