The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-15
SORROW IN WASHINGTON


 News of Mai. Augustus P. Gardners
 death at Camp Wheeler was received
 with sorrow in the capital, not only III
 congressional and official circles, but among consumptions generally whose ad- miration he won when, though a grand father he laid down his work as pre- paredness champion in Congress and joined the army at the outbreak or war. During all the 15 years he was mem Der of the House Major Gardner fought for lberalizing of the rules restrictive immigration to uphold American stan dards and preparedness for war. Born at Boston on November 4. 1S6o' Major Gardner graduated at Harvard III 1886 and later attended the Harvard law school for two years, though he never ora cticed law. Then he went into busi- ness looking after the large estates of his family, and in 1896 launched into state politics, 8 year later becoming
 member of the republican state commit tee. During the Spanish American war, with the rank of captain, he served as assistant adjutant general at Camp
 Thomas, at Chickamauga. and went to Porto Rico, where he was breveted ma jor for gallantry under fire. Before being elected to Congress he served two years in the Massachusetts senate. Always an active figure in the house, MT. Gardner was an expert parlia-
 
 first big fight was for the upbuildins of the American merchant marine. Then
 he took leading part in the fight for restrictive immigration legislation, with
 a literacy test, which finally was passed
 over President Wilson's second veto. In March, 1910. Gardner was leader in the dramatic struggle against so- called "cannonsm," which resulted in making the rules committee elective by the House, instead of appointive by the speaker
 MT. Gardner was in England when the European war broke out in 1914 and vol
 unteered his services to the embassy at
 London to look after Americans. Re- turning home. he made a persistent cam paign for preparedness which did not end until he was called to the colors as member of the officers reserve corps.
 Mrs. Gardner was Miss Constance Lodge Her daughter, who has two chill dren. is the wife of Lieut.. Grafton w. Minot of Boston. now in France. The body of Major Gardner will leave Macon Tuesday morning at 11:10 o'clock | for Washington, D. C., it was announced tonight, where it will lie in state for several days, the interment to take place 1 in Arlington cemetery. Besides Mrs. Gardner, the body will be accompanied 1 by Major Keenan of the 106th sanitary escort. Major Kennan is also close personal friend of the Gardner and | Lodge families
 Boston, Mass, January H-After con- l tinuous service of 15 years as repre- sentative from the Fifth congressional district of Massachusetts. Augustus P. Gardner resigned last year when war i was declared to enter the United States army. For years he had fought for na- | tional preparedness for bigger army and a bigger navy, and when this coun- 1 try became involved in hostilities he gave prompt and practical demonstra- :, ton of his patriotism
 1 In the Spanish American war he
 served as captain and assistant adju- l tant general on the staff of Gen. James H. Wilson and thereafter waged de- termined fight in and out of Congress | for the development of American mili- tary and naval forces.
 Since his graduation from Harvard in 1 1886. Mir Gardner had devoted the greater part of his time to politics ! Elected to Congress in 1902 to fill va cancy caused by the retirement of Will ! liam H. Moody, he was nominated to succeed himself in each succeeding cam paign and was elected by large major ities over his democratic opponents. only once was his political programme Va l ried, that being in 1913, when he was the republican nominee for governor against Eugene Noble Foss Foss was electAd but the campaign did not in terrupt Gardner's term in the national House of Representatives.
 After joining the army last year Major Gardner was commissioned colonel. but at his own request he was reduced to major in order that he might be sent to France for active service in the field.
 This. his friends said, was characteris- tic of the man and in keeping with the doctrine he long had preached in favor of universal military service with out thought of personal reward or fa-
 vor.