Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-23

Comdr. James G. Yaden presided al
the special meeting of the department
council of administration called last
week for the purpose of hearing final
report of the good and welfare commit
tee and for the transaction OF other I'M
portant business.
Past Department Comdr. Arthur H
League chairman of the good and well
fare committee, rendered his final re-
port for the year 1927-1926.
Comdr. Yaden informed the councl!
the referendum vote by the camps OF
the District of Columbia relative to the
holding of the annual Maine memorial
services on February Is resulted In a
decision to hold the exercises In tne
riding hall at Fort Myer, Va, as IN tI7
past, in the afternoon; to broadcaSt tn3
services, and the department to place a
wreath at the base of the Maine smart
in Arlington Cemetery each year.
Adjutant A. Eugene Pierce read COM
nnunications acknowledging recelpt OF
commentators letters and resolutions,
sent bv the department, from the fol-
lowing: Col. Charles Burton ROBBINS
Assistant Secretary CT War; Brig. Gen.
Frank T Hines. director of the Veterans
Bureau; Col. Winfield Scott, Commits
sioner of Pensions; DR.. A. T. wilkinson,
chief CLERK of the Pension Office: Lieut..
Col w. Laurence Hazard, assistant cnleI
clerk of the Pension Office. and Harlan
Wood, department commander OF the
District American Legion.
Department Judge Advocate James "A;
Burns. representative on the veterans
Joint committee, reported the committee
as being active in the interest OF all
veterans.
Senior Vice Department Comdr. Lorn
T. Nelson. travel director of the de-
partment, reported the transportation
for 100 persons allowed the department
from Kew West, Fla, to Havana, CUBA,
en- route to the national encampment TO
be held october to II at Havana, was
used up and that for any addition TO
that number other arrangements would
have to be made.
Department Adjutant Pierce reported
the following resolutions adopted by the
District department encampment had
been forwarded to national headquar-
tiers and acknowledgment received, and
thev are to come before the thlrtletn
national encempment, at Havana, Tor
approval. to be placed in the hands OF
the national legislative committee for
presentation to Congress with the pur-
pose of urging their enactment into law:
Granting OF pensions to contract sur
geons, assistant surgeons and male con-
tract nurses; granting retirement OF dlS.
abled enlisted men at rs per cent OF
their pay; granting optional retirement
of war veterans after 80 years service
or at the age of g. years from civil
service; to amend the laws to giant
paynasters' clerks all rights and prlvl-
leges of pension laws of the United
STATES as now applied to Spanish war
Veterans and Army nurses in general.
A design for badge of mourning to
be worn at funerals in accordance with
the resolution adopted by the depart
nlcnc encampment, was submitted by
committee composed of Past Comdrs.
Robert E. Wallace, Andrew j. Klmmel
and Department Surgeon Albert w.
Evans to the council, which authorized
Department Quartermaster William E:
Rink to secure a sufficient number OF
badges to supply all camps.
Past Comdr. William /. jenkins re-
DO. ted he had received from Dion Will
lianls. brigadier general United States
Marine Corps, a number OF souvenirs OF
the Philippine Instruction, to be pre-
sented to the District department for Its
historical exhibit. The following arti-
cles are in the collection: Cap ribbons
of United States ships which participant
ed in the battle of Manila Bay in 1898;
cap ribbons of Spanish ships which par
ticipated in the battle of Manila Bay;
belt and buckle worn by Spanish SOL
der; insignia of duty worn by officers
of King Alfonso's 18th Regiment royal
insignia worn by Spanish soldier; mis-
cellaneous styles of Spanish buttons.
The above relics were picked up at
Cavitc. P. l., Immediately after the bat
tie of Manila Bay. Gen. Dion Williams
was then a lieutenant in command of
the Marines fist landed at Cavite. These
articles will be. placed in suitable To-
cation where they may be viewed by
the public in connection with other
articles of the Spanish War possessed
by the department.
Representative Harry M. Wurzbach,
member of the Department of Texas
Spanish War Veterans and member
of the committee on military affairs OF
&lnn National House of REPRESENTATIVES