Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1922-03-02
VETERANS HOLD
BIG INITIATION
BURNS POST ADDS THIRTY
FIVE VETERANS TO
MEMBERSHIP

Imagine 200 overseas veterans of
the world war together, then hear a
bugle clearly sounding wmess CALI.
There is little difficulty to further
picture the scene. 1t is a duplicate
of the hundreds of similar occasions
experienced by every ex-seryice man.
These 200 were members of Burns
post, No. 35S, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, who attended the big initiation
and supper held by the organization
at the d. A. u " hall last Sunday
afternoon and evening.
An initiation of new members was
the first order of business Sunday af-
ternoon, thirty-fiye veterans being
welcomed. The work of initiation was
done by S. Knox Kreutzer, post com
mander; Edward Thiel, senior vice
commander; Grover Jones, junior
yice-commander; Lawrence Swope. 0.
D.; John Montay, chaplain; Arthur
Stretch, quartermaster and Pat Burns,
Jr., adjutant. Color bearers and the
color guard also participated.
Interest in Co. G
Capt Fred R. Becker, Co. G, w. N
G., was called upon for a few re-
marks Capt. Becker urged members
pany G, and to help it to keep re-
cruited up to strength. That young
er men ought to be interested and in
duced to sign up for one period of
enlistment at least, was another sug-
gestion made by Cap. Becker Major
Frank l.. Gottschalk declared that
while many ex-service men were with
out employment he had heard of one
xxyh1 rof
all the names of these men who are
worthy. 1t is his intention, it is un-
derstood, to furnish them with work
Frank Drake and Charles S. Gill
bert, Jr. spoke, representing the thir-
ty-five men who were initiated. Dom
aid McLennan told members of the
post what plans were being made for
the monument to be erected on the
court house square. Claude Roberts,
former commander of the post, also
spoke
1--WE are happy to greet you here as
our new brothers and we shall al
ways, all of us, stand by you and your
trying to exemplify in action as we'll
as in word that fundamental prin-
ciple of our order -comradeship.
said S. Knox Kreutzer in addressing
No Distinctions
among us, whether it be in our
meetings or in our daily life, we have
no distinctions or CLASSES. 1t makes
no difference whether one man was
major general and the other a
buck. We are all to each other Just
comrades, eager to share each others
joys as we'll as to help alleviate the
other fellows burden or sorrow"
Mr.. Kreutzer credited Claude Rob-
erts with having started the post, of
group of old Company G men for the
most part The beauty and strength
of the fraternity, he said, lies in three
things.
First, among the other things,
place the stand and attitude of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars towards the
United States of America. Their stand
is unquestionable, definite and inn
movable We are in the greater war
of American citizenship and we are
on the side of Washington, Jefferson
and Lincoln.
1--WE are not tied to capital, nor to la
Dor, nor to any political party. We
are absolutely independent of ALL Our
creed is plain and simple American
ism 1t is Americanism not of the
small flag waving variety which con-
demns another for an opinion held
sincerely yet differently, but it is an
Americanism which is big and broad
and liberal, yet ready and willing to
fight all enemies, whether within or
outside our numbers to uphold oui
country and its institutions"
Mr.. Kreutzer secondly emphasized
the absolute independence of the fra
ternity. He said that among the vet
Grams there are men of all creeds and
sects: men who have won the high
est honors in battle.
Good Fellowship
Thirdly, he declared, 81 cherish, as
one of our most important and priced
points, our association of good fellow
ship, the tie that links us all together
as one, to work for all those worthy
aims we have in view, and to accom-
plish in the end that great amount of
good which big, broad minded atti-
tude will surely bring to US"
In conclusion the commander said:
"And so, comrades let us all live up
to our ileads and be worthy of the as
sociations we are privileged to have
as members of this order. We can
accomplish a great amount of good
in the community in which we live.
We have set out fine work for our
selves and to attain our ends every
man must do his part. A few sim
ply cannot do it all. Each man must
give lift in the general work to be
done. With malice toward none and
charity for all, let us continue to
live up to and be worthy of the ira
ditions and ideals of the organization
of which we are a part"
The supper was served by the en-
tertainment committee, its members
wearing white aprons and caps, in ar
my style. 1T was just like the old
mess hail." said one veteran who was
there, "and most of the men were not
bashful about coming back for Sec
ond'"
Friends have heard from many To-