Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-09-06
ARMY AND NAVY UNION
FAVORS u. S. RESERVES
Would Organize Auxiliary to be
Differed by Veterans for
National Defense.
LACK OF PATRIOTISM.
Meeting Of Delegates viii Arrange to
Boom Gen. Lake for Reelection.

| In preparation for the national en-
campment of the Army and Navy I'm
lon, to be held September Is to rs, in
elusive, at Atlantic City the joint board
| Of delegates, commanders and past
commanders held a meeting in Wash
ington recently in the Gen. Arthur Nc
Arthur Hail. Grand Army Hal Gen.
II. oden Lake. national commander,
has announced
The thirty-five Washington delegates
have threshed out the general stand
of the District on matters of interest
likely TO be brought up at the conven-
.ion. where $50 delegates will be in at
tendance from all over the United
States. In view of the recent agita-
tion for national preparedness the en-
campment promises to be particularly
important this year. 1t is the desire OF
the delegates to retain the national
headquarters and commander in the Ma
tional Capital, and a large enthusias-
tic for the reelection of General Lake
TO succeed himself General Lake is
the only announced candidate so far
and his supporters look for clean
i sweep for him.
There exists now, and has for years.
a deplorable lack cf patriotism and
proper respect for this country's flag
and uniform as evinced by certain mag
istrates sentencing young lawbrealI.
ers TO enter the navy as punishment
for crime" declared a member of the
Union recently. "This we propose to
try to correct"
The formation of a national reserve
by the Army and Navy Union will be
advocated at the coming oncampment,
and it is believed that this matter will
be one of the most important consid-
erations at the convention
"In the face of the fact that this
country is handicapped by the made
Quacy of its army, i'll prepared in the
event of war, and the various attempts
TO organize an efficient reserve have
thus far not been successful, | believe
that the Army and Navy Union, per-
petual organization of veterans, the ma
iority of whom are inexperienced drill
masters, would form the most logical
and practical neucleus for such a re-
serve" said Commander Lake, dis
cussing the question.
According to the national comman-
der resolutions will be introduced at
the encanpment asking that steps be
taken by the Union at once to amend
the constitution of the Army and Navy
Union, providing for an auxiliary re-
serve corps of that body. He said:
This auxiliary is to be divided into
two divisions,a patriotic rank for those
older members not wishing to partic-
ipate in military tactics, and a uni
formed rank for younger members.
Meetings of garrisons would be held
alternately. one executive for veterans
only, the other for the whole garrison
/ including auxiliary members.
THE benefit of such an organization
to the country would be incalculable
BY making provision that the reserve
will be subject to the call of the nation.
al government only, as is the militia it
would bring in the thousands of me
chanics, former members of the Ma
tional Guard, who were compelled to
withdraw owing to the laws of their
respective Unions. They would en-
courage their sons to join for the ben
eft OF a military training. Members
of uniformed ranks of the many fra
| ternal organizations would grasp the
opportunity to joinslch an auxiliary
Men of meaDs and influence would join
for patriotic motives. and would give
US their moral and financial support.
THE intermingling of newly dis
charged soldiers and sailors with these
men of the auxiliary at musters would
open avenues of acquaintance and suit
able employment, and all in all such an
organization would be a powerful in
huenee TO mold public opinion toward
true patriotism, and proper recogni-
tion and respect for the army and navy
of the United States of America"