Evening star., 1907-11-18
GRAND ARMY INSPECTION
STATEMENT BY ASSISTANT AD-
JUTANT GENERAL.

Capt. James A. Allen. assistant adjutant
general of the Department of the Poto-
mac. G. A. R.. has prepared a statement
setting forth the recent activities of the
department and the necessity for obeyinE
the injunction of Department Commander
Newton Ferree to recruit the ranks"
He says in these last declining years
we more than ever before need the aid and
strength Of all surviving comrades who
wore the blue In these later days. when
the comrades are SO rapidly falling out
Of ranks to be laid to final rest. gone to
join that grand army above where the
Creator of the universe Is the Supreme
Commander, it would be eminently fitting
that all who are eligible should join the
lie here below. To this organization 1t Is
directly due that by far the larger por-
ton of the laws of the land Affecting the
well-being of the veteran soldier have Deen
enacted by Congress No pension leg1sia-
ton beyond that Of s. per month (and
that for gunshot wounds alone) would
ever have been enacted. and 1t Is sure
that all honorably discharged veterans In
or out of the order have been greatly
benefited by the work done by the G A
R. And In our reduced strength we need
recruits to carry on our work or charlty
and aid in the teaching of loyalty to our
country and fraternity among ourselves.
Deaths in Six Months.
in this small Department of the Poto-
mac fifty-six comrades died during The
SIX months ended June 80 of the present
year At the present death rate this de-
partment will go out of existence in lit
tie more than decade. The cry from
the widows of our deceased comrades for
c.i- ic
we sadly need the aid of those OUTSIDE
our anks to enter in our postrooms and
assume the obligations OF our order ana
help in the good work. No comrade mas
ever Ioined the G. A. r. and been sorry
for it. On the contrary, the writer has
been assured by many of those who nave
of late years joined our ranks that they
sincerely regretted that they had not
sooner entered the ranks and been or
those who had borne the heat of bat
tie. No eligible comrade should remain
outside for the reason that he has always
kept out of ranks. We assure him of a
hearty welcome. And for those who have
dropped out of the order for various rea-
sons we beg to assure them that there
is more rejoicing over one comrade VINO
returns to the fo,d than over the ninety
and nine who strayed not away.
The past week has been a strenuous
one for Department Commander Ferree
and his department officers. Commencing
the week Monday. November IL. they
paid visitation to George L. Morris
Post, No. 10, at Georgetown, the feature
being the annual inspection of the post
Comrade Assistant Inspector II. M. Gil
man doing the inspection work. All the
post officers were present. and over 30 per
cent of it's memberships small post, but
doing excellent work-and they We're
complimented by the inspector. and ad-
mander, the vice commander and chlef OF
staff.
Burnside Post, No. 8.
On the 18th instant occurred the inspec-
ton of Burnside Post No. 8. at it's post
room In G. A. r. building. The inspection
was most thorough and complete. Alfred
Shaw. inspector. showing state of dis
cipline existent not surpassed by any post
anywhere A large attendance of COM
rades. the ceremony of muster-in was
near perfection in all It's detail. The de-
partment commander and vice commander
were present. attended by their personal
made by the commander and others of the
visitors. On Thursday evening Fred
Douglass Post. No. q, was visited and in
spected. Past Department Commander A.
P. Tasker being the inspector. The depart
ment commander and visiting officers were
surprised when, at the close Of the post.
the room was entered by the Auxiliary
Women's Relief Corps of the post. and
speedily they set table with good things.
including salads, etc. with coffee. and
the visitors paid close attention to them
and informed the ladies that they strongly
favored an inspection of the nature Of
this. and would recommend that the post
and corps be inspected at short intervals
This post Is one of the colOred posts of
the Department of the Potomac.
The inspection and visitation work Of
the week closed with the inspection of
U. 8. Grant Post. No. g. Friday even
ing. November 15. After the inspection.
conducted by Comrade A. P Tasker. past
department commander. assistant inspec-
tor, was concluded. the comrades of Sher-
idan Post. No. IA. were received to the
number of about thirty. A short address
by Department Commander Ferree, who
related some Of the early history of the
department. and brief remarks by Senior
Vice Commander John s. Walker. who
was acclaimed as the coming department
commander. an by Edwin H. Holbrook.
Junior vice commander. following which a
camp fire followed. cigars, coffee and oys-
ters being the feature. Among those pres
ent were four past department comman-
ders. all being members of Grant Post.
They were Frank H. Sprague. who is the
senior past department commander now
living. having been commander in 1873:
George E. Corson. department commander
1873; Newton M. Brooks. department com
mander 1885. who is superintendent of for
e.gn malls. Post Office Department and
5. e. Faunce. department commander
1898 Several other past department COM
manders were present at this function
But four more inspections remain to he
made. and the visitations close with tho
inspection of Logan Post, No. IL. De-
cembeT IL. to oe followe. in January
1913. with the installation of post officers
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