The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-03-09
Joshua s. Gray, Quartermaster.
Capt Robt. w. Griffin, Commander.
Edward East, Adjutant.

Joshua s. Gray, Quartermaster.
Capt Robt. w. Griffin, Commander.
Edward East, Adjutant.
Headquarters Lit. H. L. McCorkle,
Camp No. 2, United Spanish War
Veterans, Department of Tennes-
see, National Soldiers Home, Ten
nessee:
From Lieut.. II. L. McCorkle Camp,
U. S. w. ". to the Representatives
of the People; Subject. "An Appeal
For the Preservation of Our Home
and Loved Ones"
Whereas, by Act of Congress, APP
proved January 2Sth, 1901, the Ma
tional Soldiers Home, Tennessee, was
established in 1903 for the following
reasons: a AS memorial to the
intense loyalty and patriotism of the
intense loyalty and patriotism of the
citizens of East Tennessee and West
ern North Carolina and in particular
as a recognition of the fidelity of this
Congressional District, which furn-
ished more soldiers for the Union
Army during the Civil War than there
were voters. (2) That the large num-
Der of Disabled Veterans of the War
with Spain, the Philippine Insmrec-
tion and those who were disabled by
reason of service in foreign coun-
tries, caused an over-crowded condi-
tion to exist in the several Branches
of the National Home for Disabled
Volunteer Soldiers, and this locality
being conducive to the health Of
those suffering with diseases con-
tracted in the tropics, such as mala-
rial poisoning, rheumatism, tubercu-
losis, ETC.. and,
Whereas, there has been BILL
introduced in the Senate of the Uni
ted States by Senator Works of Cal
ifornia to dispossess us of our Home
in sunny Tennessee, given to us by a
grateful Nation, and turn it over to
the ex-Confederate Soldiers and their
wives and their widows, and
Whereas, the Works Bill" being in
direct violation of the Constitution
of the United States, and the Gov
ernment having no official record of
the ex-Confederate Soldiers, it would
be a physical impossibility to deter
mine their eligibility to membership,
and,
Whereas, many of our comrades are
property owners, whose little homes
are not fully paid for, and who de-
pend on their earnings in some
small position in the Home to main
tain their families in reasonable COM
fort and many more depend on the
climate, pure water, etc, of this 10
cality for their health, will be great
ly injured by the passage of this
"Bill,' and
Whereas, the burden of caring fol
our dependent Comrades and theil
dependents grows greater each year
and,
Whereas, this burden should bC
properly borne by the Government
of the United States. therefore it il
the plain duty of Congress to pro
vide, first, for the National Defend
ers and their dependents. in prefer
ence to those who attempted t.
wreck our country; and
Whereas, when the Disabled De
fender of the Nation comes to be
member of this Home he must par
with his dear wife at the boundar
line of the reservation. and,
Whereas, under the provisions Q
the Works Bill,' the ex-Confederat
Soldier is to be housed along wit
his wife, and,
whereas, the wife and widow of tn
| Defender of the Nation has no statu
at all in being cared for in the N;
/ tional Soldiers Home. and
Whereas, the Works Bill" provide
that the wife or widow of the Ma
(contInped on page twol