Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-08-02

HNSoAA AAobAedtCO WHICH, TIC Uc-
came the Organizations second
national commander.
Under such discrediting. I'M
dermining influences, the Grand
Army's membership nosedived,
from 100000 to $4,000 in the
early 1870s. Then the tide
turned, slowly but surely.
The ritual system was abol-
Iished. Partisan activity was
soft-pedaled as veterans took
over control from the politicians.
The charity and relief programs
for which the G. A. R. became
famous got under way.
The G. A. r. was always gen.
erous with its own funds in aid
ing needy and crippled veterans.
AS early as 1878, when the Ma
Itional Treasury was operating on
a deficit, individual posts re-
ported $4,000 spent in relief
work.
The membership rolls in
creased steadily to the 1890 peak
OF more than 100000. After
that, age and declining vigor
took inevitable tolls of G. A. r.
influence and activity. G. A. R.
encampments never. became
noted for high jinks, in the way
the American Legion conyen-
lions were. They were mostly
patriotic festivals.
Bars PadIOcked
1t is true that it was deemed
discreet to paddock the bars in
washington for one encamn-
ment, but it is also true that
Cincinnati saloonkeepers waited
IN the wake of another: Those
fellows came to town with SIS
and a clean shirt, and never
changed either while they were
here"
During the golden years. the
Grand Army was a most potent
force. 1t has been said with
reason that it was the balance
OF power in national politics for
more than a quarter of A
century. Its influences were
oStensibly pro-veteran, but they
retained a strong Republican
flavor. Its advocacy of pensions
and other benefits for veterans
was SO vigorous-and so fruitful
that a Saying came into being:
The Grand Army had saved the
country and now wanted it.
In other fields, the Grand
Army became the citadel of
orthodox Americanism. It
lscrutinized school textbooks and
Iscolded publishers who intimated
there was virtue in the South
or fault in the North. II
preached the hight tariff doctrine
Iof the Republican Party. It
supplied patriotic lecturers" to
schools and lodges. It was the
sponsor of Memorial Day OBJ
lservances.
Memorial Day Born
/ The instituting of Memorial
Day was one of the first Grand
Army projects to win popular
favor. There are a dozen YER
Slons of the ideas origin. but
there is no doubt that Gen. Lo.
gan-a man of many talents
gave 1T national status under
Grand Army auspices. The OBJ
servance spread rapidly. In
1869 it was a holiday in 81
States-but not without INCL
dents like the time a GAR guard
patrolled Confederate graves in
Arlington to see that no flowers
were placed on them. Just a
lew miles away. in Alexandria.
Va, Union veterans were help
ing TO decorate Southern graves.
You lind contrasts like that
all along the way. Broadly speak
ing, the rank and file of both
sides held wholesome respect for
their former foemen. respect
won by valor on scores of battle
fields.
The leadership was less will
ing TO forgive and forget. The
Grand Army once went South.
10 Chattanooga, for its annual
encampment; twice the Confed-
crates marched into the WASH
lngton they had failed to reach
curing the war. In Baltimore.
the GAR invited Southern vet
Grams tI, to join in its parade.
Ihese were amiable gestures.
Joint Reunion Blocked
On the other hand, several
proposals for joint reunions fell
through because the GAR in
slsted upon treating the Con-
iederates as beaten enemies ana
the United Confederate Veterans
proudly refused to acquiesce. A
late as 1888, the GAR was
stormily reluctant to permit the
unfurling of Southern flags at
gettysburg on the 18th ami
Versary OF the battle. A decision
TO join in the reunion was
reached only after heated de-
pate behind locked doors
Inc 1888 meeting at Gettvs-
nurg was the last time the
veterans of both sides met pub-
iiciy together. 1t was all good
Fellowship. There were no in
cldents to fulfil the fears Of one
California veteran who had
warned 1T isn't safe for either
SIDE to carry a weapon OF any
kind. The older they get The
less sense they have got esne-
cially II they are a little in the
wind and half blind"
North and South had met pre-
viouSly In peace at Gettysburg
in 1913. the 50th anniversary az
the battle That reunion at
tracted 53.407 veterans. In f93a
only l,845 were able TO get there
although nearly every State was
represented,
% "