Evening star., 1915-06-10
NATIONAL RIFLES DINE:
/ READY TO VOLUNTEER
Speaker at Annual Banquet Of
Veterans Announces Their Will
+. ingness to Fight.
Says American People Stand Back of
President-Sound Taps
for the Dead.

That the members of the National
Rifles Veteran Association would be
among the first to respond to the coun-
trys call for troops. in case of war.
was the sentiment expressed by speak
ers at the thirty-fifth anniversary ban
auet of the organization last night at
Freunds Sl5 10th street northwest.
Lieut. George W Evans was toast
master
Henry X Simpson especially spoke
of the patriotism of the members OF
the association. we are not too old
to fight" the speaker declared, and ]
will say that if my country calls l will
be among the first to place my name
among the volunteers. He said that
although he had not been among those
who elected President Wilson to the
White House. he urged that the AinerI-
can people stand back of the President
in whatever he might do in the situa-
ton
Col. Gilendie b. Young of the National
Guard of the District of Columbia toid
of the reorganization of the guard
which is now in progress. He said the
guard has been too large for the class
of material wanted in it. He also said
the greatest draw back has been the
lack of adequate quarters.
Address of Welcome.
An address of welcome was given by
Lieut.. Joseph Q. Manson. The Ma
tional Rifles of 1861" was the toast re-
sponded to by Gilbert 3. Towles. Our
Nation. 1t Must and Shall Be Pre-
served" James \. Sample: Peace With
All Nations-Neutral in Affairs ]. II.
Ralston. Alex Abrams recited The
Kaiser's Prayer. Edward NJ. Shirley
spoke on Our Veteran Organization:
Long May Ii Live" Bertram A. Foy
sang several selections. among which
were Il Didn't Raise My Boy to Be
Soldier" and When You Wore Tulip
and ! Wore a Red. Red Rose. An in
teresting and amusing debate. The
Vets versus the Drys. or Grape Juice
versus Highballs," was participated in
by Edward p. Harrington ard Edward
S. Bailey. MIR. Harrington spoke in ia
vor of grape juice, while MIR. Bailey
upheld the highbalI end.
In accordance with the time-honored
custom. Lieut.. Evans ordered lights
out and the bugler sounded taps and
the muffied drum rolled the requiem for
the dead prior to the taking of seats
at the banquet table. Upon the re1ash-
ing of the lights Toastma Ster Evans
announced the deaths of Lieut.. Will
liam X. Ellis and Corp. William D.
Baldwin since the last meeting.
Answer Roll Call.
At the conclusion of the banquet
"Auld Lang Syne" was sung. and the
old company racket was given with
an enthusiastic yell.
The following answered here" when
roll was called: George N Acker
Edward S. Bailey, Frank NJ. Barnes.
Joseph H. Curran, James H. Clear
Warren K. Choate, Charles S Domer.
Addison G. Du Bois. Edward L. Dunn.
mund X. Fox, Albert c. Gawler, Henri
Guillaume. Edwin A. Goodwin. L. Ed
ward Gasch. Thomas A. Garner. Frank
C. Getzendanner. Thomas F.. Holden.
]. Harry Jones. Joseph o. Manson,
Willis b. Magruder. j. Blake Miller,
Lee B. Mosher, Thomas H. Mitchell.
Bryan H. Morse. Charles A. Neale.
Charles H. Paige, Jackson H. Ralston,
Henry K. Simpson, Edward NJ Shirley,
John W. Sanderson. J. Henry Small. jr-:
Charles A. Stewart, Milo c. Summers.
James A Sample. Will H. Way. Glen
die B. Young. William r. Vale and Ed
ward Dunn.
Capt. James F. oyster, owing to alb
sence from the city. was unable to be
present He sent his regrets and urged
his comrades to keep up the old spirit
of comradeship by continuance of the
annual gathering in celebration of the
anniversary of the company'S organi-
zation. Justice Siddons of the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia, a
member of the organization, also sent
regrets.
Of the eight surviving members of
the National Rifles Civil War Veterans,
only two were able to attend the ban
Quet last eycniRg-Thomas NJ. Shep-
herd and Gilbert p. Towles. The other
invited guests present were Fred {.
Grass. Edward =. Goodwin, j. Wilson
Davis and Bertram a. Foy.
The officers of the association are:
Capt. James F. Oyster. president; Lieut..
Joseph o. Manson. vice president. and
Lieut.. George W. Evans, secretary
treasurer