Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1915-10-28
There was mo semblance of a re.

There was mo semblance of a re-
ception committee to meet the
trains bearing these battle SCARED
veterans. No one to direct these
gray haired soldiers to a place of
| rest. Wherever we went eXorbi-
tant rates were charged for our
food and lodging. Public and gov
eminent custodians OF property re-
fused to furnish guides, and the
customary 20 cents was collected
from all veterans visiting the gov
eminent navy yard. Yet Uncle Sam
would have no need of a navy if
we had stayed at home when the
county was in peril. But 10 ar
engagements had been made to
honor the preservers of the union.
Congress adjourned a few weeks a.
| go, but not dollar was appro-
priated by that pork barrel crowd
that the old soldiers might be
made happy for a few days under
the dome OF the natio capitol.
The real climax of public inlamy
followed the announcement of the
Washington papers: Camp Emery
will be closed at 6 O'Clock this
evening, but will be reopened at
$50 O'Clock for the general re
ception. Admission to which will
be by red, white and blue tickets
only. Entrance may be gained
through the First street door, I'm
der this arrangement the seating
was divided into three sections.
The first section, directly in front
of the speakers stand, was occu-
pied by Washington society, who
held the white tickets The second
section by Washington invited
guests holding red tickets
| The third and last division, all
most block distant from the
speakers stand, was for the blue
tickets held by such soldiers as
could get one. Out of four soldiers
from Bloomfield, only two were a.
BILE to get blue tickets. Not a single
old soldier could hear the president
when he arose to speak, and there
We're from four to seven thousand
veterans, looking at the speakers
stand block away. This arrange
ment was direct insult to every
defender of the old flag, and was
resented by these grand men.
AS soon as the president began
to speak, an old soldier in ou1
front arose and said ''Mr. Presi-
dent we are so far back we can
not hear a word you say, and
here are $500 empty chairs i'm our
front, for these high collared So
ciety fops,' and Washington DO
lliceman, at once grabbed the old
comrade and forced him into his
seat. So indignant did the old boys
become, that personal violence was
threatened. If we had had good
clubs, that policeman would have
gone away with more patriotism
knocked into him than we found
i'm Washington while we were there
President Wilson should have flat
| ly refused to speak, when he saw
the insulting arrangement of Wash
ington.
To be entitled to ride in free
automobiles in the parade, tota.
disability had to be shown, and g
ticket in your pocket, or you could
pay % cents and ride in jitney
at the tail end of the procession
by the reviewing stand. The official
report shows that $500 tickets were
issued to 10000 soldiers.
i The contrast of our reception was
very marked when compared with
oQr last encampment at Detroit
We were served with coffee, lemon.
AIDE and water, by boy scouts along
the entire marching line, and if {
veteran became fatigued he was pc.
litely lifted into an automobile, anl
kept on the march. The patriotic
Michigan city, only looked upon the
badge, and that was a passport te
! a warm-hearted reception, Within
the gates of the city. But at Wash,
ington, no such arrangements hat
been made.