SEC. 6. That no claim agent, attorney, or other person shall contract for, demand, receive, or retain a fee for services in preparing, presenting, or prosecuting claims for the increase of pension provided for in this act; and no more than the sum of $10 shall be allowed for such services in other claims thereunder, which sum shall be payable only on the order of the Commissioner of Pensions; and any person who shall, directly or indirectly, otherwise contract for, demand, receive, or retain a fee for services in preparing, presenting, or prosecuting any claim under this act, or shall wrongfully withhold from the pensioner or claimant the whole or any part of the pension allowed or due to such pensioner or claimant under this act shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall for each and every such offense be fined not exceeding $500 or be imprisoned not exceeding one year, or both, in the discretion of the court.

SEC. 7. That all acts and parts of acts in conflict with or inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby modified and amended only so far and to the extent as herein specifically provided and stated.

There is one amendment that I believe should be made to this bill, and that is a provision granting the benefits of this act to veterans who served less than 90 days but who were separated from the service by reason of disability.

I am in sympathy with every veteran or dependent of a veteran in their efforts to secure relief, but I believe that our first duty is to our own comrades, and we should make an aggressive fight to pass this bill without coupling it with any other legislation.

This bill carries the same rate of increase for our aged and disabled comrades as the Knutson bill, with the exception that the rate for those so totally helpless as to require the aid of an attendant is brought up to $100 a month, and no distinction is made between those resident in soldiers' homes and those living outside.

In this bill we are coupled with the Indian war veterans, a class of men whose valiant services to this Nation on the fields of conflict have been as little recognized by the Government as our own, and prosion in our bill, as well as the inclusion of the neglected Indian war maimed soldiers of previous wars to somewhat nearer a parity with that granted to those whose disabilities were incurred in the World War.

The majority of the maimed soldiers affected by this bill received their injuries during the Spanish-American War, and their inclusion in our bill, as well as the inclusi onof the neglected Indian war veterans, should add to the strength of the bill. This does but simple justice to comrades, who, like ourselves, have suffered from the fact that their numbers were small and that they had not political power to enforce their demands for just recognition.

CERTIFICATES OF MEMBERSHIP

Some years ago national headquarters furnished, on requisition, certificates of membership. There have been a considerable number of requests from camps for these certificates, and it is recommended that the incoming administration adopt and have engraved a suitable certificate.

SERVICE VETERANS OF THE UNITED STATES

During the past year a meeting was announced in Washington of the "Service veterans of the United States." We investigated

the matter and found that it was an organization composed of former members of draft boards and that they had an ambitious program, which included the following, copied verbatim from their circular letter:

To ammend the national civil service law granting the same priority and preference to ex-members of the selective service boards as now is extended to ex-soldiers.

To amend veteran war risk insurance act to permit members of the selective service boards to participate in this form of Government insurance.

To extend the privileges of the United States Public Health Bureau to indigent members of the selective service boards.

To amend the national defense act so as to provide for the creation of a separate department or corps for selective service operations.

NOTE.-It will be impossible to obtain brevet commissions in recognition of the service rendered. We are informed that the War Department as a matter of established policy would be opposed to such action. However, this organization will urge commissions for those who constitute potential selective service officers-in other words, as the Army now issues commissions to officers in the various Reserve Corps, as a matter of national preparedness, just so should commissions be issued to the men who will be depended upon for the inaugurating of the first move necessary to mobilization.

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Since this organization grew out of World War activities, we turned our information over to the national legislative committee of the American Legion. I am unalterably opposed to the prostitution of the word veteran" by such an organization. These individuals are no more entitled to be termed veterans than the shipyard workers or any others who worked for high wages while real veterans were earning their title in France or in camps waiting for their chance to go to the front. By all means let former draft board members organize if they desire, and if they feel that they have claims against the Government let them collect if possible, but the adoption of the title "Service veterans of the United States is dishonest, misleading, and an insult to every real veteran.

BRYAN FUNERAL

While the late Col. William Jennings Bryan was not a member of the United Spanish War Veterans, he was a veteran of the Spanish War and a national character. National headquarters detailed Department Commander Clarence A. Belknap, of the District of Columbia, in whose jurisdiction the services were held, to take charge of the arrangements. At the request of Mrs. Bryan a guard of honor composed of members of the Department of the District of Columbia mounted guard over the remains during the entire time they laid in state in Washington.

RESTORATION AND COMPLETION OF THE HISTORICAL FRIEZE IN THE ROTUNDA OF THE CAPITOL

A joint resolution of Congress, approved March 3, 1925, authorizes the Joint Committee on the Library to complete the historical frieze in the rotunda of the Capitol. As the Spanish War period is not represented in the decorations in the rotunda, the matter was taken up with Senator S. D. Fess, chairman of the committee, who replied that nothing would be done prior to the next meeting of Congress.

It is recommended that the incoming administration take the matter up with the committee at the opening of Congress in order that our war period may be suitably recorded in the decorations.

HOSPITALIZATION

It is increasingly apparent that we must constantly be on the watch in order that privileges granted us by law are not taken from us by those intrusted with the administration of the law. Section 202 (10), act of June 7, 1924 (43 Stat. 620), provides that all hospitalization facilities under the control of the United States Veterans' Bureau shall be available to honorably discharged veterans of the Spanish-American War.

-Comptroller General McCarl, on March 10, 1925 ruled that "contract hospitals are not existing Government facilities within the meaning of the act of June 7, 1924." It is recommended that the matter be referred to the next Congress, requesting an amendment which will clearly establish our right to treatment in any Government hospital.

DEDUCTIONS FROM PENSIONS

Under present laws veterans of the Spanish War receiving treatment at St. Elizabeths Hospital for the Insane, Washington, D. C., or in naval hospitals suffer a loss of part of the pension they are drawing to be applied to their maintenance while in these hospitals. This deduction does not apply to veterans of the World War. This is so obviously an injustice to our comrades that I recommend strong presentation of this subject to the next Congress in order that remedial legislation may be secured.

SUSPENSION OF RULES AND REGULATIONS

The commander in chief is empowered to suspend the rules and regulations, reporting his action to the next national encampment for its approval or disapproval.

Upon application of the Department of Ohio, permission was granted to elect their department adjutant for a term of five years. The reasons given were that the State of Ohio had provided an appropriation to pay the salary of the department adjutant, and it was one of the implied conditions of securing this legislation that the term be extended. Believing that we should by every means possible encourage State legislatures to make such appropriations, I felt that the suspension of the rules and regulations was justified and I recommend that this encampment approve my action.

MEMORIAL TABLETS

During the year we furnished national headquarters memorial tablets to William H. Hubbell Camp, No. 4, Department of New York, for the monument to Past Commander in Chief William H. Hubbell; to Richard Westnedge Camp, No. 16, Department of Michigan, for the monument to Past Commander in Chief Harry H. Bandholtz; and to the Department of Massachusetts for the monument to Past Commander in Chief Walter Scott Hale.

ORGANIZATION

During the term of my predecessor a national organizer was used in the Southern States, and eight departments were organized, which completed departmental organization in the South. After taking office I communicated with the department commanders of all of the Southern States and asked if they desired a continuation of a national organizer to have national headquarters pay the expenses of the department commander or some one designated by him to organize camps. With one exception every department commander replied that he preferred the latter plan, and the department commanders were directed to proceed along those lines. In every case where a request was made for funds, and the policy laid down was complied with, the request was granted. The South has a department in each State, and although some of the are small in numbers I believe that they are all on a good foundation and will continue to grow and prosper.

We also secured a list of Spanish War veterans who were on the rolls of the Pension Bureau and had them assorted into States and cities. Every camp was furnished with a duplicate list of the pensioners who received their mail at the post office of the place where the camp was located, and many camps have made excellent use of these lists.

Approximately 30,000 pensioners were located in towns where there were no camps and each one was sent a personal letter requesting them to join the organization as members at large. The report of the adjutant general will show in detail the results of this campaign, but to secure the full benefit of this work the drive should be carried on by the next administration.

The most serious problem with which we have to contend is losses in membership. Many departments have brought in hundreds of recruits and lost nearly as many by suspension. A typical camp recently checked up on its losses and found that while they have about 250 members they have had over 1,000 names on their rolls, and this means that for every member of the camp there are three former members on the outside. We must devise some plan to hold our membership as well as to bring in recruits if we are to build up our organization.

AUXILIARY

Relations between the auxiliary and national headquarters have been pleasant throughout the year, and I congratulate President General Borgmeier upon the success of her administration. Feeling that this cooperation should extend to the camps, we inserted the following paragraph in General Orders, No. 6:

Realizing that the auxiliary is a valuable asset to our organization, camp officers will cooperate with the officers of the auxiliary to the end that the campaign now being waged for recruits will be reflected in increased membership for the auxiliaries. The camps should furnish the auxiliaries with the names and addresses of every new recruit mustered, so that the auxiliaries may thoroughly cover the ground for any prospective additions to their membership.

Knowing that every recruit to our organization means one or more potential members for the auxiliary, it is hoped that this has been the means of increased membership in that organization.

VISITATIONS

One of the disappointments of my administration was the fact that I was unable to accept the many invitations extended to me. A slight illness during the past summer made it impossible to make some visits that I had planned to, but I have visited the following States during my term as commander in chief: Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. With one exception I have sent a representa tive to every department encampment where I was notified in sufficient time to make the necessary arrangements.

PENSION OFFICE

Our relations with the Pension Bureau have been cordial and satisfactory. Our good comrade, Hays Haymaker, who resigned as Deputy Commissioner on May 31, was a consistent and loyal friend of the organization. When it became known in March that Commissioner Washington Gardner intended to resign, I visited Secretary of the Interior Work, in company with Past Commanders in Chief John Lewis Smith and Oscar Carlstrom. We told the Secretary that as the advanced age of the Civil War veterans precluded the appointment of another survivor of that war period to this important position, we were going insist upon the appointment of a Spanish-War veteran. Doctor Work admitted the justice of our claim, and Gen. Wilder S. Metcalf, a member of Joseph A. Wahl Camp, No. 17, Department of Kansas, was appointed as the first Spanish-War veteran commissioner. General Metcalf felt that he could not leave his business interests in Kansas, and the President then named Comrade Winfield Scott, past department commander of Oklahoma, as commissioner. Colonel Scott has always been an active worker in our organization, and at the time of his appointment as commissioner was serving his camp as adjutant. He is a splendid type of comrade and is doing everything possible to give every veteran all that the law allows. His first act was the appointment of Comrade Orville L. Ganbin, a member of Col. Jas. S. Pettit Camp, No. 3, Department of the District of Columbia, as chief clerk. Comrade Scott will be present at this encampment, and I am sure you will be impressed with his sincerity and earnestness of purpose to help our needy comrades.

We have many other good friends connected with the Pension Bureau, among whom two stand out-E. W. Morgan, Deputy Commissioner, and Dr. A. D. Wilkinson, assistant chief clerk. I desire to express my personal appreciation for the many courtesies they have extended national headquarters.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That the incoming administration be directed to, within 30 days after the close of each national encampment, have printed in full and mailed to each department and camp commander each resolution favorably acted upon by the encampment.

2. Concurring in the recommendation of the adjutant general that the form and size of the present charter be revised and that