Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-19
Mr.. Macfarland's Address.

Commissioner Mcfarland spoke next,
saying:
"A divine command is upon us-Defend
the fatherless; plead for the widow And
those who have the loving care of your So
ciety the children or the widows of
men who defended the flag and plead for
the principles 1t represents with their lives.
They took the VOWS of poverty with those
of loyalty when they put on the uniform of
their country. They gave up for the re-
public all opportunities of money-makng.
Except the very few who had private for
tunes they could leave in dying little money
to their loved ones Their country cannot,
or at least will not. give pensions adequate
TO support their families and especially to
educate their children. Therefore. the nee
essity for the Army Relief Society. not for
cold charity. but for warm and tender SYM
pathy and fraternal assistance. Heroes
and martyrs We call those who have gone
We acknowledge to them an unpayable in
cebtedness. for their service cannot be
measured in money. 1t seems amazing that
the people of this generous country have
not already endowed your society so as to
give 1t ample funds. 1t must be because the
society and its purpose have not been suffi-
GENTLY brought before the public. Its labor
or love must of necessity be done quietly
and IL has been done modestly that L fear
1t is little known. No country is so quick
TO respond to any appeal to its sympathies
when properly presented. / feel sure IL
would respond to the appeal of this society
What we were all so glad to it do for
the family of General Lawton it would GER
tainly do for the families of the other SOL
diers taken together. and this alone would
give your society an excellent permanent
income. When | heard of this cause, as
Lafayette said, My heart enlisted and
mat would be the natural feeling of any
American"
Mr.. Parker spoke of the difficulty ex-
perlenced by an officers widow In living
ana trying to educate her children on the
iheiSer pension OF $40 month. He said
he believed the society could do a great
work y 1t would work quietly seeking out
the deserving cases. and giving aid not In
the spirit of cold charity but of warm
sympathy He said that the country could
not forget him who gave his life for it.
General Bird spoke last He remarked
that 1t was hard thing to convince the
general public that the army officer ar
enlisted man needed any aid because n
was said that he was taken care of by the
government all his life, and a pension given
his family after his death But the general
pointed out the lack OF Independence of the
soldier. his inability to provide for the fu-
ture and keep up with the requirements on
his pocket book. and said that soldier
was seldom able to educate his children
properly or to leave his widow anything at
his death. He said II was well known that
soldiers investments nearly always fail
when they do try to make little money to
lay by for a rainy day. 1t is not because
he has not the business ability, he said
but because he is ordered away just at the
time when his personal interests demand
that he shall remain where he is. He re-
fcrred to the long list of widows on the
rolls Of the War Department trying 20 earn
enough TO keep themselves and educate
their children He asked all to take inter-
est in the great work of the Army Relief
Society. which he said ought to have a firm
place in the heart of the nation as whole.
Four Hundred Present.
There were about 800 invitations sent out
for the meeting yesterday, and about 40O
responded. All were enthusiastic. and ap-
plauded the speakers frequently. Those
on the managing committee for the society
were: Mrs. Root, Mrs. Leonard Wood.
Mrs Ch2ffee. Mrs. Sternberg, Mrs. Oliver
and Mrs James Parker. secretary.
AS given in the constitution of the So
ciety, The particular objects for which II
was formed are ITO collect funds and pro-
vide relief in case of emergency for de-
PENDENT widows and orphans of officers and