Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-09-22
DOLLAR PENSION
NOT FAVORED BY
VET COMMITTEE
G. A. R. Board Thinks S365
Per Year Too Much to
Ask of Government.
RECOMMENDS THAT WIDOWS
GET SAME AS SOLDIERS
Election of New Officers Will
Take Place Late This
Afternoon.
Especial to the Newark Star. ]

ATLANTIC CITY, Sept. 22.-Believ-
ing that any act looking toward pay
ing Ill old soldiers of the Civil War
a pension of a ollar day would be
burdening the national government
with an unnecessary expense, the pen
sion committee of the national encamb
ment, G. A. R., in its report today
recommended that no such action be
taken. The members of the committee
felt that 1t would be burdening the
taxpayers to such an extent that it
would be unwarrantable. But the COM
mtttee did make recommendation
that Congress pass a bill extending
the pensions now granted to soldiers
wives.
At present If widow draws her hus-'
bands pension she must have been
married prior to 1890. This, the mem
bers of the committee feel, is an unjust
discrimination, and oftentimes wocks a
hardship on a perfectly worthy woman,
and so recommend that the law be
amended tc make it possible for a
women who has been married three
years prior to the death of her soldier
husband to draw a pension. Another
recommendation is provision for in
creasin9 the pensions of all soldiers
who are rs years old and over, to place
them beyond the pale of want.
The Report Referred.
The report in its entirety was re-
ferred to the resolutions committee, of
which Colonel Torrance, of Minnesota,
is chairman.
Late this afternoon the encampment
will elect it's officers for the ensuing
year and select the place of holding the
next encampment.
1t seemed to be the opinion of many
veterans this morning that Major Gill
man, of Boston, has cinched the office
of national commander, and that Inc
next encampment win be held In Roch-
ester. N. Y.
There are so many subjects of vital
interest to be considered that Com
mander Van SAINT expressed il as his
belief that the encampment will not be
able to adjourn at noon tomorrow, as
had been expected.
With a fine tribute to the soldiers of
the Confederacy, Commander-in-Ch
Samuel r. Van SAINT formally spenee
the business session of the ma
tional encampment gof the Grand
Army of the Republic on the
Steel Pier in this city. The commander
spoke earnestly as he expressed his
qualification at the increasing fraterni-
cation of the blue" ard the Gray"
w 'en he said that no braver troops
We're ever marshaled for conflict than
the Southern soldiers and that the
Union veterans now realize that no
men ever made greater sacrifices COR
what they believed to be right than
their former foes. the commander was
app.@udedTs~
He expressed himself as particularly
gratified at he increasing fraterEiza-
ton of the blue and the Gray" He
voiced his pleasure at the cordial re-
ception given him during his recent
Official visit to the Southern depart
= ments, not only from the former
Union soldiers, but from ex-Confeder-
ates er
Incorporation of G. A. II.
The matter of Incorporating The
Grand Army of the Republic will prob
ably come before the encamnment. The
commander recommends in his report
that the national organization be in
cerporated under Federal law
The department OF Kentucky wants
the national hymn America" to in
clude the name of Lincoln. 1t has pro-
posed an amendment to the rule. and
regulations of the organization that the
following lines be used in patriotic
and memorial exercises in singing
America:
Reunited land,
Meath Lincoln's guiding hand,
Our ,ove y give -
Land, tyranny defled;
Land, war can ne'er divide;'
Land, soldiers glorified; W
For thee we live
The Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies of
the Grand Army of the Republic, Army
Nurses, Daughters of Veterans. and
Sons of Veterans held business meet
ings today.