Potomac, asking that Department be remanded to Detached Corps, giving the reasons therefor. This petition was signed by many of the representative women of the Department, a number of whom were Past Department officers. This was followed by a counter-petition with a larger number of signatures attached. Communications were poured in with charges for and countercharges against, until the matter seemed so serious that with the advice of the National Counselor a committee, composed of Mrs. L. A. Turner and Emma R. Wallace, was appointed to accompany me to Washington, D.C., to investigate and, if possible, bring order and peace out of the discord.

On Tuesday, June 8, Mrs. Wallace met me in Washington and accompanied me to the Department Headquarters, where we gave the Department officers a careful and patient hearing. Nothing was developed except to confirm opinions already formed from the voluminous documents received at National Headquarters. The Department Counselor suggested that a mass meeting of the Corps be held, which was done Thursday evening, June 10. This meeting developed a condition of affairs that calls for measures that will settle once for all the ever-recurring difficulties of the Department of the Potomac. Wherefore, for the advancement of the Order in the city of Washington and for the best interest and progress of the Department of the Potomac itself, I offer

Recommendation No. 5. That at the end of the present Department administration the Department of the Potomac be remanded to Detached Corps.

IN MEMORIAM.

During the year we have been called upon to mourn the loss of our Past National President, Sarah C. Mink, and the National Senior Vice-President, Marie Hasenwinkle. During the last National Convention many hearts were saddened by the information of Mrs. Mink's serious illness. In December "God's finger touched her and she slept." In the stillness of the night a few short weeks ago, Marie Hasenwinkle passed from the natural sleep to the sleep of death, painlessly, quietly leaving earth for heaven. The fullest sympathy of every member of the Woman's

Relief Corps goes out to Comrade Mink in his grief and loneliness, and to Comrade Hasenwinkle and his children in their bereavement and sorrow.

"A human soul went forth into the night,

Shutting behind it death's mysterious door,
And shaking off, with strange, resistless might,
The dust that once it wore.

So swift its flight, so suddenly it sped

As when by skilful band a bow is bent

The arrow flies - those watching round the bed
Marked not the way it went.

Through the clear silence of the moonless dark,
Leaving no footprint of the way it trod,
Straight as an arrow cleaving to its mark,
The soul went home to God.

In the month of May a circular was sent to the National Headquarters for approval, signed by three members of the Department of Pennsylvania, two members of the Woman's Relief Corps Home Board, and the chairman of the National Executive Board, containing an appeal to the members of our Order for contributions to a birthday testimonial to our Past National President, Mrs. Wittenmyer.

Mrs. Wittenmyer's services during the Civil War in hospitals and camps for the alleviation of our suffering soldiers, thousands of soldiers being provided with good food through her success in establishing special diet kitchens, her work for army nurses in procuring pensions, and her untiring efforts in the interests of the National Woman's Relief Corps Home, all call for our highest recommendation, and no testimonial could be more worthily bestowed. Corps doubtlessly have responded as well as they could, considering the stringency of the times and the many demands upon their treasuries.

But the piteous appeals that have come to us since from two widows of soldiers, one asking for six hundred dollars and the other for two hundred dollars to pay the mortgages on their homes, and our inability to respond, leads us to make

Recommendation No. 6. That hereafter no such appeal, however meritorious, shall be sent out unless it emanate from National Headquarters through the National President, with the advice of the National Council.

The

ANDERSONVILLE.

Fourteenth National Convention accepted from the Department of Georgia, Grand Army of the Republic, the Andersonville Prison Property. By accepting this gift we pledged ourselves to "accept it as a sacred trust and improve and keep it in order." To many the terms seemed indeed difficult and the heart sickened at the task, but generous hearts have responded liberally to the call, and made possible the first steps toward the accomplishment of our purposes. Some months ago the deed to this property was placed in my hands. The committee into whose hands was placed the management of this "sacred trust" will tell you what has been accomplished and the plans for the future. May wisdom guide you in your deliberations on this most important subject.

PATRIOTIC TEACHING.

When the Eleventh National Convention, held in the city of Indianapolis, adopted the resolution on the subject of Patriotic Teaching, no one realized the scope of the work nor the great good that was to be accomplished. From the introduction of the flag salute into our public schools has grown a desire for information regarding the origin and history of the flag, and thus one step has led us to another until the Woman's Relief Corps has joined hands with the Grand Army of the Republic in their efforts to place in the hands of the children of this country histories that will tell the true story of the heroes of the Union army who fought to sustain the honor of the nation. Our methods have gone abroad and are being studied by other countries, and due credit is being given to our noble organization, whose corner-stone is loyalty and devotion to our country and flag. Your attention is called to the

report of the Chairman of the Committee on Patriotic Teaching, whose recommendations will call for your most careful consideration.

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN.

The committee appointed for this branch of our work will report to you in detail the work accomplished during the year. It was our pleasure to attend the meeting of the Executive Board of the National Council of Women held in the city of Boston last December. Among the many pleasant features of the meeting the most pleasant, and to a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, the most impressive, was the beautiful flag salute, given under the direction of the Standing Committee of the Council on Patriotic Teaching, of which Kate B. Sherwood is chairman, and conducted by Lue Stuart Wadsworth of Boston. Knowing that this work was so essentially a part of the Woman's Relief Corps work, which has been engrafted in the Council by the representatives of the Order, attention was given to the effect upon the members of that body. Looking about as the children responded to the questions from the Patriotic Primer, which was followed by the pledge to the flag, tears were in the eyes of that great body of women who represent the best interests of women in the United States.

LAWS OF THE ORDER.

Finding that an error has crept into the Ritual on page 35, under the head of Corps Books, which is misleading, the change. having been made without the authority of the National Convention, I make

Recommendation No. 7. That this clause be restored to its original wording, which is, "The following books are furnished to every Corps when organized, viz.: ten Rituals, two Service Books, a Journal, Roll Book, Order Book, General Order File and Letter File for the Secretary's use; for Treasurer's use, a Cash Book, Ledger and Receipt Book."

From year to year the National Inspectors report Corps charging less than the regular admission fee. Believing that it is caused by a misinterpretation of the law, I make

Recommendation No. 8. That Section 1, Art. II., Chap. II., Rules and Regulations, be changed to read, "and must be accompanied by an admission fee of not less than one dollar and fifty

cents, which includes the price of badge and copy of the Rules and Regulations."

In order that our laws may not be inconsistent, and regarding District Conventions as beneficial to our Order, I make

Recommendation No. 9. That Departments may establish District Conventions, and Rules and Regulations be so amended.

As the clause in Rules and Regulations, Section 1, Art. V., Chap. V., relating to inspection at District Conventions, is somewhat obscure, I make

Recommendation No. 10. That the following change be made: Corps in Departments exemplifying the ritualistic work at District Conventions shall be inspected at that time.

Finding that the Press Correspondent's badge does not conform to Rules and Regulations, Chap. V., Art. XXI., Sects. 1 and 2, which says:

SECTION 1. The membership badge of the Woman's Relief Corps shall be, in form and material, that adopted at the National Convention held in Minneapolis, July 23, 1884, and no other shall be worn as the badge of the Woman's Relief Corps, except that prescribed for the officers and past officers, and must be obtained from Headquarters through the proper channels.

This badge is a Maltese cross of copper bronze, with a Grand Army medallion suspended from a bar pin, bearing the initials "F., C. & L." (Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty), by a red, white and blue ribbon, one and one-half inches long in the clear, and one and one-fourth inches in width.

SECT. 2. The official badge is the same, except that the bar pin designates the office, and the ribbon is of solid color, blue designating the Corps, red the Department, and yellow the National.

Recommendation No. 11. That hereafter Press Correspondents' badges be made to correspond to all other badges, past and present rank, and that Rules and Regulations be so amended.

Recommendation No. 12. That the badge for the Chief of Staff shall have on the bar-pin the words "Senior Aide."

From information received from the Departments, especially from the far West, we find that our present law on reinstatement of dropped members often causes grave injustice.

Recommendation No. 13. That Sect. 2, Art. IV., Chap. V., Rules and Regulations, be changed to read "upon payment of the regular initiation fee."