and fighters, in the name of the comrades of St. Petersburg, I greet you. From the throbbing hearts of three score and one comrades of General Leonard Wood Camp, Department of Florida, I extend you a welcome. A welcome indeed! A welcome equal to that accorded by the roar of the cannon to our comrade and hero of Manila Bay when he steamed up New York Harbor in 1899. I welcome you to our city which is ultra-South, semitropical, and the scene of much mobilization in ninety-eight. I welcome you to the magic city of St. Petersburg, which is in the public eye if not in the public hearts. Orators orate, poets poetize, singers sing of its wondrous beauty and surpassing grandeur. I welcome you to this city and invite you to view our wide avenues, winding boulevards, magnificent church structures, and wonderfully beautiful residences. I invite you to inspect our building activities, though they are unfortunately not like yours of the larger cities of other States. In building our structures we can not go so deep with our foundations as to be able to scratch the heads of the Republicans that have gone on before, but we are able to build so high that we can reach up and tickle the feet of the good Democrats that have gone on. [Laughter.]

In welcoming you to this State and to this city and to this camp, we would have you for a moment forget not the purpose of this convention and, lest you forget, remember that we have passed the half-century mark, yet we toiled and toiled eloquently on the soil of this city and other cities in making preparations for the activities of ninety-eight and yet each of us still have uppermost in our minds, we United Spanish War Veterans, thoughts of those who silently sleep in the cold streets of the dead and, while we have in mind those things and all that they mean, let us not forget that:

There is no land like my land
Beneath the shining stars;
There is no flag like my flag

In all the world;

One land, one people; one tongue

And one flag loyal, true;

And no red shall wave over that fair land

Without the white and the blue.

There is grandeur in my land's mountains

There is contentment in her dales;

There is wealth in her broad prairies
And there's freedom in her vales.

In my land all men are equal

And her flag proclaims it too

But no red shall wave over my fair land
Without the white and the blue.

There is majesty in Old Glory'

There is hope in each stripe and star.

It heralds freedom, liberty,

To nations near and far.

Unsullied, triumphant and glorified,

It proudly floats anew,

But, by the eternal Gods,

No red shall wave o'er our fair land
Without the white and the blue.

[Prolonged applause.]

So, on behalf of we, comrades of General Leonard Wood Camp of St. Petersburg, Department of Florida, of the United Spanish War

Veterans, I say to you that we have striven honestly, fairly, and fearlessly to make you happy and comfortable while you are in our fair city, and I further say that 61 comrades of this camp, representing 45,000 inhabitants of St. Petersburg, sing to you their welcome, welcome, welcome, and the echo: If you can't stay, come back, come back, come back! [Prolonged applause.]

The CHAIRMAN. The responses, I know, will be brief. the first will be from Mrs. Wilhelmina K. Borgmeier, president general of the auxiliary. She said to me: "As you are a southern gentleman, you will simply leave out the 'Hel' and introduce me simply as Mrs. Borgmeier." I have much pleasure in presenting the president general of the auxiliary. [Applause, the audience standing.]

RESPONSE TO WELCOME BY MRS. WILHELMINA K. BORGMEIER, PRESIDENT GENERAL OF THE NATIONAL AUXILIARY

President General BORGMEIER. Mr. Chairman, honored guests, our commander in chief, all of my beloved past presidents general and officers, and all sisters and comrades, I am so glad to be here and I know I am voicing the sentiments of every member of the organization that has been fortunate enough to be here, and we have not spent 13 months' preparation in vain. Although I have had only one glass of water, I think it was drawn from that famous Fountain of Youth, for behold in me: I was the sleeping beauty and I awoke and found I was nothing but a prehistoric, longnecked or haired dinosaur, and I went out and bobbed it. One glass of water having done that, what will the key to this city bring me?

[Laughter and applause.]

I am so glad to be here. I am at home. I am one of those poor, lone, tired, and weary Democrats that survived New York City in the heat last year and I can still hear ringing in my ears "Twenty-four for Underwood." [Applause.]

(Governor of Alabama here greeted Mrs. Borgmeier.)

Mrs. BORGMEIER (continuing). When he talks to you to-day, it is "twenty-four homers." [Applause and laughter.]

I want to say briefly that I am so glad to be here. I want to thank every sister in St. Petersburg and every citizen in St. Petersburg, every one, for the courtesy and hospitality shown me and the members up to the present time, and I know it will be continued during our entire stay. Thank you. [Applause, the audience standing.]

The CHAIRMAN. The next speaker will be Cora Geddes Taylor, who will respond on behalf of the Spanish War Nurses, of which organization she is president. [Applause.]

RESPONSE TO WELCOME BY CORA GEDDES TAYLOR, PRESIDENT SPANISH WAR NURSES

President TAYLOR. Comrade commander in chief, officers, and comrades of the United Spanish War Veterans, greetings. As president of the Spanish-American War Nurses, I bring you greetings and all best wishes from our organization.

More than a quarter of a century has passed since we answered. our country's call and hurried to the various camps of the soldiers of ninety-eight. [Applause.]

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We still have vivid recollections of those days, many of them far from pleasant; but we were there and glad to do our bit.

I question if in any walk of life one is as quickly forgotten as a nurse. So, when we returned from the war we returned to obscurity, rejoicing in the fact that we had been able to serve our country, never seeking publicity; so it is not surprising that our Uncle Sam has overlooked us.

I can pledge the Spanish-American War Nurses to support with whatever influence they may have any legislation tending toward the betterment of conditions for the United Spanish War Veterans or their dependents. [Applause.] We do not claim to have the wide influence of your organization, but we did our bit in ninetyeight and are ready to do it again now. [Prolonged applause.] I trust we can rely on your friendship. [Applause.]. I thank you. [Applause.]

The CHAIRMAN. Comrades, the last response is by the commander in chief, and I know it will be brief. [Applause.]

RESPONSE TO WELCOME BY C. W. HERRICK, COMMANDER IN CHIEF, UNITED SPANISH WAR VETERANS

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Sisters and comrades, of all the responses that Comrade Brinker has spoken of, this will be the most brief. To quote my friend Bill Brandon here when he said: "This is the way I long have sought," I would say I have been waiting since 9.15 this morning to shut off this flow of oratory, and, as I look over the Florida "gardens," I must say that you do look like most Florida "gardens," that is, rather wilted. [Laughter.] I am going to ask the ladies and those who are not delegates to retire in order that we may open the business session of the encampment promptly on the drop of the gavel. [Applause.]

(All save delegates to the national encampment retired from the hall, whereupon the following proceedings were had :)

BUSINESS SESSION OF THE TWENTY-SEVENTH NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT UNITED SPANISH WAR VETERANS, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1925

The convention was called to order by Commander in Chief Herrick.

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Comrades, we are going to try to handle things as expeditiously as possible and I am going to ask you to remain quiet and sit down as far front as you can so that you will hear all that is going on.

Color sergeants, advance the colors.

(The colors were advanced.)

Commander in Chief HERRICK. Encampment, salute.

(The encampment saluted the colors.)

Commander in Chief HERRICK. I appoint Рast Department Commander John J. Garrity, of the Department of Illinois, as reading clerk. [Applause].

I will ask the department commanders or whoever is representing the departments of each of the departments to furnish to the adjutant general within the next 10 minutes the name of a comrade whom they desire appointed on committees. These committees will be appointed before the close of this session, so I want to ask you

to furnish those names in the next 10 minutes. Give the names to the reading clerk or to the adjutant general.

As chairman of the enactment committee, I appoint Past Commander in Chief E. J. Gihon. The members of the committee will be announced later.

The auditing committee will consist of Junior Vice Commander in Chief Dodds, chairman-that appointment is required by the regulations; Past Department Commander Alex Frank, of Ohio; and Department Commander Belknap, of the District of Columbia.

As bugler, I appoint Comrade Trachsel, of the Department of Missouri; as color sergeants I appoint Comrade Fred Wegener and Comrade Arthur Rau, of New York.

As assistant marshals, I appoint Comrade Otto Emmendorfer, of Missouri, and Dennis Hines, and Jacob Amsler, of New York. The members of the enactment committee will be Past Commander in Chief E. J. Gihon, chairman; Comrades Frank J. Walsh, of Indiana; Lewis Jones, of the Potomac; W. L. Peters, of Oklahoma; O. L. Chamblin, of Texas; W. J. Castanie, of Missouri; John E. Moran, of Montana; C. C. McKenna, of Oregon; O. P. Storm, of Texas; and Sylvis Garver, of Ohio.

The members of the appeals and grievance committee will be Past Commander in Chief O. E. Carlstrom, chairman, and Comrades C. L. Gebauer, of Ohio, and Coral F. Roberts, of California. The resolutions committee will be comprised of Past Commander in Chief John Lewis Smith, of the District of Columbia, as chairman; Comrade Mahone, Oregon; Richardson, Montana; Steckel, Georgia; Scarlett, New Jersey; Cain, Pennsylvania; Otjen, Oklahoma; Winters, Kansas; Martinez, Louisiana; Curtis, Minnesota; Meier, Nebraska; Judd, California; Wieber, Washington and Alaska; Johns, Kentucky; Payne, Florida; and Stovall, of Arizona. The greeting committee will be presided over by Past Commander in Chief C. W. Newton, as chairman, and the rest of the personnel will be all the past commanders in chief.

I do not want to do this any more than you want to listen, but if you will listen and keep quiet I will get over it as soon as possible. (The commander in chief read from his report.)

REPORT OF C. W. HERRICK, COMMANDER IN CHIEF, TO THE TWENTY-SEVENTH NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT, UNIT ED SPANISH WAR VETERANS

To the Officers and Members of the Twenty-seventh National Encampment, United Spanish War Veterans:

COMRADES: In compliance with section 230, article 2, part 5, Rules and Regulations, the following report is submitted: Believing that so far as history is concerned, a record of battles fought is more important than a minute description of the weapons used, I will be as brief as possible.

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

As I was located in the city of Washington, D. C., I selected James J. Murphy, Department of the District of Columbia, as adjutant general, and opened National Headquarters at rooms

710-712 Woodward Building, Washington, D. C. James J. Delaney, of the department of New York, was selected as quartermaster general, and a supply depot was opened in New York City with Comrade Fred Schroeder as assistant quartermaster general. We are, or should be, a business organization. To carry on the business of the national organization effectively and properly requires several employees with modern offices and equipment.

While no credit is due the writer for this condition of affairs, I believe that the records are more nearly complete and in better shape than at any time in the history of the organization. As these conditions will be reflected in the report of the adjutant general, I shall not refer to them at this time.

PERMANENT HEADQUARTERS

The year has taught me, among many things, that it is absolutely essential that a permanent headquarters be selected in order that the business of the organization will not be at a standstill for several weeks during the moving from one city to another. It is expensive and necessitates a new office force annually, and is indefensible from an economic standpoint. From perhaps a prejudiced standpoint, I believe that Washington, D. C., should be the location of national headquarters, but I am more concerned in the establishment of such headquarters than their geographical location.

NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT

The Twenty-sixth Annual Encampment selected St. Petersburg, Fla., as the convention city for the Twenty-seventh Encampment. At the time this report is being prepared I have made four visits to the Sunshine City, and the cooperation of the chamber of commerce and citizens of St. Petersburg with the local camp indicates that it will be a successful encampment and an occasion that will long be remembered.

NATIONAL OFFICERS

I consider myself very fortunate in securing the services of James J. Murphy as adjutant general. His former services as camp commander, two terms as department adjutant, chairman department legislatíve committee, department commander, assistant quartermaster general, and quartermaster general, together with his wide acquaintance with the membership throughout the country and his knowledge of the affairs of the organization, enabled him to put into effect many improvements in procedure, the benefit of which will be apparent later. Unless the commander in chief is so situated that he can give his entire time to the organization, it is absolutely essential that the adjutant general have the knowledge and ability to handle details and to be the working member of the firm in all matters which do not involve a question of policy.

During the year he has set up a new set of ledgers, which were very much needed for the proper conduct of the business of the organization. He has also set up a charter-record book, something we should have had long ago, and has started a file of camp charter records, which, when completed, will give the organization its first