The National tribune., 1908-01-16
THE Ex-pR1soNERs OF WAR.

A delegation of the Union Ex-Prison-
ers of War visited Washington this
week. This consisted of Col. J. D.
Walker. Past Commander-in-Chief of
the Union Ex-Prisoners of War Asso-
citation; J. F. Holliger and William
Adelsperger, of Toledo; Col. Ezra II.
Ripple, of Scranton, Pa; Col. Fortescue,
of Philadelphia; Capt. Metzger. Maj. L.
p. Williams and John McElroy, OF
Washington, D. c. They had meet
ing with the Committee on Invalid Pen
sions, Hon. Cyrus H. Sulioway, Chair
man, and presented the case of the
prisoners of war very fully in addresses
by Comrades Walker, Ripple. Holliger.
Williams, Fortescue and McElroy and
received assurances of the sympathy of
the committee and genuine desire to
secure the passage of the bill if possi-
BILE. The treatment of the delegation
by Chairman Sulloway and the Com
mittee on Invalid Pensions was highly
courteous and sympathetic and greatly
encouraged the comrades. The dele
CATION then visited Senator McCumber,
Chairman of the Senate Committee on
Pensions, and went over the matter
with him. The Senate Committee on
Pensions is only just organized and
scarcely ready to begin the consdera-
ton of legislation, but the delegation
felt that it had the warm interest and
good wishes of Senator McCumber, who
promised to do all that he could to
further the desires of the ex-prisoners
of war. There have been some % or
80 ex-prisoners of war bills introduced
in the House, which shows the general
interest all over the country in the
measure, but the delegation asked for
the passage of the bill which had been
agreed upon by the National Associa-
ton of Ex-Prisoners of War. The dele
cation left Washington with warm
hopes of successful action at last upon
their long-delayed measure.
The following is the bill decided upon
by the National Association Of Union
Ex-Prisoners of War at the Annual
Convention held in Saratoga:
A bill granting pensions to soldiers
onS.
Whereas many officers, soldiers, sail
orS and marines of the Federal army
and navy We're confined in so-called
Confederate prisons for a great length
of time, suffering unusual and eXtraof-
binary hardships and contracting dis
eases and disabilities that have rem
dered many of them mental and physi-
cal wrecks; therefore, for the purpose
of doing justice to specially deserr-
ing class of surviving veterans of the
civil war,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That
the Secretary of the Interior be, and he
is hereby, authorized and directed to
place on the pension roll the names of
each and All officers, soldiers, sailors
and marines now surviving who remain
ed loyal TO the Government of the Unit
ed States until the close of the war of
the rebellion, and while in the service
of the United States were at any time
taken prisoners of war and as such con-
fined in so-called Confederate prisons
between the 18th day of May, 1861.
and the 1st day of May, 1865; and there
shall be paid to every officer, soldier.
sailor and marine so placed on the PEN
sion roll the sum of 81 for each and
every day between said dates he was so
confined in any such prison: and, fur
thermore, such surviving prisoners of
war SO placed on the pension roll under
the provisions of this act that are en-
titled to and receiving a pension at the
time of the passage of this act, shall be
entitled to and paid the additional al
lowance that this act may grant them,
and in no event shall the fact that a
person is drawing a pension preclude
him from receiving the full amount of
said So per day in addition to the
monthly pension allowed him. And the
widow of any pensioner under this act
will be entitled to a pension of s12 per
month so long as she lives, any other
act to the contrary Notwithstanding.