The National tribune., 1885-06-18
RANK IN THE LAR.
Comrade Talks Back Quite Freely at the Oppo-
nents OF Rank Badges.


To THE EDITOR: In recent numbers Of The
NATIONAL TRIBUNE there has appeared COM
1nuncations rejecting upon the rank of the
officers Of the GAR savoring somewhat of
scurrility. One penny-a-line writer assures
the numerous readers of The NATIONAL TRIB-
UNE that his royal highness had been shocked,
and his nervous system SO mutilated, that he
had withdrawn from the organization; simply
because, forsooth, some gentleman that had
carried a gun during the days of the rebellion
of '6l-5, aud assisted in shooting the Confeder-
acy to death, had because of his soldierly
qualities, moral character, gentlemanly quail
fications and brains by the sufrages of his
his comrades, been placed in Office for one year,
and designated as one to wear over loyal
heart the rank badge of the GAR. The in
ference is, that this was done possibly to the
exclusion of this sensitive second hand Lieu
tenant; or, possibly, he was not consulted upon
this subject. This great individual, it is to be
presumed, if in his power to control it, would
elect no man to any office in the GAR. unless
he could establish the fact that the candidate
had not disgraced himself by serving in the
ranks OF the volunteer army, but, upon the
other hand, must prove conclusively that his
shoulders were decorated with straps. All I!
privates when you were at the front doing
your duty, and making such pusilIanimous
| cusses their name and fame, little did you
dream that 20 years from that date such men
hcuiu Suuic " tuC fiOut duu uCuiduu Ou
take back seats. Ex-Officers cannot permit you
to decorate yourself with a rank badge!
To THE EDITOR: Please permit me to avail
myself of the invitation extended by COmrade
No. g in last weeks issue of THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE. namely, to speak right out with
regard to the wearing of rank badges uniforms,
ETC., by present and past officers of the GAR
| As past and present officer in the Post to
which belong, it is my desire to assure the
comrade that he is not alone in his way of
thinking. A little too much unnecessary dis
play in the way of fancy ribbons, spread eagles,
stars, gilt cordings etc. is disease from which
the GAR. is apparently seriously suffering at
the present time, and unless the comrades place
their guards with greater care in the future
than they have in the past Fraternity-one of
the three principal mainstays of the Order
will ere long be thing of the past. Rank
badges, as the comrade says, should be owned
by the Post, to be worn by present officers only,
and by them only while in the discharge of
| official duty. Distinctions in uniforms should
not be tolerated under any consideration what
| ever Comrades on retiring from Office should
not only be willing but be compelled to resume
their former station as private members, wear
| ing DO ether than the usual comrade badge of
the Order. In conclusion, let me say TO you.
brother officers, by ever bearing it in mind
that we are not now in the army, and that the
comrades are not now Obliged to submit to all
| sorts of military pomp as in days gone by, all
Will be weli-CoMRADE No. 3, Chelsea, Mich.