The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-09-21
Is. The supreme commander

sions. The supreme commander In
his report says in part.
While the military forces OF nearly
all Europe were then surging forward
in mortal combat, the blaze Of their
war torches already coIoring our own
horizon: the walls OF their suffering,
starving and dying beating upon our
sensitive. sympathetic ears; we still
had hopes that the bitter cup Of war;
would not be pressed to our lips-~that
we could and would find 1t possible
as a nation to remain neutral within
the meaning of that term as used in
international law, Notwithstanding the
fact. that as a people we were never
neutral the sypathies of the vast ma
tority being with the allies all the
while, from that fateful August day,
1914, down to that glorious hour when
the last shot was fred on November
II. 1918.
Our hopes in this respect were
doomed TO ent-the time
came early in April, 1917. when the
pent up fury Of our great liberty low
ing people could not longer be held
in leash; when this nation, under God,
once again must go forward on its
Heaven born mission of rescufing and
succoring the down trodden and OPP
pressed Of earth, and with the flaming
ana set them free.
We called q special review of the
supreme tent in August. 1915. 10 CON
slider, among other matters, the war
situation. We found many of our Ca
madam members in the service of
Great Britain-~-a number Of deaths
had already occurred and were unpa Id
because the laws of the association
did not provide for their payment.
While we then hoped that the United
states would not become involved in
the world war, we were having
troubles OF our own down on the Mex
m ern bers were with our army down
there-thc situation was serious.
Our duty to those boys In the ser
vice was plain and 1t is pleasing to re-
port that the supreme tent met the
issue sq,,arely and made the necessar y
action possible as occasion should re-
quire. When the United States enter
ed the war thousands of our members
soon found themselves in the uniform
of Uncle sam. We have not been able
to obtain an accurate census of the
mem hers who were In the military
service but probably upwards of 20,
600
All war claims have been paid on
fling proper proof Of death.
In the payment of these war
claims our association did only It's
plain duty and we should be very
proud Of the manner in which the
membership everywhere responded 10
the demands of this service. ON our
service flag" today, as 1t hangs in this
hall are over four hundred gold
stars every one of them represent
ing the splendid patriotic spirit that
characterized our membership in this
great struggle. To the memory OF
those brave boys who made the "su-
preme sacrifice" we pay our grateful
tribute OF love and loyalty. conscious
of the fact that we were as true tr
them and theirs as they we're to the
| flag of their country
The supreme review of the Woman
| Benefit association of the Maccabecs
| has been in convention at Port Huron
Mich. during the past week. The SEES
| sion was n most important one. and
| we will be able later to give details
| to the same. Miss Eta England
| supreme sentinel and state supervisor
| with other representatives are attend
! ing the convention.
| A man of thirty, whom we solicited
! 10 Join the order and provide som.
! insurance protection, wouldn't do 81
| because he said he was unmarried ans
| had no one to leave 1t to" W.
| couldn't help but conclude that h
was right. bachelor Maccabe
| would be but half a crop.