The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-09-03
SHOULD MAKE
KEYS ANTHEM
NATIONAL SONG
GA R. Commander Makes Plea fol
The Star SpangIed Banner"

Detroit, Mich, Sept. "a plea for
the perpetuation of THE Star Span
! gled Banner" as the American anthem
without alloy, was made fervently by
| Washington Gardner, commander in
chief of the Grand Army of the Re
public, in his address before the 4sth
national encampment of that organ
ization 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 ii in melody with
| such "fiippant and comparatively
meaningless ditties" as Yankee Doo-
die" and when Johnnie Comes March
/ ing Home" He said there was some
thing inspiring in an audience rising
and standing uncovered at the ma
| jestic strains of the national anthem,
| but ii was "itcongruous. bordering
J 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 irreg-
ular. half-ashamed manner" 1t were
| better not to rise at all when the ma
tional hymn is played in medley. no
said.
Headquarters at Washington.
A recommendation that permanent
headquarters for the G.. A. X. 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 that if possible. the necessary
/ space should be secured in a govern
ment building where the officers could
| keep closely in touch with matters
before congress which affected the
4 Grand Army.
/ A standing committee OF seven per-
sons, with the commandments chief
and adjutant general of the G.. A. r.
as ex-officio members, he also recon-
mended principally for the purpose OF
Il taking charge of all legislation which
had the endorsement of the order. He
said that such committee would
concentrate responsibility, reduce ex-
pense and give promise of better re-
suits"
AS it is. now" he continued, 1.-THE
committees having to do with propos-
ed legislation, number, in the aggre-
gate, nearly ten times seven and are
widely separated. 1t is difficult to
have a general meeting. save at large
expense to the order or to the individ-
uals. Under the present arrangement
/ responsibility is too widely diffused and
members too rarely brought together
for consultation and concert OF action
Ss Discusses Soldiers Homes.
He urged that no change be made
in the method of management of the
soldiers homes which are scattered
II throughout the United States. Con-
corning the matter, he said:
Not a single complaint has come
1 TO the knowledge of the commander
| in-chief from any member Of any home
i during this administrative year II is
i known that an effort is being made
i to place these homes, now under the
care and supervision of our comrades.
| subject to the approval of the war
/ department, into the custody of men
who never saw military service in ac-
i tual war and whose sympathies are not
| so likely to be directed toward our
| comrades in their declining years
! This seems to-.be a case where the
| old rule, Let wei enough alone VIII
| apply. This encampment, in my judg-
ment, should say to congress that the
Grand Army of the Republic Is decid-
edly against the proposed change"
The present membership. in good
standing. was reported as 171,SS5. Dur
inc the year the roll was curtailed by
the death OF Hist old soldiers, but
Notwithstanding this large figure, 1t is
151 less than died during the proceed
! ing year.