Evening star., 1920-09-13
CAPITAL WARMLY
GREETS VETERANS
Of FOREIGN WARS
Speeches of Welcome Open
Twenty-First Annual
Encampment.

With men present who have fol-
lowed the Stars and Stripes in a score
Of campaigns. through tropical jun
giles or over Siberian steppes. the
twenty-first annual encampment Of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars OPEN
ed at the Central High School audi
torium today. following a reception
to the national officers at the New
Willard Hotel earlier in the day.
While the bulk of the representation
consisted of men who saw service
abroad during the war with Germany.
there was plentiful sprfnkling of
Spanish American war veterans. with
here and there a group of the ubiqui-
tous marines, who wore medals COM
memorating expeditions in Haiti and
elsewhere. The Navy also was we'll
represented. and the visitors include
a surprising number Of men who are
sun IN the service of their country.
Addresses Of Welcome.
The first session Of the encampemnt
was given over to addresses of well
come by Commissioner Louis Brown.
low and Rohert N. Harper. president
OF the Washington, Chamher of Com!
merce. and a=Raq 61o11 war
ner Karling KAnS9s City. COM
RFaRdsr1i9ssa.sf Foleisn Wars. sc, ys.sr.as q
from President Wilson. expressing his
regret at not being able to greet the
veterans In person, was read by Com
mander Edward H. Hale Of National
capital Post. No: 127. of the order
tee. The Presidents letter. written
the latter part of August said:
my Dear Mr. Chairman:
4 sincerely wish that I might he
present and convey my greetings in
person to the veterans of our fore;en
wars when they meet next month h,,t
circumstances. which am sure they
will understand. prevent. and / must
content myself with sending them
through you my very cordial greetings.
hope that their convention will yield
them the utmost pleasure and stirnuIa
ton. Certainly there is everything TO
stimulate in their memories Of the great
national undertakings in which they
have been SO gallantly concerned.
Cordially and sincerely yours.
WOODROW WILSON"
In speaking as the representative of
the Chamber Of Commerce. President
Harper said the people of washington
with outstretched arms and hearts
overfiowing with good fellowship. extend
to you without reservations, a most
hearty welcome"
Tribute to d. c. War Record.
After referring to the courage, which
had raised up great republic out Of a
wilderness. and maintained it's political
freedom on many fields of battle, Mr..
Harper said:
1T is glorious heritage for Ameri-
can youth to realize that this is a coun-
try of the people. made strong and ever
lasting by the fact that its powers are
derived only from the people. That it
is sovereign nation made up of SOW
ereign states. bound together by ties
of freedom. equality. justice and hu-
manity. for which the American patri-
ots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.
The growth of your capita, must
have been the result of an inspiration
to carry out the genius of our fore
fathers who planned it. When We OBJ
serve today the broad. shady streets.
the parks. the statues OF marble, bronze
and granite. the beautiful residences
and expensive public buildings, we can
only family imagine the wilderness
these displaced. We have a population
OF 4s7.oo0. the only place in the con-
tlnental United States where the peo-
pie have no voice ip their government.
We obey laws made for us by others,
and pay taxes assessed without our
consent or voice. yet We sent larger
percentage or our men to war as volun-
teers than did fifteen of the states"
me proposition to bring the ma
tlonal headquarters of the order from
New York to Washington is certain
to evoke a great deal of warm debate
at the business session of the en-
campment. and it is probable that the
question will be brought up late this
afternoon. Each city has its defend
ers. and both sides are confident of
their success. All of the delegates
from the five posts in Washington
have been instructed to cast their
ballots In favor Of bringing the head
quarters to this city. This move is
taken not in the interest of the city.
but rather because the local veter.
ans feel that this is the logical place
for the national headquarters.
Several Candidates for Leader.
There probably will be a number of
in the field for national
commander-tn-chief to succeed Col.
Kariing. who has said he will not be
q candidate for reelection. Today
sentiment had not trystailized, but
state delegations were busy sounding
out sentiment for some Of their "fa-
vorite sons"
The reception to the national officers
OF the order, the first event on the
official program OF the encampment,
was made colorful by the variety of
decorations and uniforms worn by
the delegates. While the members
shook hands with Col. Karling and
his stan the drum and bugle corps
of the Pittsburgh delegation made the |
rattle with familiar bugle |
calls and marches. With Col. Karl |
ing in the line were Brig. Gen. |
Anton Stephan Of the District Ma
tional Guard. Col Harry Coope, Col |
E. Lester Jones. Maj. Clifford Cox, |
Capt. Ed Grant and Commander e. H. |
Hale.
Coincident with the national en-
Of the veterans. the la.
CONTINUED = T6Ge 2, Column 81