VFW Milwaukee Security Police Badge

This five point star badge probably dates from the 1933 National VFW Convention in Milwaukee. So why was there a need for this badge? Even though 1933 was a depression year the booze was flowing again. If the WWI veterans were anything like the WWII veterans at the 1953 Milwaukee Convention many of them could still party-hardy and did. An internal security force was an attempt to keep a lid on the conventioneers and avoid a lot of bad press resulting from contact with the real police. The attempt failed in 1953 which was still an eye-rolling topic a decade later whenever the subject was brought up among the older folks. Conventions must be a touchy topic with the VFW since almost no mention of them is made in the Century History of the VFW book of 1999. This nickel plated badge was made by Bastian Brothers of Rochester N.Y. and also has a small Union shield on the reverse at the bottom right point.