Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-05-16
BIRMINGHAM GIVES IOLD CONFEDERATES
 A WARM WELCOME Expected Attendance at 26tll Annual Reunion Will
 Reach lOO,0O0. 1 MEMPHIS AND TULSA
 WANT 1917 MEETIN 6 1 Washington, D. C., Also Mentioned for 1 the Next Convention of the Eonfed- crate Veterans = Commander Young Gf Sons Makes Address.

Birmingham, May Welcome meetings held this afternoon and to- night by the Confederated Southern Memorial association and the Sons of Veterans showed thousands of old Confedera soldie4s and visitors to the 26th annual reunion that Birm- ingham is to receive them with open arms
 The sessions of the reunion begin tomorrow and last through Thurs day, the crowning feature being the
 parade Thursday morning. Nearly two score special trains to-
 day brought throngs from all sec tons of Dixieland. The local com
 mttee predicted that the attendance will reach 100000.
 Talk of this being the last reunion found no echo among old soldiers to- day, and Memphis, Tenn, and Tulsa OkAa both Eound support for the
 next meeting. Washington, D. c. also was said to be bidder for the event but there was no active cam pagn for that city.
 The arrival of about 2S bands, some of which were immediately pressed into service for the contend ing cities, added to the excitement of the first day.
 Young Would Retire. Gen. Bennett H. Young, of Louis vile, Ky, commanders chief of the veterans, together with his staff, ar rived early today. General Young dno1orod d ho c acfiVn nanii. . date for reelection. Gen George B. Alabama division of the army Of Tennessee, is spoken of as probable suceesso. 70 General Young. Because of the heat which struck the city Palm Beach suits were sub- stituted for formal evening clothes for the reunion balls. Despite the
 weather no reports of accidents to old soldiers have been received.
 Brandon MaXes Address. Gov. Charles Henderson of Ala bama, Mayor Ward of this city and
 Mrs. W.vJ. Behan, president-general of the Confederate Southern Memori' al association. welcomed the visitors at tthe afternoon meeting. Greetings also were given by Gen. Young, w. N.
 Brandon of Al kansas. commander-in-
 chief of the Sons of Veterans, and
 Mrs. Frank J. Bodenheimer, presi-
 dent-general of the U. D. c. The official parade of the maids
 and sponsors will take place Wednes- day afternoon and the veterans will continue their business, electing Of- ficers for the ensuing year, selecting the next meeting place and receive | a report on the Jefferson Davis Home association.
 The official grand ball for the
 veterans is set for Wednesday night
 and the big parade of the veterans, Sons of Veterans, military and fra ternal bodies will be held Thursday
 morning.
 | A sham battle between Alabama National Guards and the First Texas l battalion, United Confederate veter' | ans, will be staged in the afternoon Pays Tribute to Wilson. At the opening session of the Sons 1 of Veterans tonight the principal ad- dress of welcome was made by Lieu
 tenant Governor Tom E. Gildey o1 | Alabama. After eulogizing Lee, Jack son, JOHHSOH, otudIl anu otHel icdu-
 CTS of the Confederate armies in the
 civil war, Mr. Gildey paid tribute to President Wilson as "the peace
 loving but unfearing leader of the I American people," Other speakers I included w. R. Brandon of Little
 Rock, Ark. and M. E. Dunaway oi ! Little Rock, judge advocate of the l Sons of Veterans.
 The election of officers and other
 business will be transacted this
 morning.