Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-20
Opposed TO CHANGE
Objections to Burial of Civilians
in Arlington.
VOICE OF S. w. VETERANS
Project for Creating National Reserve
Force
COMPOSED OF EX-SOLIDERS
Department Commander Lewis Conn
municates Plans for Increasing
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
VOICE OF S. w. VETERANS
osED OF Ex-soLIDERs


| consideration at meeting OF the Depart.
| ment of the District of Columbia rr,;,oa
| Spanish War Veterans. Thursday nigh, a.
| headquarters. 7l9 9Th street northwest. Tha
run attendance of officers and represent
| tatVes was gratifying to Department
| commander John Lewis Smith, who said
i 1t indicated a renewal of interest In tho
AFFAIRS of the organization and augurs well
Tor the success of the national encamp-
| ment to be held here next October.
| among the officers present were three past
| department commanders. Capt Lee NJ Inns
| comb. Maj. Fred. S. Hodgson and DR.. 8.
| Clifford Cox
| Pians were considered for holding a ba-
| Ear at headquarters to continue one week
| ana the decision reached to hold a gem
| eraI meeting of members of all the camps,
! the ladies' auxiiaries. the LneaI Society
| and the wives. mothers. sisters daughters
| ana sWeethearts of the members to COM
| pete the arrangements and appoint tha
| necessary committees. This meeting will
| be held at Spanish War Veterans hall 7i9
| 9th street northwest, on the evening of
| January 30
| Capt. Sheridan Ferree reported that ar
| ransements were progressing for the estab-
| hshment of social club, to be composed
| of members of the Spanish War Veterans.
| organiza ton
| me formation or a drum, fife and bugle
| corps, TO be attached to the District de-
partment. was advocated by Department
! Inspector E. Ii Cogan, Department Adjt
! u E. Rausch and Capt. G.. Eeyburn Shorev
| The department placed itself on record
| as unequivocally opposed to the proposed
burial of distinguished American citizens
| other than military men at Arlington, and
strong resolutions were passed against the
! proposition.
Consecrated to Soldiers
The stand was taken that Arlington GEM
| etery had been consecrated to the American
| soldiers and was recognized the world over
as the burial place of the men who had
| worn the American blue. AS such it is re-
| sarded with soldier pride To open wide its
sacred precincts to men in other walks of
| lie who had never endured the hardship of
army life Or barred their breasts to the
battle blasts would be regarded as a dis.
| country.
one speaker said the most eloquent eulogy
ever given in picturesque and historic Ar
nngton, and 1t is repeated over every SOL
aler grave, is the sad and mournful ca
dence Of "taps'-lights out good night
which sends its echoes through wood and
dale and family reaches the busy thorough
fares of the nations capital
Capt. William H. Mellach of the Fourth
Immune Camp, following an address. pre-
sented to the department resolutions COW
ering his project for the establishment in
| this country of army reserve to be COM
posed of trained and seasoned American
soldiers, regardless of age so long as they
are , able to perform military duty. Capt.
Mellach said it was his idea that such q
reserve would at all times be in readiness
In time of war to follow the initiative taken
by the regular troops either in repeling
a foreign invasion or embarking for tba
theater of war wherever it might be He
referred to the veteran reserve corps in
the old countries and their great value in
| times OF emergency.
| Resolutions Adopted.
After remarks by Capt. E. L. Cogan. de-
partment inspector, and Others resolutions
were passed setting forth that: THE Dis
trict of Columbia Department, United
Spanish War Veterans, indorse the move
ment for national reserve. to be composed
Of all soldiers, sailors and marines who
have been honorably discharged and are
physically able to serve without regard to
age, and that the corps commander be en-
powered to appoint committee to assist
the committee on legislation in drafting
| suitable Dill to submit TO Congress"
| Discussing the resolution Capt. Mellach
said: The nation Is depriving itself of the
services OF over 100000 trained men, ex-
| soldiers, sailors and marines, regular and
volunteer, who would be available at q
moments notice, they formed into a
| national reserve. thorough preparation
| for war is the surest guarantee of peace
| I'VE alone of all civilized nations of any
sixe have no system of putting on the fir
ing line at once any number Of trained SOL
lent, standing army. A sudden combination
of two first-class military powers would
| find us involved In war In which, after
| our regular army and navy sacrificed,
| to hold the enemy in check. nothing would
| remain to confront the trained foreign sol
diers but very thin line of militia
| Now that we have become world power
| We must make up mind to bear the
| white mans burden, as far as military and
naval preparation for defense is concerned
Even China is organizing. Only We are
standing STILL"
Regarding Arlington Cemetery.
| The resolution adopted as to the burial OF
others than soldiers in Arlington. which
was unanimously adopted, follows:
THAT the department of Spanish War
Veterans. District Of Columbia, protest
| against the movement now before Con-
| gress to allow the burial Of distinguished
citizens In the National cemetery at Airing
ton. Va.
RESOLVED, That the commander of this
department be directed to communicate this
| action to the other military societies in the
| District of Columbia, and ask their CO.
| operation in defeating this project for glori-
| flying the civilian at the expense of the SOL
der who died for his country.
| This corps favors the extension to the
| enlisted man of the privilege now enjoyed
by the commissioned officer Of having his
| wife buried with him in Arlington
| Plans for the Future.
| Department Commander John Lewis
| Smith announced that he had received from
| Commander Chief Charles R. Miller from
| national headquarters at Cleveland Ohio.
/ a letter of instructions containing informa-
| ton of Maj. Miller's plans for the forma-
| ton Of new corps. especially in the south
| ern states, where there are as yet but
| few branches of the United Spanish War
Veterans. Commander Miller says, In part:
| Relying upon the zeal and energy of the
membership it is hoped to double our MEM
bership during the present administrator.
| A recruiting pamphlet is being prepared for
| circulation Procure from the adjutant OF
| your state list OF towns and cities from
| which companies were mustered in 1898 and
| this will aid you in locating the points
where camps might be organized
| Among those present at the meeting last
i night were Department Commander John
/ Lewis Smith; Past Commanders Lipscomb,
/ Hodgson and Cox, Senior Vice Commander
| Fred W. Alexander, Junior Vice Command
/ er willis G. Wise, Department Adjt- G. e.