The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-28
RALLINGTON BOOTH, HEAD OF VOLUNTEER ARMY
 IS FTFTY-FTVE TO-DAY

BaIlington Booth. president of the Volunteers of America, an American offshoot of the Salvation Army. was born fifty-f1ve years ago to-day in second sson Of the Rev. William Booth. founder of the Salvation Ar nay, and at an early age became iden- tiAed with the work of that orgauiza- ton in England. He was principal of Salvation Army training school, and later an inspector in all parts of the world. In 1885 he was made commander-in-chief of the Austra.- liam army, and did such effective work that in 1887 he was promoted to the command of the army in the United States. He remained in that posi- ton for neal y a decade. but in 1sSe he resigned his commission in his fathers army and launched an organ izatien of his owns the Volunteers of America.
 The seeds of separation in the American army had been sown some years before Major D. Moore, who was the pioneer of the Salvation army in Philadelphia, secured in 1883 an act of incorporation for a society which prepared the way for the later separation led by Bal1ing gton Booth.
 It was in Is 86. while he was in com nnand of the Australian army. that Ballington Booth married Maud CharIeswortT. since his able ally in all his hufnanitarian and reform movements. and joint presiden with her husband of the Volunteers Of America. Mrs Booth has been in charge of the great and extensive work Of the voIunteers among the convicts and has earned the title Of ssthe Angel of the Prisons
 The reasons for the arrangement between Gen. William Booth and his son BalIineton have never been clear lair BaIIington objected to the interven4 ton of the parent English society in the affairs of the American army, and that he demanded a greater freedom Of movement, more local self=control, and a less social restriction to classes.
 Whatever his motives, BaIMngfon Booth laid aside the uniform of the Salvation Army in 1896 and donned that of his new organization, the Vo1- unteers of America. In the official history of the society, prepared by Gen. Ballington Booth. he simply states that the Volunteers are fnst1- tuted fin response to a number of requests on the part of American cit. izens.s'
 While the organization is similar in plan and objects tothat of the pa rent society. there are some diferen- ces. The organization is. of course, military in style, and has as it's model the United States army.
 in conjunction with military dis cfp1ine and methods of work says Gen Booth. the Volunteers possess a thoroughly democratic form of gov ernment. It's constitution and by laws are framed by 8 grand field coun-. ell. which represents 4he minor coun- ciIs of officers throughout the coun- try annually.
 The Volunteers have some forty four principal homes and institutions of benevolence. many Of which are Volunteer property. and are open for poor and deserving people in different sections of the country.
 The Volunteer Prisoners League has embraced upward Of some 75,O0os members since it's organization It has leagues in nearly thirty State. prisons. and over seventy per cent. Of those having left the prisons are. through their Hope Halls, living re- formed and honest lives. Through the fresh air branch Of Volunteer. work many thousands of mothers and children have been taken from crowd ed cities for a change in the open air amid hills and lakes. rivers and dales. The Volunteers also hold sewing class es, do hospital nursing. conduct fresh air camps, give Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and engage in