The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-09-03
COMMANDER IN
CHIEF TALKS TO
GRAND ARMY
GARDNER DEGREES
THE DISSERTATION OF THE MA
TIONAL ANTHEM. RECON-
MENDS HEADQUARTERS.

Detroit, Mich, Sept. "a plea for
the perpetuation of THE Star Span
gled Banner" as the American an
them, without alloy, was made fer
yently by Washington Gardner, COM
mander in chief of the Grand Army
of the Republic, in his address before
the 4Sth annual encampment of that
organization here today.
He urged the old soldiers to join in
"A movement to pay special honor to
this song, and to discountenance the
practice of playing it in medley with
such "flippant and comparatively
meaningless ditties" as Yankee Doc
die" and When Johnnie Comes
Marching Home He said there was
something inspiring in an audience ris-
ing and standing uncovered at the ma
iestic strains of the national anthem,
but it was "incongruous, bordering
even on the ludicrous' for the band
to strike up some other national air
in medley with this, and to observe
the audience resume sitting in IAN
irregular, half-ashamed manner" 1t
were better not to rise at all when
the national hymn is played in med
ley, he said.
A recommendation that permanent
| Headquarters for the G. a. r. be es-
tablished in Washington was another
point of his address. Chicago and
Philadelphia had been proposed, but
he preferred the national capital, and
thought if possible the necessary
space should be secured i'll gov
lernment building where the officers
could keep closely in touch with mat
ters before congress which affected
the Grand Army.
A standing committee of seven per
sons, with the commander in chief
and adjutant general of the G. A. X
as eX-officio members, he also rec
commended principally for the purpose
of taking charge of all legislation
which had the endorsement of the
order He said that such committee
would concentrate responsibility, re-
duce expense and give promise of bet
ter results"
"As it is now" he continued, "the
| Ia, In TO Ia Wit
legislation, number, in the aggregate,
nearly ten times seven and are wide
lily separated. 1t is difficult to have
a general meeting, save at large eX-
pense to the order or to the individ-
uals. Under the present arrange
ment. responsibility is too widely diff
fused and members too rarely brought
together for consultation and concert
of action.
He urged that no change be made
in the method of management of the
soldiers homes which are scattered
throughout the United States. Con-
corning the matter, he said:
Not single complaint has come
to the knowledge of the commander
! in chief from any member of any
home during this administrative year.
1t is known that an effort is being
made to place these homes, now un-
der the care and supervision of our
, comrades, subject to the approval of
| the war department, into the custody
of men who never saw military SER
vice in actual war and whose sympa-
thies are not so likely to be directed
toward our comrades in their declin-
ing years. This seems to be a case
where the old rule, Let well enough
alone will apply. This encampment,
in my judgment should say to con.
gress that the Grand Army of the Re,
public is decidedly against the pro
, posed change"
. The present membership, in good
! standing was reported as III .335
During the year the roll was curtail
:, ed by the death of 11,1S7 old soldiers
but Notwithstanding this large figure
$ it is ISL less than died during the
S preceding year.