Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-23
FOR DEPARTMENT COMMANDER
TWO SPANISH WAR VETERANS
IN FIELD AS CANDIDATES.
Member. of Harden Camp Makes
Claim Of Observation-Disclosures
of Head Organization.

Two candidates have been placed before
the District of Columbia Department OF
the United Spanish War Veterans fol
election as department commander, to
succeed the incumbent, E. L. Cogan. and
energetic electioneering is in progress
The annual encampment Of the local de-
partment will be held July 16 The candi-
dates are G. E. Rausch of Gen. Nelson
A. Miles Camp and j. Lyon King OF
Henry w. Lawton Camp.
At a meeting of Richard j. Harden
Camp last Sunday afternoon an effort
was made to bring about the adoption OF
the unit rule, the camp having Endorsed
the candidacy of Mr.. Rausch. Friends OF
Mr.. King objected, and, it is said, the rule
was not adopted.
It was asserted that supporters OF
Rausch resent what they term Com
mander-in-chief Hale's interference in the
affairs of the District department IN two
instances, notably when he came here
at the time of the controversy over the
color line and arranged for the Admiral
Thomas Camp of colored veterans to be
continued in the organization as an I'M
attached body. Recently Maj. Hale again
came here from Boston to give President
the Spanish War Veterans. the current
countersign and new badge Of the order.
and while here he took up the matter
of naming commissioner to be appointed
on the board in charge Of the erection
of an amphitheater at Arlington.
Appointment Of Commissioner.
It appears that prior to his coming the
District department had met and in
dorsed for the commissionership. Col. NJ.
Emmett Urell, a past commander-in-chief.
Commander n-chief Hale, however. con-
sidered the appointment Of the commits
sioner his prerogative. as the commander
in-chief Of the G. A. R., had named Judge
I. G. Kimball to represent that organl-
cation on the board. Maj. Hale. there
upon, according to the member quoted.
rendered the appointment to j. Lyon
King, but he declined the honor in favor
of Col. Urell.
Thereupon, the commander-in-chief,
upon his return to Boston. named as his
Guild, governor of Massachusetts, and
an active member of the Spanish War
Veterans.
1t was said further that the position
taken by Commander Hale is to the effect
that If the claim of the members OF the
local department that he has no right
to inject his personality into the affairs
Of the Washington camps be correct, then
the Washington camps have no right to a
voice in the affairs Of the national head
quarters.
As to Celored Camp.
The member also declared that the mat
ter of arranging for the continuance of
the colored camp as an unattached body
was clearly within the province of the
national commander.
Another matter that members say has
added fuel to the flame came up recently
when a local camp elected an honorary
member Commander-in-chief Hale held
that the camp did not proceed according
to the laws of the organization in con-
ferring the honorary membership. Under
the new laws Of the Spanish War Vet
Grams, honorary members may be elected
by camps, but the certificates must be
forwarded to national headquarters for
the Endorsement Of the commander in
chief Hence. it is claimed, Maj. Hale was
clearly within his legal rights when he
declared that the action In comforting the
honorary membership had not been regu-
lar