Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-17
.EX-UNION SOLDIERS
Coming National Encampment at Des
Moines, Iowa.
GENERAL R. G. DYRENFORPH TALKS
The Principal Topic BE Discussed
at the Session.
NO URTHER NEGL ECT

Gen. R. G. Dyrenforth, comnA1der-in in
chief of the Union Veterans Union. staff
end about fifty delegates from the District
of Columbia will leave this city for Des
Moines, Iowa, on the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad next Saturday evening at sos
o clock, to attend the fourteenth annual
enc3mpment of the union. From Chicago
the party will go to Des Moines via the
Great Western railroad. They will pass
through Dubuque, where they will be join
ed by the headquarters staff of the de-
partlnent of Iowa. Those attending the en-
campment from this city have been re-
qUested to obtain their tickets from the
general passenger agency of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, at the corner OF 18th
street and New York avenue
The national encampment will open Au-
gust y, and sessions will be continued
four days. The meetings are likely TO
prove of intense interest rot only to mem
bers of the Union Veterans Union, but to
eXUnion soldiers everywhere.
Treatment of Soldiers by Government
One of the important questions that will
be brought up for discussion will be the
treatment of soldiers by the government,
and 1t will be the purpose of the union to
take such action as will Insure to the SOL
diers of the country more consideration
than they have received during the last
few years.
The Union Veterans Union now has H.
coo members. but by the time the next
presidential election is held it is expected
by leaders in the organization that it eal
number 20,ON as there are today 500,OG0
men living who were in battle ON the side
of the Union during the civil war, and are
eligible for membership. This increase Of
membership will be for the purpose of MAJ
sfaling the full strength of the organiza
q. Job "a
care for and help the Union veteran. The
means for accomplishing this object will be
political. for the union. although non-par-
tlsan, Is declared to be political.
Energetic Action Possible.
Very energetic action may be taken at
Des Moines,' said Gen. Dyrenforth, COM
mander-in-chief of the union, to Star
reporter today, cooking to the prevention
of any further neglect of the Union soldier
and his kin. There are still some 100000
battle men left, and they will unite to do
such work at the polls as will insure at
tention for them. The veteran now finds
that the time has come when. regardless of
partisan politics, he must assert himself
and, joining with his comrades vote only
for men VINO will practically stand by him
This matter will be discussed at the en-
Campment. We will provide for sending out
mastering officers in every state and in
every county in the Union. We will or
ana shall personally go over the country
to explain TO the members of the order
what course it is thought best for them to
pursue. We are tired of being treated as
oack numbers There are thousands of ex-
ceedingly vigorous men in our order, and
we will give evidence of that fact in the
way we stand up for our rights
Promotion for Veterans.
Explaining further the demands that will
be made by the Union Veterans Union
General Dyrenforth said he did not know
that any new pension legislation would be
asked for, but he wanted to see section
11a enforced strictly This statute pro-
VldeS for giving preference to Union VET
Grams in the matter of employment by the
government, and he wished to see that SEQ
ton amended that veterans would be
given preference In the matter of promo
ton in the government service with the
restriction now in force which uroyides
mat they shall be promoted other things
being equal He wanted veterans to re-
ceive preference for promotion if they are
able to properly fill the vacancy above
them
There Is general feeling among mem
bers of the Union Veterans Union that they
are not treated with the consideration they
should he as a result of their service for
the country during the war every one of
them having been in at least one battle
Some OF them fear that this lack of con-
Slderation grows from an idea that they
are back numbers and not able to make
themselves felt in the great play of poll
tics.
They propose to do so with renewed
viSor, and ii is expected that action will be
taken at Des Moines for the purpose of
having every member of the order vote
only for men friendly to them regardless
OF their political faith. While the order is
largely republican in politics. Gen Dyren-
forth and others believe that partisan poll
tics should be subordnated to the test of
friendiineSS to the soldier