The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-11-17
Interesting Session To-
day Devoted Mainly
To Speeches and the
Passage cf Resolutions
-Drane Makes Inter-
esting Address

BY the unanimous action this morn
ing of the Thirty-first Reunion of the
florida Division, United Confederate
Veterans. Col. J. H. Harp of Crescent
( City, becomes division commander for
the ensuing year. General w. A.
ltawls was reappointed to the post of
chief OF staff and adjutant, and Mrs
f. H. Carney has been re-chosen as
| Division matron of honor. The meet
/ ing place of the next Reunion was
/ left to the new commander.
Yesterdays Session
1 A short business session of the re-
union Of the United Confederate Vet
Grams was held Wednesday afternoon
at o'clock, at which time the beau
tifully worded resolution in memory
OF General Newton A. Bitch was
adopted. The Telegram takes pleas
ure in reproducing in another col
umn, this tribute to the deceased di.
vision commander
The rest of the afternoon was spent
by the Veterans in strolling about the
city or riding with car owners. Many
have personal friends here and spent
the time with them. Mum Park is a
popular gathering place and much
leisure time is spent there in the ex-
change OF "reminiscences.
AT 1:30 Wednesday evening a band
/ concert by the American Legion
Band was given in the park The band
was at its best and big crowd gath
cred to hear the splendid program.
y pleasing feature was the singing of
the male quartette, composed of Wal
ter Merrill, Orm Robb, Moxgan
Groover and Frank Law. Refre>s.
ments of coffee and sandwiches were
served by the Daughters of the Con
federacy.
Morning Session
The morning session began at $3.50.
and in the absence of the state chap
lain, beautiful invocation was de.
livered by General w. j. Foulkes, of
Ocala
short address, full of beautiful.
sentiment. was delivered by Mrs. ].
b. Hannah and it was received with
warm appreciation by the assemb-
lage. Mrs. Hannah's address follows:
Mrs. Hannah'S Address
Soldiers who wore the gray. it has
been a long time since you left your
mothers. your wives and your sweet
hearts to answer the call of the South.
In the flush of your young manhood
ycu turned your faces from your
pleasant homes, your pleasant pur-
suits and marched away to starve and
freeze and Bleed because you thought
that the rights Of the South were
threatened
All wars are sad but especially so
when brother fights brother and
friend fights friend as in the war be-
tween the states. If, in those days
the country had had greater states
men, the war might have been averted
Cut after the storm broke there was
othing to do but tight-fight for your
loved ones, your homes and your
honor
This you did. nobly, valiantly,
against terrible odds, setting an ex-
ample of bravery. endurance and pa
triotism which inspired your children
in the war with Spain and your
grandchildren in the World War.
Therein lies the value of there re-
unions and that is why they should
not be discontinued as long as two
gray-haired heroes remain on earth.
You remind us of sacrifice. honor and
{ NsAiOl anu We are DellCI anu
! finer just for seeing you pass by
/ There are those who say, Let us
forget the war as soon as possible Ii
is unprofitab.e to bring it up again.
Let it be forgotten that we were ever
| divided. They are right to a cer-
tain degree. Let us forget the sense
OF wrong, the heat and hate of the
battle, but let us never forget that
our ancestors were brave men-good
| fighters, good losers and as good
Americans as ever trod the soil or
these United States.
The thin gray line is indeed grow
ing thin. and it greves us to see it
so. but there is one thing you can be
sure of. When the last one of you
has passed over into that pleasant
country to the greatest reunion of all,
I to which your great commanders Lee
and Jackson have already led the way,
you will still live here on earth in
our hearts and in the hearts of those
who come after us, and, ITO live in
hearts we leave behind is not to die.'
DR.. 5. l.. Lowry, of Tampa Division
commander of the Sons of Veterans,
gave splendid address on behalf Of
the Vterans, paying tribute to the
Confederate army and expressing his
great pride in being descendant of
Veterans.
Several items of interesting and i'm
portant business were transacted out
side the regular meeting.
General Harp re-appointed General
w. A. Rawls as his adjutant and chief
of staff and re-appointed Mrs. e. L.
Carney as the Divisions matron OF
honor. General Harp and General
Rawls appointed DR.. s. Lowry and
lY. r. Beazley, both OF Tampa, az
transportation committee for the ilI-s
lQontlnned "A PaEe 1qk