The National tribune., 1909-04-01
ASSOCIATES OF THE G. A. r.
An Appeal Is. soldiers Who Served IN
rInflupr Mars.

Editor National Tribune: When We
near people speaking OF the soldier they
are apt to SAY, = first of all, ne was
brave soldier. / know OF one soiuier
| upon whose discharge the district SD
perior officer wrote: Has been iaith-
full and good soldier" The honor of
those words has always been a comfort
to that particular soldier. But there
are other traits necessary to make up
| the ideal soldier, and one OF these Is
generosity. The writer, after his ser
vice on the frontier was ended, became
a. member OF two veteran organizations,
the Association of Acting Assistant sur
geons of the United States Army and of
the Veterans OF the Indian Wars. Both
these organizations were made up of
faithful and good soldiers, two, at least,
wearing the Medal of Honor conferred
for gallantry by the Congress OF the
United States.
In speaking with veterans of the
Grand Army in every instance, I have
found them, as all good soliiers ever
should be, generous. have found ready
approval and sympathy when I have
expressed the wish that the Grand
Army should be the home of all veteran
soldiers--a place where they would ever
find welcome and fraternal interest
and help In distress or sickness, and
military funeral, when taps sounded
its last doleful notes for them. Back
when the G. A. r. met at Detroit, Mich,
an official communication was sent by
the Association of Acting Assistant Sur
geons. 20 per cent of whose members
served in the war of the rebellion, ask
ing for recognition and absorption into
the G. A. R.; but because many did not
serve In the rebellion, a1thO they had
done faithful service in Indian wars,
the application was denied. The organ
ization did not desire any but soldiers
who served during the war of the rebel
lion. Surely the brave veterans of Get
tysburg and many A hard-fOught fight
need never fear that their laurels would
be obscured or their martial gloryf
dimmed by having some younger soil
diers associated with them. Their gloryi
cannot be dimmed by any man or asso-
citation of men, hut any brave soldier
would indeed be proud to say: 'fI>am
comrade of the G. A. r." We who
are associates are glad, indeed, to be
associates, but to what are we entitled.
those of us who are veterans? If we
could have the Flag placed at our
graves, IL We .at,ld wear a military
badge of the Al rr:can veteran soldier,
it would certaiE.s be comfort TO those
sentiments which are alwa und in
the hearts of genuine sol .. Will
the Grand Army of the Republic return
to its first Constitution. ANY honorably
discharged soldier or sailor of the Unit
ed States Army or Navy Is eligible to
membership" and erase the clause add
ed which mustered out so many Regu
lar veterans, "who served in the war of
the rebellion? If all veterans could
find their home with the brave and
famous veterans of the rebellion It
would not detract from the honor of
the G. A. r. No. indeed; it would add
to their record of sublime courage the
noble quality of generosity. AS have
stated. / always find individual
veterans more than willing. From
whence comes the opposition? Instead
of many veteran organizations, let US
have one Grand Army of the Republic,
the Union of Veteran Soldiers of the
American Army
The brave and faithful soldier of the
Regular Army, who has done his duty
in the lonely, dangerous service of the
finds no home among veterans
in our cities: no comrade to call on him
when sick or invalid: no soldiers to es-
cort his body to the grave; no volley of
brave mems rifles; no sound of taps;
no holder or fag at his grave.
For him Memorial Day has no SYM
pathiZing word or deed 1t should not
be so. The real. veteran does not ap-
prove of this; the real. soldier is ready
to give his sympathy. Who will help
change this for the honor and welfare
of the1American soidier?-W Thornton
Parker, NJ. D., "A. A. Surgeon, u. S.
Army, Springfield, Mass.