The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-20
G.. A. r. Encampment Opens at
Des Moines Sunday.
With Number Dwindling Only
$4,000 Will Attend.
ELABORATE PLANS ARE MADE
''Not an Accident to an Old Sol
dier," City's Motto.
Commander of American Le-
gion One of the Speakers.

Des Moines, Ia, Sept. 20.-Smaller
than ever, but still the event of the
year to thousands of the passing gem
Grafton who watched the war of the
rebellion come and go, the fifty-sixth
annual encampment of the Grand
Army of the Republic will open in
Des Moines Sunday, September "a.
| Only $1,000 veterans of the Grand
Army are expected to be able to at
tend this years encampment.
Nine auxiliary conventions and six
teen separate reunions are expected
to bring total of approximately
$4,000 patriots to Iowas capital city
during the week OF the encampme nt.
Approximately two thousand col
ored veterans are expected here to
! hold their first reunion at this year
gathering. Shiloh, Vicksburg and
Gettysburg survivors will gather from
the fifty-sixth annual parade and to
attend this years campfire cere-
monies.
| The encampment program opens
| Sunday with patriotic services in all
| Des Moines churches. Civil war vet
Grams will occupy many of the pulpits
and e. A. r. drum crops will furnish
the music.
| Opens Officially Monday.
! On Monday the encampment opens
| semi-officially. Tuesday is to be re-
ception and reunion day with a gar
den party in the afternoon for all
visiting women and the commander
in-chiefs reception on the state house
grounds in the evening. concluding
with great patriotic fireworks DEM
onstrafion and musical program by
$4,000 Des Moines school children at
night.
The parade and campfire will take
place Wednesday, veterans of the
lGrand Army, led by eight bands and
/ twenty-five drum corps, passing in
i review before Commander-in-Chie
Lewis S. Pitcher. Hanford MacNider,
,lecpplnander of the American Legion
f&dH be the principal speaker al
| the campfire ceremonies Wednesday
night.
| Thursday and Friday will be oc-
cupied with business sessions, election
and installation of officers.
The annual tree planting ceremon-
les of the Woman's Relief Corps will
be held Monday, September %; me-
MORALS of the Daughters of Veterans
| Monday, and the initiation of a class
/ of several hundred sons of veterans by
/ a team composed entirely of past COM
/ manders and led by present Com
/ mander Clifford D. ireland, congress
L man from Illinois. on Tuesday.
/ Other Conventions Planned.
/ National conventions have beer
| scheduled for the Union Ex-Prisoners
of War, the National Association OF
GlVl1 w dE MuSlC1dnSs the NdIlOndl AS
ISOLATION of Naval Veterans, the Ladies
| of the G. A. r., w. R. c., Sons OF
| Veterans, Sons of Veterans Auxiliary
| and Daughters of Veterans.
| Separate reunions will be held by
the Iron Brigade, Burbridge's Brigade
| Survivors of Vicksburgs Survivors OF
| Shiloh, Ex-Volunteer Officers of the
/ Civil War. Colored Veterans, and
eleven different regiments.
The average age of veterans who
| will attend the encampment this veal
is said to be eighty years.
City Is Prepared.
Fifteen thousand automobiles have
been pledged by DeS Moines resident
to convey the veterans about the city
Reception and baggage committee:
will meet all trains. Several hundred
boy scouts will be available to the
veterans to run errands. Park benches
will be placed on down town streets
! Des Moines hospitals have proffereC
the loan of their equipment, should i
be necessary, and Des Mo:nes physi
| cans are donating their professional
services. One doctor and two DO!
scouts will be stationed in each blocl
along the line of march of the parad
to act in case of accident or ex
haustion.
Not an accident to an Old Soldier
is the motto which will be worn by
every automobile and street car dur
ling the encampment.