The Washington times., 1925-05-29
VET 5
PLAN ANNUAL
MEETING
Will Honor lead Comrades
at Omaha Convention
ate in June
BY international News Service.

quarters at Cincinnati indicate the
attendaaee will be the largest In
the history of the organization
While the spirit of reunion
among the men who still carry the
scars of war predominates these
meetings, the disabled veterans In
sist that their conventions are
something different from other con-
claVes of veterans in that most OF
the time of the week is spent in
consideration OF the policies re-
lating to the Veterans Bureau and
the program which is annually pre-
scented to Congress covering hos.
pitalization, compensation. insurance
and rehabilita
However, the first two days con-
stitute gala affairs. Since incep.
ton the Disabled American Veterans
have adhered to q program of fea-
turing the initial session, where
most of the speechmaking by nota-
bles Is done, and on the second day
holding the annual parade of the
disabled veterans from all parts of
the country. AS usual Regular
troops and National Guard outfits
from points adjacent to Omaha will
escort the veterans.
Period Of Silence.
From an impressive viewpoint
the feature of me opening day will
be the period Of silence for depart
ed comrades. At 1880 q. m, the
entire assemblage in the Civic Au-
ditorium will be called to attention
by a bugler. simultaneously with
this period wreaths will be placed
upon the graves OF the unknown
soldiers at Arlington National
Cemetery. and at Rome. London
and Paris.
Then Nine. Ernestine Schumann-
Heink, famous contralto, will sing
Taps" to be followed by the Ma
tional Anthem, which will be
broadcast to the bedsides OF the
men in veterans hospitals in many
places throughout the country.
Governor Andrew McMullen and
Mayor James Dahlman will make
welcoming addresses and there will
be greetings from generals and ad-
mirals of the allied and associated
nations and from q number OF
prominent men Of this country.
1t was nearly half century be.
fore the line OF march Of the Grand
Army OF the Republic was short
ened because the veterans could not
go great distances. But with less
than seven years already gone oy
since the armistice, the disabled
American veterans, profiting BY
past experiences, has asked the
local committee to see to it that
the line OF the parade be as short
as consistent with a real review,
for the SCARED men can no longer
60 many blocks before being forced
o,.& P,roK,a nvhnlfSffnn
Thousands in Sick Beds.
Thousands of members of the or.
ranization cannot leave their sick
beds for the convention, but they
send in their place delegates in bet
ter condition; but many of these,
also, carry visible signs of the part
they played in 1918.
Escorted by militiamen and reg
uIars and the civic organizations or
Omaha, the disabled men them
selves will march in fourteen divis-
ions. At the head. however. there
will be the special classes. For in.
stance, there will be the totally
blind, led by children of this city
and by Rabbi Michael Aaronsohn,
of Cincinnati. national chaplain.
who completed his studies in theo-
completely lost his sight amid the
fire of shrapnel during the last
days of the general American ad-
vance in France.
Next will come the amputation
cases. men who left their legs on
the battlefield, but who proudly en-.
deaVor to keep straight lines, as
they did when going forward to
face enemy fire.
The Congressional Medal Of
Honor men will form a contingent,
led by Dick O'Neill, designated by
the governor as New York's out
standing hero, who. as a member
of the Rainbow Division, won not
only Americas high honor for valor,
but who was decorated by seven
other governments. O'Neill is past
rational sergeant-at'arms of the
Disabled American Veterans.
Frank J. Irwin. of New York,
himself awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross for heroic perform
ance before the Hindenburg line, as
rational commander will preside at
ali sessions of the convention. al
though the greater part of the third
and fourth days of the meeting will
be given over to committee meet.
ings to formulate plans and policies
t. guide the orga nization during the
next year.
General Frank r. Hines, director
of the Veterans Bureau, will ad-
dress the session on the third day
and will be accompanied from Wash
irgton by a corps of assistants to
aid in the adjudication of pending
claims brought to Omaha by the
delegates. In order to aid in this
work of settling claims every one
OF the district liaison officers has
been ordered to be here for the
whole convention.
While every legislative point
must be discussed by the conven-
ton it is expected that the legisa.
tive program adopted at Salt Lake
City last June will be readopted.
This program was presented to the
st session of Congress, went
through the House of Representa-.
tives and was expected to become
law, but was finally squeezed to
pieces in the Senate. with only
few hours left before adjournment.
At the session of Congress open.
ing in December disabled American
veterans leaders think they will
have an excellent opportunity to
obtain enactment of a general law
affecting the Veterans Bureau thar
,vigl be second only to the Reed.
Johnson bill which was passed only
two weeks before the Disabled
American Veterans meeting lass
June.
Il-s.VS