New-York tribune., 1909-05-29
G. A. R. OPPOSES GAME
rnF.SECR4TES" MEMORI1L
D4T At VEST POINT.
General Loud Calls Baseball Contest
at Military 4cademy an Outrage
on Soldiers Memory.

at Military 4c0demy an Outrage
on Soldiers Memory.
General George Byron Loud chairman Of the
so-nittee Of the Grand Army Of the Republic
= tbe observance Of Memorial Day in this city.
has protested 20 the War Department on behalf
sstfs comrades against what they call the desc
ration" Of the day by the playing Of base
tsl game al West Pdint between the cadets Of
tbe Military Academy and members of the 7th
Regiment New York National Guard.
General Loud. who viii be a candidate for
s-ste commander at the election to be held in
Bingharnton on June L. wrote recently a letter
=, protest TO Jacob NJ. Dickinson Secretary
Of War in which he said that if Memorial Day
were 10 be honored at all. it should receive the
most honor from the military service. and that
the Grand Army Of the Republic believed that
sports al the Military Academy on that day
DESTROYED its patriotic effect on the young men
about 10 become soldiers and the members Of
the rational guard.
The Secretary referred the letter to the
sdjuant general who sent it to Colonel Scott.
superintendent OF the academy. This is Colonel
Scots reply 10 the adjutant general:
With reference 10 vour Endorsement or A,,-fr sS
the letter from General George T. Loud. New
York Cty. ! have the honor to report that the
soldiers al West Point and cadets. but it is pre-
sgmed that he means cadets. when he saws soldiers
There Is 10 he ball game on May 81 between the
csdets OF the Military Academy and members II
ne IN Regiment, y G y. Y. and apparently the
HIter does not clearly understand the situation.
There i probably 40 place where Memorial Dav
Is more ha-lowed than at the Military Academy-
before and continues untl noon Of Decoration Day
iH accordance with the authorized programme n
ne army ana the NiiltaT3 Academy regulations
Al noon the flag, which has been hafmaSt. il
appropriate national airs and the nationar salrte
q We1tZ-one guns fired. after which ceremony tine
The game which i purely friendly contest.
takes place IN the afternoon There are no gate
receipts. and the public is welcome. and OF whom
York state. made up largely OF veterans of the
Grand Army of the Republic Loyal Legion and
other patriotic societies There are such
Colonel = s Dudley and Colonel Z. E. Wood. OF
The staff Of the Military Academy. who are officers
ana members Of the 5th Re@iment and "ther
National Guard organizations present a the ball
game.
GAME FOR TWENTY YEARS
This game between the cadets and the 7th
Regiment has been PLAYED every year on Becora-
become tradition in the Military Academy and in
tie 7th Regiment. and il has heen the means #
peretuatinE and Strengthening The bonds Of friend
shi1 between the regular army and he national
guard To such an extent that the fraternal feel
ing resulting from il as a military factor in the
cooperation between the army and the national
With the exception Of the writer Of this letter.
there has never been among all the many ih0Is-
public Who have attended ms annual contest any
thing expressed but the highest appreciation II
IN Regiment are business men and cannot get
OF al any other time and thai The cadets time Is
season and any attempt 70 interfere win THIS
time honored custom. VIII, II Is helieNef be
very serious error and will defeat the purpose Tor
which it vas Intended,
General Loud received soon after the follow
ing letter from the adiutaHt general.
Your letter Of April 2 TO tire Secretary Of War in
which YOU protest against the playing Of ball
having been referred 70 the superintendent OF the
N.iitary Acadeny ] am now directed by the Sec
retaIE Of Var 70 transmit 10 You herewith cory
r that officers report thereon, dated April 81,
which is concurred in by The Secretary Of War.
PROPER OBSERVANCE IMPOSSIBLE
General Loud said yesterday TO a Tribune
reporter that he would willingly fight all his
battles Of the Civil War over again with S-cre-
taTy Dickinson and Colonel Scott if he though,
he could convince them that the baseball game
between -he cadets and the 7tn Regiment was
q violation Of Memorial Day.
It wogld be futile to try to do anything
more" said General Loud. There Is only one
state in the Union where Memorial Day is
really observed. p. H Coney. department COM
mander ~ Topeka. Kan succeeded in having
Law PASSED in his state which prevented anv
sort of sports on Memorial Day The adiutant
general CT California ISSUED order last week
forhGdinE ali sports and other exercises in
appropriate TO the day by the soldiers Of the
national guard and members Of the state naval
militia To accomplish anything like this in
New York. Massachusetts or Pennsylvania
would be impossible. The inhueuce Of foreign
ers and busy commercial people has robbed the
DAY Of most ~ its patriotic feeling around here.
i Is merely an ordinary holiday
4 cannot understand the attItuce Of the War
DEPARTMENT and the Military Academy. Do
ihty think the day IS over at noono To me it
seems an outrage that at the Military Academy,
q al places. there should be frreverence Of
memorial Day. In q few years the last Civil
Nsr veteran viii be gone. Until then at least
ne amy should continue 70 make the whole
1aF mean something. White great men Of this
country many OF them old and tried soldiers
are making funeral addresses over the graves
VI our former comrades, who died TO keep the
Hsuon together. its future soldiers are cblivious
a1uG their perfunctoTy exercises are over and
'ae Tag is no longer AT halfmast, TO the sacred
Aess of the day. II Memorial Day IS not hon
lee IN the army. where viii it have any sig
u-aoanoe2r