Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-05-23
A Communication.

MIR. Edltor:-AS mem Der or the
Auxiliary OF the Veteran association.
have been invited TO participate in
the exercises at the coming reunion,
but think an article in your paper
NAV do more good than anything
which might be said at a public
gathering, where only few may hear
what has been reiterated at these as
semblies which are largely composed
of careless hearers.
There seems to be a widespread
misconception as to the object and
duties of the Woman's Auxiliary.
Many assume it to be an auxiliary to
the Woman's Relief Corps. II MEM
bers of that order will consult their
rules and regulations they will see
that the ..Woman's Relief Corps has
no auxiliary"
The Woman's Auxiliary is to the
Veteran association what the w II.
c.. is to the Post, the Eastern Star to
the Masonic lodge, the Rebeecas to
the Odd Fellows. and SO on through
There is even misunderstanding
among many of the soldiers as to the
orders OF Veterans and G. A. r. The
difference lies just here. While the
G. A. r. is exclusive the Veteran
Assn is not. Why? one may ask.
Because all soldiers are not g. A. X. 5
but all soldiers are Veterans. The
W r. c. is not an exclusive organi-
cation but the Woman's auxiliary is.
Why so?-may again be asked. Be
cause any loyal woman over sixteen
wears may be eligible to membership
in the w. r. c., but no one can be a
member of the Woman's auxiliary ex-
cept she be mother, wife, daughter
or sister of the veteran.
The next question is, what is the
object of the latter association? 1t is
easily understood when once well in
Ormed. First, ii is not charitable
der. The veterans are not paupers
Sc king charity at the expense of the
reu ion. The Auxiliary has its reg
ular elective officers for the year,
comp sed of a president, several vice
presidents, secretary and treasurer.
1t is the duty of the president and
her assistants to operate in their
several towns to secure FUNDS to pro-
cure badges for the association, to
arrange their program for the COM
ing reunion and to provide place or
headquarters where the veterans
families may be made welcome. A
place where they may gather while
the soldiers carry out their program,
where the veteran can meet his fam
ily by appointment, where the women
may feel that they are helping, in the
success of the reunion. Each year
she Auxiliary has its regular business
me ting to elect their officers for the
ensuing year and cooperate with the
Veterans in their next years pro-
gram.
Any woman of the w. r. c., or any
other order may become a member of
the Auxiliary if she be a mother, wife,
daughter or sister of the soldier, all
that is required of her is to state the
fact to the secretary, register and
have her badge of mem bership pinned
on.
Now word about the badge, which
is an emblem of loyalty, a badge of
honor which should be respected.
Few soldiers wives or mothers would
think of surrendering her badge, but
| am sorry to say there are daughters
and sisters who do not value their
emblems of loyalty enough, simply
for want of thought as to its mean
ing. What would a member of the
w. r. C. do if she would see a child
or some smart alick fauntiug her
badge? OF course she would take
steps to recover that badge from the
hands of the hoodlum, for no true
. man or woman would want to be
singled out as sailing under false
colors. Last year at Lancaster many
of the girls surrendered their badges
to their escorts, who were made con-
spicuous by the yellow ribbons. This
may seem harmless thing, but
LOYALTY must be sustained, the flag
honored, and the soldiers families
should see to it that they have their
share in unfolding the cause which
has made many cripple, many a
widow and many an orphan that our
country may have free and indie
pendent government.
Ii would be well for W. Il. c. secre-
taries to preserve this IN their book
of records to be read TO new presi-
dents as to their duty in fl ture-
MEMBER.
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