The National tribune., 1909-09-02
THE SONS OF VETERANS, U. S. A.
The National Encampment Washington Largely Attended and
Full of Earnestne W. Pol, of New Jersey Elected
Cef-M Molly Donaldson Reelected National
President of Auxiliary.

| Comrade McElr6y's purpose to interest
| the Sons and Daughters in the wide
spread movement for the erection of q
i Maine memorial at Washington, and
| he succeeded He explained it is pro
posed to erect in one of the public res
| ervations at the National Capital a
| monument in honor of the men of the
American battleship Maine who went
down to their deaths when the vessel
was destroyed in Havana Harbor in
I1S9S.
Later the Maine memorial matter
was brought before the Encampment
and Comrade McElroy's request sub
mitted to the body. Without a dissent
ing vote the Encampment indorsed the
proposition, and the new Commander
| in-Chief will name a committee to ar
range for substantial support of the
| project. The committee will be COM
posed of Sons of Veterans who were
soldiers or sailors in the War with
| Spain.
The Annual Campfire.
With patriotic music and Old Glory
on every side. the annual campfire of
| the Sons of Veterans was held in the
banquet hall of the Arlington Tuesday
evening. Maj. Fred s. Hodgson, of
Washington, ID. c., presided. Besides
being the son of a Union veteran, Maj.
HodgSon was an officer of the 1st ID. G.
Vols. in the Spanish-American War.
In his opening address Commander
in-Chief Allen referred to the good
feeling shown by the Sons of Confeder-
ate Veterans towards the Sons of the
Union blue" He said the aim of the
Sons of Veterans is not to usurp the
glory of the civil war veterans, but to
preserve and treasure their histories
| and records of their valor.
Commander Allen said he hopes to
see the membership of the Sons of Vet
Grams reach the million mark.
Judge Ivory G. Kimba1I, a member
of the National Legislative Committee
of the G.. A.. R., urged the Sons to col
late and preserve the individual his
tories OF the veterans.
Capt. Israel w. Stone, member of
the Board of Managers of the Soldiers
and Sailors Temporary Home at WASH
ington. ID. c., and also a Past Depart
meut Commander of the G. A. R., was
one of the speakers. He explained that
veterans of the civil and Spanish wars
are cared for at the Temporary Home
without cost when they are in Wash
ington without means. He expressed
the hope that Congress at its next ses-
sion will appropriate enough money to
erect Home building.
Department Commander Holbrook
told the Sons about the doings at the
recent National Encampment of the G.
A r. at Salt Lake City, and urged "the
boys to keep up their patriotism and
their membership.
Other speakers were B. J. Northcott,
Division Commander of the Sons of
Veterans of Maryland; Rev. w ]. Pat
ton, President of the Sons of Veterans
Memorial University at Mason City,
Iowa, and Gen. Edwin NJ Amies, of AL
toona, Pa
Memorial services for the dead of the
organization were conducted by Ma
tfonal Chaplain B. f. Jones.
Thursdays Session.
The feature of Thursdays session Of
the Sons of Veterans was the annual
test George w. Pollitt, of New Jersey,
was elected Commander-in-Chie on the
second ballot.
The first ballot resulted in no choice,
as follows: Pollitt. 59k votes; Fred Boil
ton, of Boston. Mass, so " votes; New
ton ]. MCGUIRE, of Indianapolis, Ind, AZ
votes.
The other National Officers elected
are:
Arthur Boutwell,, of Concord, n. H.,
Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief.
Capt. Francis E. Cross, of Washing
ton. d. c., Junior Vice Commander-in-
Chief.
Edwin NJ. Amies, of Altoona. Pa,
Chief Of Staff.
Members of the Council-in-C Chief
Thomas ]. Harmon, of Dedham, Mass;
Felix A. Kramer, of Madison, Wis;
John A. Bommhardt, of Cleveland, o.
The new -in-Chief an
nounced the following appointments:
Personal Aid, A. !. Vescelius. of Pater-
son, N J.; Patriotic Instructor. Rev.
w. ]. Patton. of Mason City, Iowa; Ma
Honeoye Falls. N. Y; National COun-
selor, Edward K. Gould. of Rockland,
Me.
The recently-elected officers were in
stalled by Past Commander-in-Chief
Geo. B. Abbott, of Chicago.
The Encampment decided to meet
next year with the C. A. r. at Atlantic
City. n. ].
The matter of erecting peace monu-
| ment at Washington with the co-opera-
| ton of the United Sons of Confederate
Veterans, as recommended by Past
Commander-in-Chief Allen, was called
up, but action was deferred until The
next Encampment in 1910.
The recommendation of Past Com
! Chief Allen for a memorial
building in Washington was non-con-
CURED in.
TeIegrams of greeting and congratu-
lation were received from Past Com
imander-in-Chief Nevius. of the G.. A.
, r.: Della Henry, National President of
| the Ladies of the G. A. r., of Kansas
| City, and others.
Presentations
| A large framed photograph of Past
commandments Edgar Allen, Jr.,
was presented TO the Encampment on
behalf of the Executive Encampment