Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-11
AID URGED
FOR VETERANS HOME
Representative Dyer Speaks
for Ex-Uni0n Soldiers and
Sailors.

Encouraging conditions existing under
the present management Of the Home for
Ex-Union Soldiers and Sailors gave rise
to vigorous appeals by Representative
L. G. Dyer Of Missouri and others for the
purchase of the building at 301 c street
northwest by the federal government,
with added improvements on large
scale. Saturday night at the annual in
spection Of the home by the officers Of the
Department of the Potomac g. A r.
Representative John i. Burnett of Ala
bama added to the enthusiasm of the
meeting when he deplored the existence
Of sectionalism, and told the soldiers that
today there exists no north or south. but
one free. reunited country, in an address
at the banquet that followed the inspec-
ton of the building
That the present home was too made
quate for the growing needs of the insti-
tuition was the point emphasized by Rep
resentatve Dyer. Thomas 5. Hopkins,
president of the board of managers; Col.
George c. Ross. department commander
of the local g. A. r.; George S. Wilson,
secretary of the board of charities, and
others.
Hospital Needed.
Representative Dyer declared that his
personal inspection OF the building only
revealed to him more strongly the abso-
lutte need OF adding improvements that
were lacking, such as a hospital better
dOrmitories, a laundry and other i'm
provements which are keenly needed to
make the home modern and up to date in
ctery respect.
1T is the duty Of Congress to either
purchase the present building now
cupied by the home. together with large
improvements, or to purchase or build
another home,' he said.
The character of the home, which
takes care of destitute civil war soldiers
and sailors, only emphasizes the impor-
lance Of it in the eyes Of all who have
personally investigated it. Congress
should not only take up the matter OF its
purchase. but should increase the amount
of the annual appropriation for it's main
tenance, and give salary to Mrs. A A.
Maxim the wife OF your superintendent,
who bears great part OF the hardships
and responsibilities without so much as
even asking for a reward"
Anything for the benefit OF the home,
the encouragement of its work in be-
half of the former defenders of the
Union, is a matter to which Congress
should devote it's careful attention"
Dollar-a-Day Pension.
Another thing Representative Dyer ad-
vocated was the paying of 81 day to
all the veterans of the civil war.
Secretary Wilson of the board Of chart
ties gave an encouraging account of the
conditions of the home under its present
management
Commander Ross declared that the in
spection Of the home by the officers of
the Department of the Potomac had con-
WINGED them of its perfect management
Representative Burnett was introduced
as "one of the boys on the other side"
who exemplified thetrue spirit OF reunit-
ed America.
ApI ealing for the obliteratton Of the
Mason Dixon line, Representative Bur-
nett struck popular keynote that was
expressed in other addresses and de-
clared that If the north and south had
known each other before the civil war
as they do now there would never have
been the shedding OF so much brave
blood on both sides.
Others who spoke were Osborn II. Old
royd, ]. D. Bloodgood and B. w. Bonney.
Those present were Representative
Dyer, Representative Burnett, Col. George
c. Ross, department commander. G. A
r.; j. D. Bloodgood, senior vice COM
nrander; Osborn H. Oldroyd. assistant ad-
jutant; Edwin ]. Sweet, judge advocate;
B. W. Benneym, inspector, and the MEM
bers of the board of managers, Thomas
c. Hopkins, president; B.. +. Chase. vice
president; Israel W.Stone, secretary: New
ton Fetree, A. J. Cunning, Richard Ben
nett, Frank 4. Butts, James r. McCabe.
Hazard Wheeler. Calvin Farnsworth. j.
f. Clifford. J. ". Andrews. s. W Bum
ward A. Keller, II. w. Burns, George w.
Marin. r. s. Hodgson, Il r. Campbell. B.
J. Northcott and A. A. Maxim. Superin-
tendent.