“It was a great soldier who said that the army has not merely a body but a soul and a conscience as well,” he began.  “I believe the conscience of the army is speaking in this committee’s report.  I believe the army’s soul is speaking in it.  I was present on Saturday, at the beginning of this caucus and I will tell you frankly that I was fearful at that moment lest you should create a great mechanism without adequate purposes.  My fears have been wholly allayed and I see in the report of your committee the ideals not only of the army but of the nation adequately expressed and I wish to tell you gentlemen that so far as I have any ability to promote this great movement I give you my most hearty support.  I believe that the army of to-day, when it goes back to citizen thinking and citizen acting, will be capable of contributing to the commonwealth of the United States so as to change the character of the whole country and lift it up to a higher plane of political, industrial, and religious life.  I happen to be at this moment leading in a movement in the army to promote the various ends that are so well expressed in the committee’s report, in what is known as the ‘Comrades in Service.’  There are two ways of creating an organization; one is by forming the principles and leaving the body to take its own shape; the other by creating a machinery without stating your end and reach that end through the machinery.  According to our democratic conception we have adopted the former or idealistic method.  We are prepared to contribute to this army wide organization which is now brought into existence, all that we have to contribute.  We are entirely loyal to your principles and methods of approach and we are quite willing to forego any attempt to make an organization which might become a rival to you.  Between now and the time of demobilization there is a great opportunity for us to promote the principles which actuate you.  We have already a temporary and provisional organization for the promotion of such principles; the creation of better citizenship along the lines so well expressed.  We would like everyone who can to give support to that which we are endeavoring to do, while we ask all who come in with us to be prepared to throw in their lot with this organization when it is perfected in the United States.”

“The creation of better citizenship,” Bishop Brent says.  He wants every one who can, to give support to that; to “what we are trying to do.”

If everyone could see just that in the Legion, if everyone will work for just that—­better citizenship—­the Legion’s aim will be realized in its deepest and truest sense.  Bishop Brent has a knack of hitting the nail on the head with such force that the sparks fly and by their light comes insight—­ask anyone from out Manila-way if it isn’t so.  The short address was greeted with thunderous applause.  The newly born Legion knew it had a champion and a worker in the Bishop.

Col.  Wm. J. Donovan of the 165th Infantry, Forty-second Division headed the committee of fifteen which gave the final report on resolutions and organization.  This report is reproduced here in full because it presaged the action of the American caucus and brought about the form of the Legion Government until November.