clipped, but they will rise and flap again [applause], and I will stand with you until you go over the top. [Prolonged applause, the audience standing.]

Comrade ORKEN (District of Columbia). I wish to make a motion that we extend a rising vote of thanks and three cheers for Senator Bursum.

Comrade BRANDON (Alabama). And the eagle will fly again. [Applause.]

Commander in chief HERRICK. There being no opposition to the motion, it will be considered adopted that we give a rising vote and three cheers for the Senator.

(The delegation arose and gave the cheers.)

Commander in Chief HERRICK. We will now take up the question of the selection of an encampment city for next year. I will request the comrades who advance claims to come to the platform. I will also announce that this matter, these invitations, are not in the manner of resolutions and motions, and it is not in order to make seconding speeches for an encampment city. I will ask all representatives who present names of proposed cities to come to the platform. (This was done.)

Commander in Chief HERRICK. The Chair recognizes Comrade Philip S. Billings, the comrade from Iowa.

Comrade BILLINGS (Iowa). I will take but a few minutes at this time in extending to you the desire of the comrades of Iowa and the citizens of Iowa. I want to say I most deeply appreciate the opportunity and privilege of being present here with this delegation to-day representative of Iowa, and as never before I sincerely appreciate it. Iowa has never had an encampment, and it is asking you to consider that State for your encampment in 1926. It may appear to a number of you that I am somewhat embarrassed. It may be that I am, but I assure you I will do the best I can to conceal the worst part of my embarrassment from the comrades in front of me.

At the last session of the legislature in Iowa there was a bill passed by that body appropriating $10,000 to be used by the Spanish-American War Veterans in that city for your entertainment providing you will gather there with us. Following that our State encampment was held in Iowa to decide whether they would go to one city or another and, as I recall it, we received 104 votes out of 140.

The city of Des Moines has a population of 150,000 and we have 40 hotels within a radius of five blocks from one another, within a distance of five blocks, with rooms for 6,000. We have all the facilities for a great convention and we have entertained the largest convention ever held. We had there some few years ago the International Convention of Methodist Episcopal Churches with more than 70,000 people, not a national, but an international convention with delegates from all foreign countries as well as our own. We will accord you all the hospitality that you have had in St. Petersburg, and, without casting any reflection on St. Petersburg, we will say that if you come to Des Moines, Iowa, we will meet in a hall that is at least a little farther than half a mile away from a railroad or a factory. I have in my hand here a letter from the convention bureau. Let me read it to you. It is backed up with a certified

77342-26- -16

check for $1,000 which will be handed to your quartermaster general. The letter is as follows:

CONVENTION BUREAU, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Des Moines, Iowa, September 19, 1925. To the United Spanish War Veterans in convention assembled, St. Petersburg, Fla., Greetings:

The convention bureau of the Des Moines Chamber of Commerce enthusiastically indorses the invitation of the Department of Iowa. supported by substantial State appropriation, to the United Spanish War Veterans to hold the 1926 national encampment in Des Moines, Iowa's capital city.

Location: Our geographical central location will enable the largest number possible to attend from every direction at the minimum expense in transportation and time of travel. Nineteen radiating lines of railway, numerous interurbans, and national highways affording adequate transportation facilities.

Hotels: Des Moines has available 6,000 guest rooms in 40 hotels within a radius of five blocks where excellent service and reasonable rates prevail. In recent years we have successfully entertained many of the largest and most exacting of national and world events. The National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, with an attendance of 50,000, and the Imperial Council of the Mystic Shrine, with an attendance of approximately 70,000. The National Encampment of the G. A. R. was so well pleased with their treatment in 1922 that Des Moines was unanimously chosen again for 1926. Meeting places: The Coliseum Building, with a capacity of 9,000, would furnish adequate accommodations for large mass meetings, our larger hotels have well appointed convention halls and on the mezzanine floors in addition, numerous halls and assembly places are conveniently distributed in the downtown district.

Publicity: Three daily papers and upward of 35 periodicals, with a combined circulation of over 3,000,000, afford unusual means of publicity. In addition to this the three national news distributing agencies maintain local offices and our WHO broadcasting station would be available if desired.

The State house, historical building, and capitol extension grounds would be the most attractive for this event and especially for the purpose of forming the parade feature. From a military standpoint Des Moines has much to offer, it being the mobilization point for the lowa regiments during the Spanish War and the location of Camp Dodge during the recent World War, also the home of the Fourteenth Cavalry and the Ninth Artillery, United States Army, stationed at Fort Des Moines. All military organizations will extend every possible cooperation and support as will our civic and fraternal organizations, who have never failed to respond when called upon. Des Moines is a delightful city to visit and its city parks, amusement parks, public and private golf courses, country clubs would be open to all.

In the event Des Moines is selected, the convention bureau, organized and maintained. for the purpose, will afford every cooperation to the national officers and local committees in preliminary arrangement and carrying through the details of the encampment to a successful conclusion.

Trusting Des Moines for 1926 will meet the approval of all and with sincere wishes for an enjoyable and profitable encampment at St. Petersburg, I am, Cordially yours,

G. E. HAMILTON, Secretary Convention Bureau.

I have also here a letter from his excellency, John Hammill, Governor of the State of Iowa, which reads as follows. It is addressed to your Commander in Chief, Chauncey W. Herrick:

MY DEAR MR. HERRICK: I desire to join with other citizens of the great Commonwealth of Iowa in extending an invitation to the national encampment of the U. S. W. V. to hold their convention in Des Moines in 1926. We want you to visit Des Moines and our splendid State, and assure you that everything will be done to make your stay pleasant and profitable. Sincerely yours,

JOHN HAMMILL, Governor.

Now listen, in 1922 the Civil War veterans were in Des Moines and then they went to Detroit and to Grand Rapids and the invi

tation was extended to them to come back to Des Moines in 1926 and, by a unanimous vote, they decided to return for the 1926 encampment to Des Moines, Iowa. I know that nothing more need be said in our behalf. I again say to you that we want you to come to Iowa where the tall corn grows. [Applause.]

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrade Stoval, of Arizona, is recognized by the Chair.

Comrade STOVAL (Arizona). I speak in behalf of Hamilton Fish Camp, No. 2, of Texas, and I assure you when I finish you will feel my talk to you has been satisfactory. I hold in my hand here, delegates, checks which have been brought to this city by the delegation from El Paso inviting you and hoping that you will hold your convention in El Paso in 1926. El Paso, gentlemen, is located in that grand region of our country known as the great Southwest, which includes a section of Arizona, New Mexico, and 400 miles of western Texas. It is a commercial section and it is the commercial center of that region, a population of about 100,000. In a way you may call it an international city. It is just midway between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Right across from it is Juarez and I hold in my hand a cordial invitation from the Chamber of Commerce of the city of El Paso to be present there in 1926, likewise a very cordial invitation from the mayor of the city of El Paso for you to be there in 1926, likewise a certified check that accompanies the invitation, and I also hold in my hand two telegrams, one from the Chamber of Commerce of Juarez, inviting you to be in El Paso, likewise from the mayor of Juarez, I have a cordial telegram inviting you to be there.

Now, as to El Paso. We feel we can cooperate with you down there and we ask you to come to El Paso. Arizona is the baby State. It has done its bit, though, and I am sure you are all proud of its record. El Paso is as good a convention city as you will find anywhere and it is just as well provided to take care of you and accommodate you as any other city that you can name. We have

a convention hall which will accommodate 5,000 people. We have ample hotel facilities. The climate is good, so good that you have to have a blanket on your bed at 9 o'clock. We have eight trunk lines running into the city and in every way we have the atmosphere of New York and with Juarez right over the line you will have plenty of entertainment where everything is wet-w-e-t, wet. Applause.] I don't want you to feel for one moment that El Paso is inviting you to come there to go on a drunk. The good people of El Paso and in that community of the great Southwest invite you to come. In the Southwest we have a great prairie territory. Lots of our land has no water on it at all. I want to say one thing that ought to appeal to you veterans, we have down there a man who has proved to be the best friend the SpanishAmerican War Veterans have ever had, Senator Bursum, and we appreciate him. [Applause.]

In all sincerity the people of El Paso ask you to come there. Now, comrades, I told you that my talk would be satisfactory. I don't want to see any deadlock in this convention and I have been instructed to say to you in behalf of those comrades in El Paso who want you to come there that if we are not successful in our effort

to get you to come to El Paso in 1926 we will go with you to Des Moines in 1926 and we will be happy wherever you are.

Comrade DINEEN (New York). Comrade commander in chief. Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrade Dineen.

Comrade DINEEN (New York). I move you, sir, it be the sense of this encampment that Des Moines, Iowa, be the next meeting place for our encampment for the 1926 encampment.

Comrade MITNICK (Maryland). I second the motion.

Commander in Chief HERRICK. You have heard the motion which has been seconded and if there is no objection it stands approved. (No objection was voiced.)

Comrade STOVAL (Arizona). We ask you now for the 1927 convention in advance. El Paso extends you that invitation now.

Commander in Chief HERRICK. The encampment will be in order now. It will be a few minutes before the returning committee will be ready to report. The clerk, the reading clerk, will make some an

nouncements now.

The READING CLERK. I have here a communication from C. T. O'Neill, past department commander of Pennsylvania, commander Pennsylvania Commandery, Naval and Military Order of the Spanish-American War, which reads as follows:

Comrade C. W. HERRICK,

ALLENTOWN, PA., September 26, 1925.

Commander in Chief, United Spanish War Veterans,

Hotel Princess Martha, St. Petersburg, Fla.

MY DEAR COMRADE COMMANDER: Having been elected delegate to the national encampment of the United Spanish War Veterans, and the annual meeting of the Naval and Military Order of the Spanish American War, it is a matter of great regret to me that my physical condition is such that my medical advisers have insisted upon my abandoning the trip to Florida and Cuba. Had made all arrangements to be with my comrades, and am bitterly disappointed in not being able to gratify my desires.

66

With my best wishes for a successful encampment, and hoping that the powers that be" will be impressed with justice of recognizing the Spanish War Veterans by legislation of the incoming Congress that will remove the discrimination in the matter of pensions which the splendid body of volunteer soldiers of the Spanish-American War now suffer.

Yours in F. P. and H.,

C. T. O'NEILL.

(The reading clerk thereupon made other informal announcements.)

Comrade STOBBE (New York). Comrade commander in chief, I move the adoption of the following resolution which has just come to us from the Military Order of the Serpent and which has been too late to present to the resolutions committee [reading]:

To the Delegates assembled at this Twentieth Annual Convention of the Supreme Lair, Military Order of the Serpent, at St. Petersburg, Fla., September 28, 1925: While known as the social adjunct of the United Spanish War Veterans, we pride ourselves on our loyalty to and activity in the parent organization and as ever ready to go from the ridiculous to the sublime. Therefore, would recommend the unanimous endorsement of this convocation and submission to the national encampment of the U. S. W. V., also in session in this city, of the following preamble and resolution:

Whereas it has been a time-honored custom to decorate the graves of departed soldiers, sailors, and marines with flags, and as same is fast losing its distinction through the general use of same by various organizations and individuals in decorating the graves of those who never saw service under the flag: Therefore be it

Resolved, That the incoming administration cooperating with other military organizations take action toward having it made at least unlawful during

the months of May and June of each year to place an American flag upon the grave of anyone who has not seen service and been honorably discharged from the military or naval service of this country.

Respectfully submitted.

In the virus and for F. P. and H.,

WM. F. LEUPER,
OLIVER FENDER,
F. J. GUNTHER,
S. T. I. I. G. G.

Comrade MITNICK (Maryland). I second the motion. Comrade HOUSTON (Illinois). I want to second that motion. Commander in Chief HERRICK. You have heard the motionComrade BULL (New York). Commander in chief, I would like to speak

Commander in Chief HERRICK (interposing). If you desire to speak on the motion, all right.

Comrade BULL (New York). I would like to speak on the motion because it seems to me that I should call for a point of order

Commander in Chief HERRICK (interposing). If you are speaking on the motion you may speak, but you can not discuss a point of order.

Comrade BULL (New York). This is one of those resolutions which has a very commendable object and in the spirit of which we, I am sure all agree, but it is unfortunate that a resolution of this kind comes in after the resolutions committee has been discharged and when it is impossible to give careful consideration to the language of the resolution. Now, if that were passed, the object of it and the effect of it would be that you could not put a flag on the tomb of any President of the United States if he had not served in the war. Comrade BRANDON (Alabama). A point of inquiry.

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Just a moment; Comrade Bull has the floor.

Comrade BRANDON (Alabama). I merely rise to ask the gentleman if the President of the United States is not the Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy.

Comrade DINEEN (New York). Honorary Commander in Chief, yes; and I call the attention of the good comrade to the fact that when the Commander in Chief in the person of the President of the United States dies, he is not in possession of an honorable discharge from the Army, Navy, or Marine Corps.

Comrade BULL (New York). Next year if somebody will bring in a resolution along these lines and in time for consideration in an orderly and proper way, I think a resolution can be drawn and passed which will meet the situation, but I feel that if the resolutions of the national encampments of United Spanish War Veterans are going to command respect and accomplish the purposes which they seek, which we have in mind, we should exercise due care and not put out resolutions on the spur of the moment or by impulse until we know just exactly what they mean and the effect they will have. That should be accomplished in an orderly manner and in accordance with our regular procedure.

VOICES. You are right. That's right.

Comrade BULL (New York). And I object to this motion and hope it will be voted down. [Applause.]