The Alaska daily empire., 1915-09-29
.O,OOO OLD
 SOLDIERS
 IN MARCH

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2s.- Before President Woodrow Wilson his cabi- not. the army commanders, admirals, lmembers of the diplomatic corps and other dignitaries. nearly thirty thous- sand veterans Of the Civil War passed in review today AS they neared the reviewing stand the cheers were deai. ening and Che old warriors saluted the President as they passed.
 In welcoming the old soldiers Presi- dent Wilson said that the civn war was unique among the world con- nicts." He told the veterans that their battles Of a half century ago were fought "in order chat the great. est instrumentality for the uplift of mankind. that the world has ever seen might not be impaired
 Tonight a public reception in the Capitol building will be rendered to the Ladies of the Womens Relief Corps. which also holds its gatherings contemporaneous with tho Grand Ar my EncampmenL The business ses- sion of the Encampment to which there are accredited approximately fifteen hundred delegates, win be held on Thursday and Friday. On the lat ter day. the election of Grand Army officers for the ensuing year and the selection of the place for holding the next encampment will occur.
 To Revisit Battlefield.
 Saturday will be given over largely to side trips to the nearby battlefields of Virginia. where many of the old sol- diers saw hard fighting during the troubled days of 6l to 65.
 During Encampment week in Wash ington. the various organizations al- lied with the Grand Army win also hold their annual meetings Among these are the Women's Relief Corps, The Ladies Of the G. A. R., The Sons of Veterans. The Sons of Veterans Auxiliary. The Daughters of Veterans and Q dozen or more smaller bodies including the Royal Legion, The Med al of Honor League, The Volunteer Officers Association. The Naval Vet erans. The EN-Prisoners Of War The Society of the Army of the Potomac, The Society Of Che Army of the Cum berland. The Society Of the Army of the Tennessee. The Society of the Ar my Of the James and The Society Of the Army of the Ohio
 This week there will also be ser ies or campfires by members of the various corps as they were organized at the time Of Che war as well as "dog-watch" for the naval veterans. The naval veterans for the most part are members ot the Grand Army. and the "dog-watch" is to them what the campfire is to the old soldiers.
 45 Departments in c. A. R.
 There are in the Grand Army or ganization. for,y-five departments, each state constituting a department except the states of Louisiana and Mississippi Georgia and South Caro- lima. Colorado and Wyoming. and Cali fornia and Nevada are combined and the Department of the Potomac conn posed of the veterans in the District of Columbia In these various de- partments there are upwards of six thousand posts. Many of these which were numerically large at the time Of their organization now number less than a score Of members, SO rapidly has death. within recent years, de- pleted their ranks. Other posts have several hundred members.
 One of the features of the Encamp- ment which has been arranged by the Womeu's organization allied with the Grand Army win be the planting of two memorial trees, one on each side of the boulevard which leads to the Lincoln Memorial now in course of erection at a cost of three million dollars in Potomac Park
 Conference on National Defense
 Immediately following the Grand Army of the Republic Encampment will be held the conference on Ma tional Defense. To this gathering all veterans are invited. as we'll as any citizens who attend the encampment
 The Conference on National De- fense is unique in that any citizen of the United States may attend the con- ference as an accredited delegate from his city or town and participate in the deliberation of the great assem- blaze. No appointment is necessary and any citizen may take part in its : deliberations. All that is required for any person who is interested in Ma tional Defense and who wishes to at- tend the conference is Go send his name and address to the National De- fense League, Riggs Building, Wash : ingtou. D. C.. when he will be enroll ed as a delegate to the conference
 While the conference was initiat- cd by. and will be held under the aus pices of the National Defense League, other defense societies win partici- pate The Navy League and the Ma tionai Ride Association of America. as well as other defense organiza- tions. win take part
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