Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 61 Part 1.djvu/429

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61 STAT.] 80TH CONG. , 1ST SESS.-CH. 298-JULY 23, 1947 Bulman, 243 East Fifteenth Street, Tucson, Arizona; Charles E. Brode, 15 North Lee Street, Cumberland, Maryland; Clyde B. Blanton, 2095 Seventh Avenue, North, Saint Petersburg, Florida; Floyd Cooper, 912 Polk Street, Amarillo, Texas; Paul Moody, 548 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, California; Oliver A. Farabee, Lexington, North Carolina; Thad Males, 329 West Valerio Street, Santa Barbara, California; and such persons who are members of the AMVETS (American Veterans of World War II) and their successors, are hereby created and declared to be a body corporate by the name AMVETS (American Veterans of World War II) and by such name shall be known and have perpetual succession of the powers, limitations, and restrictions herein contained. SEC. 2. That a majority of the persons above named and other persons selected from among the membership of AMVETS (Ameri- can Veterans of World War II), an unincorporated association as set forth in section 1 hereof, met in national convention in Chicago, Illinois, on October 12, 13, and 14, 1945, and then and there, by and through duly elected delegates representing one hundred and thirty- one posts throughout the United States adopted a national constitu- tion, bylaws, and declaration of principles and duly elected national officers for said organization, all as set forth in the Congressional Record, proceedings and debates of the Seventy-ninth Congress, first session, on November 6 and 7, 1945. SEC. 3. That the purposes of this corporation shall be as follows: (1) To preserve for ourselves and our posterity the great and basic truths and enduring principles upon which this Nation was founded. (2) To maintain a continuing interest in the welfare and rehabilita- tion of the disabled veterans of World War II and to establish facilities for the assistance of all veterans and to represent them in their claims before the Veterans' Administration and other organiza- tions without charge. (3) To dedicate ourselves to the service and best interests of the community, State, and Nation, to the end that our country shall be and remain forever a whole, strong, and free Nation. (4) To aid and encourage the abolition of prejudice, ignorance, and disease. To encourage universal exercise of the voting franchise, to the end that there shall be elected and maintained in public office men and women who hold such office as a public trust administered in the best interests of all the people. (5) To advocate the development and means by which all Amer- icans may become enlightened and informed citizens and thus par- ticipate fully in the functions of our democracy. (6) To encourage and support an international organization of all peace-loving nations, to the end that not again shall any nation be permitted to breach their national peace. (7) To continue to serve the best interests of our Nation in peace as in war. (8) To develop to the utmost the human, mental, spiritual, and economical resources of our Nation. (9) To perpetuate and preserve the friendships and comradeship born on the battle front and nurtured in the common experience of service to our Nation during time of war. (10) To honor the memory of those men and women who gave their lives that a free America and a free world might live by the creation of living memorials in the form of additional educational, cultural, and recreational facilities. (11) To operate as a corporation not for profit and that no part of the income or assets shall inure to the benefit of any of its members, directors, or officers, nor be distributable thereto otherwise 405 Purposes of corpo- ration. Nonprofit operation.