Resolved, That we call upon Congress to maintain our military and naval forces in the highest possible state of efficiency and preparedness, with adequate provision for the best modern equipment and for practical exercises and maneuvers; and be it further

Resolved, That we oppose any reduction at present in said forces or in the appropriation for them; and be it further

Resolved, That we emphasize the value of military training to the individual, to industry, and to the Nation; indorse the citizens' military training camps; and recommend the widest possible extension and application of that idea; and be it further

Resolved, That we realize the evils and horrors of war and recognize universal peace as an object that all should strive earnestly to bring to pass; that it is the duty of all to consider on its own merits every proposal by thoughtful and patriotic citizens of measures for disposing of international differences according to justice, so as to render war less likely; and to support all measures that seem wisely adapted to this end without danger to the integrity and independence of the United States; and be it further

Resolved, That to provide for effective action by this organization on behalf of proposed measures, a committee of five members shall be appointed at once with authority to consider and act upon all proposals recommended at any time by any President of the United States with regard to our national defense and international relations.

(Adopted.)

RESOLUTION No. 20

(Presented by the committee on resolutions.)

Whereas there was inserted in section 1 of the act of June 10, 1922, a limiting clause affecting the older officers and warrant officers retired on or before the 30th of June, 1922; and

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Whereas the House Military Committee characterized that limitation as follows: This limitation, while granting the benefits of the new pay legislation to all officers who retire after July 1, 1922, deprives all officers retired prior to that date of said benefits, thereby violating the basic law under which these officers gained their retirement rights"; and

Whereas the list of those adversely affected includes many of the Nation's most gallant and distinguished officers who served in the War with Spain, the Philippine Insurrection, and the Civil War, a large per cent of whom came back to active duty during the World War: Therefore be it

Resolved by the United Spanish War Veterans in convention assembled in their national encampment at St. Petersburg, Fla., That a grave injustice has been done to the retired officers and warrant officers retired prior to July 1, 1922, and that in the interest of justice and fair play the limiting clause in the act of June 10, 1922, be removed, and this order does therefore indorse the following bill which passed the Senate in the Sixty-eighth Congress:

"Be it enacted, etc., That the retired pay of the officers and warrant officers of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Coast and Geodetic Survey, and Public Health Service, who were retired on or before June 30, 1922, shall not be less than that provided for the officers and warrant officers of equal rank and length of service retired subsequent to that date: Provided, That nothing in this act shall operate to reduce the pay of any officer or warrant officer now on the retired list.

"SEC. 2. That all laws or parts of laws inconsistent with this act are hereby repealed."

And be it further resolved, That copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the Secretaries of War, Navy, Treasury, and Commerce, and to the proper congressional committees.

(Adopted.)

Comrade POWELL (Massachusetts). I move, sir, that we reconsider the vote we took whereby we passed the resolutions in regard to pensions. I would like to be enlightened as to why we have incorporated Indian war veterans. I move that that be referred back.

Past Commander in Chief SMITH. May I make a statement in regard to that? Indian war veterans are the only veterans left in the

present status of the Spanish-American War veterans. Their number is so limited that they can not hurt the pension legislation of the United Spanish War Veterans, and they may help it. They are now almost extinct and they come from certain sections of the country where they might be of great value to us and where they could support our pension legislation effectively. So we considered the question carefully, and the matter is left to the discretion of the legislative committee when it prepares the bill. We believe that we can be helped and not hurt by it and that no injustice has been done in the matter. We ought to help them.

Comrade GOYNES (Wisconsin). I would like to ask a question and my question is this: There was a resolution put in before the resolutions committee which had the indorsement of a number of the managers of the national homes of 25 or 30 governors and commanders of the National and State homes, and I would like to ask the question, what has been done with that resolution?

Past Commander in Chief SMITH. The vicious-habits clause?
Comrade GOYNES (Wisconsin). Yes, sir.

Past Commander in Chief SMITH. The committee has considered that very carefully, and while we believe that those comrades are entitled to all the support we can give them, we felt the resolution, coming as it did, asking for a blanket appropriation for a certain amount of money to be paid by the commander in chief without any estimate being given to the committee of the amount required or any estimate of the necessities of the men, it ought not to be adopted by the convention, and we will bring it up with those to which leave is granted to withdraw.

Comrade GOYNES (Wisconsin). I would like to say

Commander in Chief HERRICK (interposing). Until the committee brings it up you will not be permitted to speak on the resolution. You may speak on it when the resolution is brought up.

(The adjutant general at this point made certain informal announcements concerning train departures, etc.)

Commander in Chief HERRICK. The provost marshal will advance and retire the colors.

(The colors were retired.)

Comrade ROBERTS (Pennsylvania). I move we adjourn.

Comrade LAWLESS (Florida). I second the motion.

Comrade MITNICK (Maryland). I rise to a question of personal privilege.

Commander in Chief HERRICK. That is not in order after a motion to adjourn has been made. The motion is carried, and we now stand adjourned until 9.15 to-morrow morning.

WEDNESDAY MORNING SESSION, SEPTEMBER 30, 1925

The encampment was called to order by Commander in Chief Herrick at 9.15 o'clock a. m., Wednesday, September 30, 1925, whereupon, the following proceedings were had:

Commander in Chief HERRICK. The provost marshal will advance the colors.

(The colors were advanced.)

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrades, you will give your attention to the chaplain, the Rev. W. A. Myres, of the Department of Florida.

Comrade MYRES (Florida). We will sing one verse of "America." Let's go.

(The delegates arose and sang one verse of "America.")

Comrade MYRES (Florida). Our Father in Heaven, we invoke Thy blessings upon the work that we shall do this day. We are not allwise. We shall accept that which is done as Thy providence. Give us American thanks, a comrade's heart of love, and a soldier's arm as we shall work in our dealings this day and You shall bring us with our manhood self-respect to our souls to the end of the journey for Christ's sake. Amen.

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrades, you will give your attention to the reading clerk.

The READING CLERK. I will read a telegram received from the Hon. Charles Curtis, United States Senator from Kansas:

Please extend to the United Spanish War Veterans attending their national encampment my best wishes. I hope the encampment may be the most successful you have ever had. Let me again assure you of my deep interest in the continued success of your organization. If I can be of any service in its good work, please call upon me.

It is signed by Charles Curtis, United States Senator from Kansas. We have also another telegram from the Hon. Arthur Capper, United States Senator from Kansas. This telegram reads as follows:

I shall be glad if through you I may extend my cordial greetings to the United Spanish War Veterans assembled in annual convention and assure them of my warm interest in their organization. Representative as they are of the finest traditions of American manhood in war and in peace, the veterans of the war with Spain hold a secure and honored place among those who have offered their lives in the Nation's defense. It has always been a pleasure to me to support movements and legislation through which the Nation might express its substantial appreciation of the service rendered by these veterans. I shall consider it a privilege to continue to do everything I can looking to the most liberal possible recognition for them and their dependents by a country that can not fail to be grateful for their service and sacrifices.

This is signed by Arthur Capper, United States Senator from Kansas.

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrades, give your attention to the report of the credentials committee.

Adjutant General MURPHY. 1,017 credentials have been issued. [Applause.] They are divided as follows:

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrades, what is your pleasure with regard to the report of the credentials committee?

Comrade JOHNSON (Alabama). I move you, sir, that the report of the credentials committee be received and adopted and the committee be thanked for its work.

(The motion was seconded by Comrade Belknap, of the District of Columbia, and was unanimously carried.)

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrades, you will give your attention to the reading clerk.

(The reading clerk at this point read several informal announcements, lost-and-found notices, etc.)

Commander in Chief HERRICK. I will request each candidate for the office of commander in chief to hand to the reading clerk the names of tellers.

Comrades, I want to ask you to give your attention to a representative of the chamber of commerce from Daytona, Fla.

Mr. ORTA. Commander in chief, officers, and delegates, at your convention last year in Michigan City you were told when you came to Florida you would be given an opportunity to see the State. The Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce is here to do its part. On Friday morning at 8 o'clock, if we can get 100 visitors we will have five buses leave the corner of Sixth and Central Avenue on a 200mile bus trip to Daytona Beach. That is the objective, but you will have a chance to see Florida by passing through the richest agricultural section better than you can see it by train. There are absolutely no obligations devolving upon you. You can make your reservations at Sixth and Central Avenue until 3 o'clock to-morrow, and, further than this, you are invited to the Princess Martha Hotel to-night at 8 o'clock to hear a concert rendered by the Chamber of Commerce Glee Club of Daytona. I thank you.

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrades, you will please give your attention to the report of Sons of Veterans committee by Chairman White.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SONS OF SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR VETERANS

PREFACE

The matter of forming an organization of the sons of SpanishAmerican war veterans was brought to the attention of the United Spanish War Veterans at the Twenty-fourth National Encampment thereof, held at Los Angeles, Calif., in August, 1922, by resolution (see p. 146 of the proceedings of the Twenty-fourth National Encampment, United Spanish War Veterans, August 21-25, 1922),

whereupon said encampment recommended that the matter be referred to the incoming administration.

Following the actions of the encampment above set forth (the Hon. Antonio P. Entenza having succeeded the Hon. Oscar E. Carlstrom as commander in chief) the incoming administration (that of Commander in Chief Entenza) by paragraph 6, General Order No. 6, 1922-23, dated San Francisco, Calif., May 20, 1923, promulgated the order following:

To carry out the expressed wish of enactment No. 4, as submitted to the last national encampment, and referred to the incoming administration, the following committee is appointed to outline the auxiliary organization to be known as the Junior Order of United Spanish War Veterans, or other suitable name, to report same to the Twenty-fifth National Encampment for consideration: Senior Vice Department Commander of Pennsylvania R. W. Roberts; Department Commander Bruce J. Newlon, Department of Nebraska; and Assistant Inspector General Edward F. Schulz, Department of California.

The foregoing committee having reported back to the commander in chief, it was discharged with thanks and the matter was again taken up by authority of and by the commander in chief and the national legislative committee, of which the Hon. John Lewis Smith, District of Columbia, was chairman. All action to this point was favorable to the proposition in substance.

At the Twenty-fifth National Encampment, United Spanish War Veterans, held at Chattanooga, Tenn., September, 1923, the subject matter again came on before the encampment. After considerable favorable discussion the commander in chief then, by direction of said encampment, appointed a committee to effect and put in operation the Sons of Spanish-American War Veterans organization theretofore legally authorized.

The committee then appointed, consisted of Comrades Edward H. White, Illinois; R. W. Roberts, Pennsylvania; and William M. Hogan, Massachusetts (see p. 218, proceedings of the Twenty-fifth National Encampment) and said encampment then unanimously approved the resolution, as follows:

That the committee, following the instructions in the resolution of their appointment at this encampment, prepare such rules and regulations, by direction and authority of the resolution adopted by this encampment for the creation, operation, and maintenance of the auxiliary association of this parent body to be composed of the Sons of Spanish War Veterans, and following the appointment of this committee that said committee be authorized and directed, and said committee hereby is, authorized and directed as soon as conveniently may be, to prepare such by-laws, rules, and regulations for the government of and to govern the organization of our sons as directed; that such rules and regulations shall operate and be in full force and effect from the time the committee or a majority of them so appointed are satisfied in conscience that the by-laws, rules, and regulations so prepared and acted upon by them are proper and just rules and regulations, in accordance with the dignity of the parent organization, and that the organization of our sons-the Sons of the United Spanish War Veterans-by whatever name determined upon by the said committee, shall function under and by virtue of the said rules and regulations when so prepared by the said committee from that time and up to and including the next regular annual encampment of the United Spanish War Veterans; that such by-laws, rules, and regulations shall then and during the time of the holding of the next regular annual encampment be submitted for the consideration and action of the said encampment, and further that the said committee on said organization be, and it is hereby, authorized and empowered to incur any and all necessary expense in connection therewith, and the said expense shall be borne and paid for out of the funds of our organization not otherwise appropriated.