The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-17
URGE DISTRICT MAN
FOR HEAD Of G. A. R..
Friends Boom Col. John Nc
Elroy, Candidate for Com
mander-in-Chief.
PLANNING PERMANEN
PLACE FOR MEETING
Washington May Be Selected to
Entertain All National
Encampments.

ATLANTIC CITY, n. J., Sept IL
With the election Of q commander-in-
chief. for which office the veteran com
rades Of the District Of Columbia are
pushing the claims Of John McElroy. Of
Washington, and the probable selection
Of the National Capital as a permanent
place Of meeting, Washington viii play
an important part in the Grand Army
OF the Republic encampment 70 be held
here next week
II viii be the forty-fourth annual
meeting Of the veterans and will con
Cnue throughout the week The gath
eT1ng Of the veterans, their families and
friends is expected to be one Of the larg-
est Of recent years.
COmmander-in-Chef Samuel r Van
SAINT, formally opened the official head
quarters of the veterans today, and
with his aides IS busy making final
was waited upon by the Citizens Com
mitLee Of One Hundred.
General Van SAINT declared the illum-
nations last night surpassed anything
Of the sort he had ever seen.
The only question to come before the
veterans that IS likely to cause much d.
vision OF opinion Is the proposition TO
have the encampment make an official
protest against the presence Of the
statue Of Gen Robert e Lee in Statu-
aTy Hall, IN the National CAPITAL.
Reception Plans Complete.
Atlantic City has been waiting all
summer for the third week In Septen-
Der to come. and as the eventful week
draws near the anticipation Of the peo-
pie becomes keener.
Practically all the arrangements Cor
the reception and entertainment Of the
multitude OF visitors are completed
Already the city is extensively and
handsomely decorated IN honor Of the
occasion, and the piers and the great
hotels along the waterfront bear cleo
trical Nominations Of unsuaI brfIIiancy.
IN connection with the meetings Of
the Grand Army there will be held the
Woman's Relief CORDS. the NsffO1si
Ladies OF the g. =. R, the National
Ladies' Aid Society, the National Daugh-
Lers Of Veterans. the National Army
nurses Association the National Asso-
clatOn Of eX-PTisoners Of War, and the
National Association Of Naval Veter-
ans
Feature of the Week.
The meetings and reunions Of these
various organizations will continue from
Monday until Saturday.
The feature of the week will be the
parade Of Grand Army men on wednes-
day, when 1t Is expected that from |
fifteen to twenty thousand veterans VIII /
be IN line Commander-in-Chief Samuel /
h Van SAINT, Of Minnesota, and his 4
star win review the procession. together
With the lEovernoF OF Nev Jer1a|- .yS5 Il
other notable guests
The foTty-four departments will march 4
with the exception of New Jersey
which being the entertaining state
VIII bring up the rear
The route Of the march viii be from
the intersection OF North CaroIt1s az sUs--
nue. and Pacific avenue, east on Pacific I
avenue to Rhode Island avenue. to At
lantic avenue, west. on Atlantic avenue
70 ONO avenue, south on Ohio avenue
TO Pacific avenue, east on Pacific ave
nue. 70 Park place, south on Park place
70 INDIANA avenue. north on Indiana Il
cthc avenue 70 Tennessee avenue WHERE
tne column VIII be dismissed
Election Of New Commander.
Thursday is the day set apart for the
business sessions Of the Grand Amy
10 take place In the assembly hall on
YoUng's Pier.
The principal features Of the business
sessions VIII be the election OF a com
uander-in-chief and the selection OF the
The spirited contests 81
previous years for the honor of heading
the veterans organization and OF enter 4,
Latning the national encarnDrusut are
almost lacking this year.
For the Office Of cOmmaader-in-chfef
mere are but two active candfdates-I
Ionn = Gilman, Of Massachusetts, and
John McElrOy- OF Washington, d c
The candidacy OF Mr.. McElroy is being
pushed BY his veteran comrades from
The District Of Columbia, and sup
South and several Of the western
States.
On the other hand, Mr.. Gilman. who
s past department commander Of
Massachusetts,, has the solid support of
ne numerically strong New England I
delegation and other sections Of the ,
country as well. and his friends believe
max ne Is certain OF victory
Relief Corps Election.
The fight for the national presidency
argest and. most important OF tbs
initiated organizations, promises TO be
wen more spirited than the contest 10
Mrs. Jennie r Berry, Of Iowa, Is the
'resent head Of the ". R c. To sue
.eed her there are four active candI-i
lstes IN the field They are Mrs. Belle ,
Davis, Of Oregon: MIS- Ida s Mcbride. I
4 Indiana, and Mrs Lois N. Knaun. OF {
ohio.
They have al been department presi-
Lents OF their respective States. and
hree OF the four. are past national
Ulcers
A half dozen or more cities are named
Z connection with the choice Of a meet :
ng place for next years sncampment,
nut 80 far Rochester, n. z, and Port !
and. Ore, appear to be the only places ]
making an active canvass
with the arrival of the main body Of
-eterans on Monday, however. II is be-
ieved that the claims Of other cities {
vii be pushed forward, with the Dos /
ibility that a spirited contest viii de- I
-elop before a final decision in the mat ,
er IS reached
It is said that the plan to make Wash
nSto1, D c. the permanent meeting I
lace for the national encampments in
utuTe VIII be agitated again this year, !
houSn there Is believed to be small
nance OF It's adoption at this time.