Evening star., 1930-06-15
VETERANS ELECT
MOTLEY AS HEAD
Spanish War EnCampment
Closed as Drive for 1882
Session Here Opens.

Benjamin F. Motley was unanimously
elected commander of the District of
Columbia Department, United Spanish
War Veterans, at the closing session of
the thirty-first annual encampment last
evening in the Pythian Temple, 1912
Ninth street. The election and installa-
ton of several other officers and adop-
ton of resolutions marked the closing
meeting.
A campaign was launched to bring
the national encampment of the organ
ization to Washington in 1882, the CEN
tennial year of the veterans.
Officers Are Installed.
Mr. Motley took the oath Of ONCE
during ceremonies at which the follow
ing officers also were installed:
Senior vice commander, Samuel J
McWilltams; junior vice commander,
Patrick ]. Callan: Judge advocate,
James A. Burns; chaplain, Samuel j.
Mawson; surgeon, Albert w. Evans;
inspector, Charles A. Stobel; marshal
James E. Wilson: historian, John A.
Gallagher; patriotic instructor, Clar-
ence A. Belknap; department adjutant,
A. Eugene Pierce; department quarter
master, Joseph j. Harvey: assistant ad-
quartermaster, John A. Chisholm;
senior color sergeant. Edward G. Hall
pin; junior color sergeants, Joseph
Weinanger and Alexander Frazer.
Members representing the seven
camps in the District attended the en-
campment and elected four delegates
at large to the national encampment
which is to be held in Philadelphia next
August The delegates chosen were A.
Eugene Pierce, Daniel Foley. William
E. Ring and F. w. Wilson with William
Miles alternate at large.
Auxiliary Omcers Chosen.
The ladies' auxiliaries of the seven
camps also held their annual encamp-
ment and election of officers In the
Pythian Temple and announced the fol-
lowing new officers:
Department president, Bertha Cook:
senior vice department president, Janet
Slkken; junior vice president, Cath
crime HUH; chaplain, Emma Tull;
patriotic instructor, Ella Ford; historian,
Halle Harkriter; department inspector,
Louise Moore; Judge advocate, Margaret
Burns; conductor, Carrie Flaharty; as
sistant conductor, Myrtle Mosley; guard,
Esther Erhardt; assistant, Elisabeth
Tutlow.
Resolutions urging that the Spanish
War Veterans emblem be displayed in
newspaper notices of the death of mem
bers and requesting the War Depart
ment TO set aside additional space in
Arlington National Cemetery for the
veterans were adopted. Other resolu-
tlons recommended revision of the sys-
tenn OF rating Government employees by
their efficiency and indorsed the grant
ing OF pensions to male contract nurses
on the same basis as the female nurses
Tne veterans voted TO appoint q COM
mlttee TO cooperate with the Chamber
OF Commerce in the study of unem-
ployment and voted to commend the
Congress for passing the Spanish War
veterans pension bill
Comdr. Motley enlisted in Troop II.
l4th United States Calvary, March 2s
1901. and later was transferred to
Troop L, 9th United States Calvary.
He was mustered out in 1904. He was
Dorn In Mercer County. w. Va, re-
ceiVlng his early education In the pub
lie schools there.
After coming to Washington in 1903
he was associated in turn with the late
Senator Penrose. the late Senator Rob-
ert M. La Toilette and former Senator
Albert j. BeVerid9c. He was educated
at the Kansas Caty School of Law.
George Washington University and the
University of Paris
Served in World War.
When the World War broke out he
came TO Washington and was appointed
an assistant to the chief clerk of the
construction division of the War De-
partment and later with the Depart
ment Of Justice, being sent to France
IN the early Fall Of 1918 where he was
| engaged in liaison work in the intel
ligence division of the Army, serv-
ing In Russia, Poland and Ger
many. He returned to the States in
! 1920 and following a breakdown came
TO Washington for disqualification and
rest. When partially recuperated he
resumed his work as notary and claims
attorney, which is his present occupa-
ton.
Mr.. Motley joined the Col John
Jacob Astor Camp in 1923, was made
| adjutant soon after joining and held
that office for three years when elected
commander: served as department in
spector in 1927: junior vice department
commander in 1928 and senior vice de-
| partment commander in 1929.
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