New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-27
FOR FOREIGN WAR VETERANS
BOOM FOR A PATRIOTIC MlLilAhi
oyDrp SINCE THE SPANISH WAR.


One Of the newest and until recently one Vi
.,o ,aos, known of the many patriotic societies
90 tho country the Military Order or Foreign
WARE" has been brought into prominence 50
enphatically since the close of the war WIN
sna,n that IL bids fair TO he worthy rival u
any Of the older organizations In la0'. ~
founders and most enthusiastic members ''''
Tor II a character and distinction ABOVE ",''
~ the others with the single exception "a Wv
famous Society OF the Cincinnati. lhe'r O'
.entions are based upon several principles u
.he order which are peculiar to itself anu WIN"
Il will he interesting TO mention
7, Is designed primarily. as its name ''np,'eS'
% commemorate National defence against FOR
eicn aggression. and il covers the pe'l'u -
American history since the independence OF 'he
c.a,es we declared in 1776. Hence the foreign
wars which IL thus far includes are the heNo-
,,,,io, tho War Wit, Tripoi. the War OF lNl-
the Mexican War and the war with SPAN. us
nr,rci,al objects are the perpetuating or the
n.uos and services Of commissioned ofloers
vho served in any of these wars. and the con-
ferrirg Of comprehensive in the order upon
such officers or upon their direct Hneai oe-
scendants in the male line. AS consequence
Of this latter restriction, each hereditary CONF
panion" bears the same surname as the oHCeI
to ranresents-a condition Of things which does
no, exist in any other of the patriotic organiza-
tons
The veteran officers themselves of any OF the
ahove-named foreign wars are eligible TO be-
come members of the order as veteran CON-
ranions" At the time the order was rounded
FOUR wears ago. and until the war with Spain
the number OF such veteran companions was
az course very small. since they included only
those officers still living who had served in the
hat s.
stoned officer Of the Regular Army. the Navy,
the Marine Corps and the Volunteers who
served against Spain is eligible as a veteran,
the roster Of those companions is being sweled
rapidlv and now bears a fairer proportion TO
,he names Of the members by inheritance.
Among the prominent commanders in the last
war who belong 10 the order are Major-Generals
Miles Merritt Brooke. Fitzhugh Leo. wheeler.
Hawkins Otis. Wilson. Sumner. Graham.
Rreckinridge and Kent; acknowledgements
Worth Hubbard Carroll. Hudson and ROsser;
Kear-Admirals Dewey. Sampson Schley and
Rurce: Commodores PHILIP Watson and Remey;
CAPTAINS Clarke. Evans. Jewell McCala. Wash
burn and Todd and many other officers OF the
same and lower ranks than the above in both
the Army and Navy In the New-York Com
r1andery Of the order Colone, Roosevelt, Colo
mel Astor and the Rev. DR.. George X. Van DE
Water are veteran companions.
James Henry Morgan. the secretary general OF
the National Commandery. in speaking of the
restriction OF membership to commissioned Off
GERS and their descendants, said the other day:
We have not done that because Of any foolish
assumption that the officers were any better or
drawer men than the rank and file, and We
sho,ld like to have that understood. The rea-
son for it was because Of the difficulty and fre-
If heyOnd
shadow Of doubt he eligibility Of man claim
ing to be the descendant of private or non
commissioned officer The records Of these are
ro, complete while in the case Of commissions
Il is always possible to find and verify them
We confined eligibility to men who bore the
same surname as the officer they represented
because the object of the society is to perpetu-
ate the personal fame Of each such officer and
We felt that in the cases Of the other patriotic
societies the identity of the original hero was
completely buried when his representative de-
scendant bore different name"
According TO the provisions of act Of Con-
cress regarding the wearing Of military decora
lions. the officers Of the Army and Navy, if
members Of the society are entitled to wear on
all occasions of ceremony the insignia Of the
Military order OF Foreign Wars. This consists
Of a red enameed star Of eight points, each
point edged with line Of gold Between every
two points there rays OF FURNISHED gold. and
in the centre OF the star. on the diverse. is an
eagle Of raised chased gold with extended wings.
on the reverse. within circle of blue enamel
edged with gold. there are crossed swords and
all anchor upon field OF red. On the blue
enamel band is inscribed the motto of the order:
Deus et Libertas." This badge is worn pend
ant by a gold ring and wealth from ribbon Of
buff. blue and red the colors Of the order.
Besides the National Commanderv. there are